"The Kingdom Has Come Near" Dave Criddle returns to the beginning of Mark where we are reminded of Jesus’ words that ‘the kingdom of God has come near’ where we are reminded of Jesus’ words that ‘the kingdom of God has come near’. We then fast-forward to the point where Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah and begins to reveal what this will mean - not the conqueror king who had perhaps been anticipated, but rather a servant Messiah who himself would die to save humankind.