Where is the birth of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel? As Christmas approaches, we’re considering how Matthew, Mark, Luke and John tell the story of the coming of Jesus in each of their Gospels. But as we look at Mark’s Gospel, we don’t see anything about Jesus’ birth. Mark jumps straight in at the start of Jesus’ public ministry, when he was aged about 30. Yet, Mark has much to say about why Jesus came to earth. He understands Jesus’ birth, his coming, his significance and his ministry, under the topic of the “kingdom of God”. For Mark, it is not the circumstances of Jesus birth that matter, but the reason that his birth occurred that matters. Jesus’ birth occurred because Jesus is the king of kings, the Lord of lords. He is the one who was prophesied long ago, the Messiah, the one who would build God’s kingdom, an everlasting kingdom, one that in time would destroy all earthly kingdoms, and last forever. Just as Daniel prophesied the coming of the kingdom that would outlast all previous human kingdoms (Daniel 2:31–45), Jesus is the ‘Rock’ that would crush human kingdoms and grow to rule over all. The kingdom of God is where God’s will is done. We pray in the Lord’s prayer that God’s “will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9-13). We can make this happen as we submit to the King of kings, making Jesus our Lord and Saviour, as we first come to him for forgiveness, by faith alone, and then serve him obediently, also by faith. Jesus came to establish God’s kingdom, and to call numerous people to live under his rule. He died on the cross so that we could serve God as his forgiven and accepted subjects. When Jesus was on earth, his message was simple: “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).