The kingdom of heaven is near

The central idea in what Jesus preached is that this kingdom is near. It is not far, nor is it here; the kingdom is near.

Of all that Jesus could have focused on, this is what He did preach. This is what John the Baptist preached. This is what He told His apostles to preach. All the end of the book of Acts, when Paul is in Rome, after having written many of his epistles, he is still preaching the kingdom of God.

"And he stayed in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all openness, unhindered." Acts 28:30-31

Now almost two thousand years later, the kingdom of God is still not here. But this was never a statement of when Jesus will return; it is a statement about the work of God. The kingdom of God is near in distance; the word rendered "near" has to do with space, not time.

Jesus pointed out to those who were watching what He meant by "near".

"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you." Matthew 12:28

This was an evidence that this kingdom is near, very near.