Jesus’ ministry Matthew
4:12-17
1 Isa 9:1-9
2 Isa 42:1-9
3 Mal 3:1-5
4 Zach 9:9-17
5 Zeph 3:14-20
6 Amos 8:1-14
7 Joel 2:23-32
Having faced the temptations and
proven His righteousness, Jesus begins His ministry. Matthew gives us in the
short passage we have today the overall focus of Jesus’ message to us. “Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This statement is a key to understanding
what Jesus says and what Jesus does in His short time on earth. So today we
will look at this statement.
The Jewish people were
looking the messiah to bring justice and relief from oppression. If you read
the passages listed in your bullion this last week you will have a feel for the
expectations of the people.
Isa 9:1-9 “For
the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his
oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the
tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be
burned as fuel for the fire.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and
the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there
will be no end,”
Isa 42:1-9 “I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He
will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a
bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he
will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till
he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.”
Throughout the Old Testament
you read “in that day”, “on that day”, or “the day of the Lord”. The people
were taught that the Messiah would bring social and political justice to Israel,
in the same way as Christians view the second coming of Jesus. This kingdom of
God, Jesus says is at hand, it has finally arrived.
“Is at hand”. Drawing near. Close
by. Near you. The idea that the kingdom is close to you, not far from you, is
meant as much as “it’s time has come.” You do not need to wait any longer, or travel
some great distance, the Kingdom of God is here and now.
Not only is Jesus teaching
that the “Day of the Lord” has come, but the “Kingdom of Heaven” can be entered
right now in the present tense. Jesus seems to say you can enter the Kingdom of
Heaven like entering a room or walking from one town to another.
Now let’s look at the key to
the kingdom, “repent”. If you want to live in this kingdom you need to repent
of your sin. This is more than simply confessing what you have done wrong. Repentance
is turning your back on a sinful way of life.
Isaiah 1:16-19 sums up the idea
of repentance: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove
the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good;
seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the
widow’s cause. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your
sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like
crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you
shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten
by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
This is something new to the
Messiah. The way the Jews thought of the messiah was a coming king who would force
the unjust to change their ways through judgement. Jesus is teaching that this “Kingdom
of God”, comes through each person turning away from their sinful actions and
desires. You not only enter the Kingdom of Heaven through repentance, you bring
that kingdom into existence through repentance. Jesus’ Kingdom exist wherever and
whenever people repent and take up the kingdom life.
It is true that the “Kingdom
of God”, will not fully exist until Christ returns, it is also true that a
small part of that kingdom exist wherever and whenever a person repents and
chooses to live in the kingdom life.
In Christ, you do not start
living in the “Kingdom of Heaven” in the sweet by and by, you start living in
it now, in this moment, through repentance.
What Jesus is saying is “stop looking for someone to change the world
for you, change it yourself through repenting of your sinful actions and start
living the kingdom life now.”
Everything Jesus says and
does relates back to this idea, “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Do you long for the kingdom
of God? Do you look forward to a time when God will set all things right? You
do not have to wait. You can start living in His kingdom today. The key to this
kingdom is repentance. “Stop doing wrong, start doing what is right, come let
us reason together though your sins are like scarlet they shall become white as
snow.”
Start living in the Kingdom
of Heaven, today.
