Jesus Preaches

John the Baptist was Jesus’ forerunner.  The first note in Matthew 4:12-25 is that John has been imprisoned.  This foreshadows Jesus’ own suffering.  Spoiler alert:  This story will end with Jesus’ death on the cross through which he bears the sins of the world.  The cross of Good Friday will give way to the empty tomb of Easter morning through which Jesus defeats sin and death.  We’ll get there in time.

John’s imprisonment put Jesus on the move. He left Nazareth to live in Capernaum in Galilee.

Matthew will frequently draw our attention to how the beautiful promises of the Old Testament burst into reality in Jesus.  With Jesus’ change of geography, Isaiah 9:1-2 was fulfilled,

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”

 The people living in darkness have seen a great light.  

The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are mesmerizing ribbons of light that have fascinated humanity since first observed. The lights can be seen high-latitude regions near the Earth’s magnetic poles – Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia.  Despite their serene beauty, this breathtaking display results from a highly energetic and turbulent process.

The aurora forms when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s upper atmosphere at incredible speeds — up to 45 million mph. Thankfully, our planet’s magnetic field acts as a protective shield, preventing these solar particles from causing harm.

In Jesus, we see an even greater light.  The Messiah.  The Son of God.  The Savior of the world.   This great light formed when God left the glory and splendor of heaven and took on flesh.  As Jesus walked dirty roads and sat at the table of sinners, those living in the shadow of death saw a great light.

We don’t need to be protected from him like we need protection from the solar particles of the northern lights.  In fact, people flocked to Jesus.    

Matthew 4:17 says from that time Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Jesus’ preaching is identical to John the Baptist’s message in Matthew 3:2.  While John the Baptists prepared the way, in the ministry of Jesus, the kingdom arrived. 

The proper response to John’s message was to repent. The response to Jesus’ preaching is to repent as well.  Yet, it is much more than a generic call to repentance but a more pointed call to follow. 

Jesus Calls

I often use the language of the invitation, but “follow me” it’s not an invitation but a command. It calls for obedience.

In Matthew 4:18, Jesus approached Simon and Andrew, “Come follow me and I will send you out to fish for people” Jesus said.  Notice the response, “At once they left their nets and followed him.”

In verse 21, Jesus approached the Zebedee brothers and called them as well.  Notice the response, “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” 

Disciples repent of a pursuit of their own way of life to follow in the footstep of the Messiah.

It’s not a casual endeavor.

It’s not a part-time gig.

It’s not for a moment or season.

It is a whole-hearted devotion to the very end.  It is to live as citizens of heaven in obedience to the One who brought the kingdom to Earth and who will one day bring a New Heaven to a New Earth.  

Like Simon and Andrew, will you rearrange priorities?

Like the Zebedee brothers, will you place Jesus above everything and everyone?

As we will see in weeks to come, it will cost you everything, but its worth it.

Jesus heals

Notice the summary statement in Matthew 4:23, “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.”  

We’re likely not surprised by Jesus teaching and proclaiming.  We might be surprised by Jesus’ healing ministry.  He demonstrated the arrival of the kingdom and the authority of his message by healing the sick and freeing people from demons.

He healed “every disease” does not mean he healed every single person.  It means that there was no kind of sickness he could not heal. There is nothing beyond the power of God.

Some will distort this message to preach a prosperity gospel that says that Jesus wants you “healthy and wealthy.”  This prosperity gospel will say if you’re not healthy and wealthy it is because of your lack of faith.  Yet, the New Testament makes it abundantly clear that God wants you holy.  God wants you to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.  Many times, holiness happens through adversity.  

Does God heal?  Absolutely! Our church staff prays for healing every single Monday morning.  If you submit to me a prayer request for a physical need, I will earnestly and passionately intercede on your behalf.  I will humbly ask God to heal because I know that God can heal. 

In Matthew 4, we see that Jesus cared about people in their totality.  He preached good news to save their souls and he healed to meet the most pressing physical need.

As a church of disciples, we follow the example of Jesus.  We preach and meet needs.  We preach the gospel from the pulpit and encourage you to preach the gospel in your living room, classroom, ballfield, and workplace.  We meet needs through Hope’s house, car care ministry, benevolence ministries, and encourage you to love your neighbor every single day.  

People are attracted to the Jesus of the Bible.  And people are attracted to churches which reflect the Jesus of the Bible.  May we be counted in that number.