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Oct. 26,2007; Part 12 of TBD

Focus Text: Matthew 4.13-17

“And leaving Nazareth, He [Jesus] came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 4.13-17).

Jesus was the unique and unequalled teacher; He was also a preacher. The focus text states for the first time that He “…began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” The word used to describe this activity is the same word, but in a different form, that was used to describe what John the immerser was also doing. Matthew wrote concerning John, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” (Matthew 3.1-2). Interestingly enough, not only did inspiration choose the same word, i.e. preach, to describe these earthly cousins’ actions, they also delivered the same message. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” was a central message of both of these proclaimers.

The preaching of Jesus was not esoterical, nor was it merely theoretical; it was entirely and absolutely practical. It could be understood by anyone who truly wished to understand, but it could be appropriated by no one who refused to allow its message to effect a change within his/her heart! The unique teacher used preaching as a means of communication with the disbeliever. Perhaps it was just the times in which He lived; maybe preaching is outdated. Let’s think about that possibility!

Noah who lived about two and a half millennia before Christ was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2.5). Solomon, an extraordinarily wise person, was also known as “The Preacher.” Isaiah revealed the fact that God anointed Christ to preach (Isaiah 61.1). Jonah was commissioned to go and preach to Nineveh; eventually he went there and preached as God had bidden him and people of an entirely different culture responded favorably to God’s message. As He was departing this earth, Jesus told His apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16.15). A bit of trivia that is not so trivial is the fact that the book of Acts contains thirty five references to preaching, almost one fourth of all biblical usages of the word.

Just how wise are we when we decide that the tried and true method of preaching is no longer effective and that we ought to opt for another method of reaching the lost? Maybe they don’t want to hear; maybe preaching turns them off; maybe non-religious ventures successfully use other means of communicating their message. Maybe, maybe, maybe, and a thousand more maybes, but the Scripture still says that “…it pleased God through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Corinthians 1.21). Jesus could have chosen any of a million ways to communicate; He could have created a myriad of ways previously unknown; He chose to be a preacher proclaiming the necessity of man’s need for repentance!

Questions:

1. How many spiritual blessings can one enjoy until repentance becomes a part of his/her life?

2. Why was repentance important in view of the coming kingdom? Could one become a citizen of this heavenly kingdom apart from repentance?

3. Why did God choose preaching as a means of communicating His gospel? Why didn’t He choose another method? Why didn’t He create a new way of communicating just for the Gospel? 4. Why should preaching still be utilized today in reaching the lost? What if they don’t hear? Should we change the message? The method? Why, or why not?

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Comfort in Isaiah II (12-14-10)