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[0:00] Father in heaven, I have no light of my own to give to anyone. I am completely dependent upon you and your grace and your light.

[0:16] ! Lord, will you shine brightly into our hearts today.! And will you help us to repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

[0:30] We be glorified in it. And Lord, will we find our delight in it. We pray that in the matchless name of Jesus Christ, our King. Amen.

[0:48] This passage speaks to us about a people who dwell in darkness. In the shadow of death.

[0:59] And we, as Matt said, we are reminded this week that there is great darkness in this world. 17 people were murdered in a high school in Parkland, Florida this week.

[1:14] But the encouraging thing is that this passage does not leave us in darkness. It points us to light. A great light dawns to drive away the darkness.

[1:28] And our passage even begins with some of that darkness that needs to be driven away.

[1:38] The first words are, now when he had heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.

[1:50] Now, John the Baptist is not murdered in this passage. Ten more chapters, then he will be. This passage begins with his arrest.

[2:03] And last we saw John in chapter 3, he was preaching, repent for the kingdom of heaven it is at hand, which is actually the exact word for word match what Jesus will proclaim in today's text.

[2:17] Now, Matthew doesn't explain here why John was in prison. But if we look to Luke's gospel, Luke will tell us that it was because he kept preaching that very same message, repent.

[2:30] And he kept preaching it until he reached someone and preached it to them who was powerful enough and angry enough to throw him in a dungeon and eventually kill him.

[2:43] Herod Antipas, who is the son of Herod the Great from chapter 1 of Matthew's gospel, threw John in prison when John told him, you can't have her.

[2:54] Specifically, she was his half-brother's wife who he had taken for his own. It was Mark Twain who said, it ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me.

[3:08] It's the parts I do understand. In general, we're happy to hear about God and how he's good and how he's loving and maybe how those people over there need to repent so long as it doesn't confront me.

[3:22] Right? And so we resist God's light because it shows us our own darkness. Just like Herod did. And that darkness that Herod showed and that Mark Twain identified in himself is exactly where the light of this passage is aimed, where it's directed to shine.

[3:41] Not that darkness that's outside of us. The darkness that's in us. And there is great hope here. Because Matthew continues in verse 13.

[3:53] Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea and the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled.

[4:07] The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people dwelling in darkness, have seen a great light. And for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.

[4:23] Now, if you're like me, you don't know very well where Naphtali and Zebulun are in this world. They're the northern part of Israel.

[4:37] If you want a good correspondence, Israel is roughly the size and shape of New Jersey. So that's kind of what we're thinking of, the northern end of New Jersey, that region.

[4:49] And there is the Sea of Galilee. And Jesus is going to be doing most of his ministry from this moment on. For the first few years of his ministry, he's going to be in this region, crisscrossing the Sea of Galilee.

[5:02] This is where he will walk on water. This is where he will quiet the storm. This is where he will preach the Sermon on the Mount. This is where he will heal and teach and proclaim the good news of the kingdom for the whole beginning of his ministry.

[5:20] Now, northern Israel isn't just like, okay, so we're in the north. Great, that doesn't really help me here. But actually, it really draws this passage closer to home, closer to us.

[5:32] See, this is one of the most fertile areas of Israel. The Sea of Galilee is there, which is really a big lake, as far as you and I would say it.

[5:46] And as we look to it, we would see not a wilderness, not a desert, but actually a rich area.

[5:59] And fertile areas tend to become, especially in the ancient world, very quickly, international places. And that's why Isaiah here, this is Isaiah chapter 9, the quote, says Zebulun and Naphtali, but then says the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

[6:19] Because it was such an international place that Jesus' teaching is actually going to intersect with people who aren't from there. People like you and people like me.

[6:31] And so this light dawning in this passage is for all the world. That we again have to ask ourselves, what kind of darkness is that light breaking into?

[6:43] Is it an external darkness that's imposed upon them? Or an internal darkness that they produce, that they embrace?

[6:56] Again, this quote is from Isaiah chapter 9. And Isaiah has had, in his prophecies leading up to chapter 9, he's been talking about darkness in their own hearts.

[7:09] And the judgment that is coming upon them because of it. And even in Matthew's gospel, Matthew 1.21, when Jesus' birth is prophesied, the angel says, you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from not some outside darkness, not some outside threat.

[7:26] He will save his people from their sin. Just last week in Matthew chapter 4, verses 1 through 11, Jordan showed us that Jesus defeated an enemy, not by force, not by conquering some external force, but by refusing to sin and giving us that victory.

[7:48] And so both Isaiah and Matthew, the focus is on our own hearts. Darkness that comes from us and rejects the light.

[8:04] And so his people have cut themselves off from God's protection, God's blessing, and God himself. And that's going to become critically important for us. None is righteous.

[8:19] No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become worthless. No one does good. Not even one.

[8:30] And so this darkness includes people like a shooter in Parkland, Florida, but it also includes people like me and people like you who need light.

[8:46] Many of you don't agree with that assessment. It might be because, well, your sight has adjusted to the darkness.

[9:00] And light hurts your eyes. See, people everywhere dwell, he says, or walk in darkness. The headlines this week confirm it.

[9:10] You know, I've used a couple times in this Matthew series already the example of Matthew chapter 5 where Jesus talks about how darkness doesn't just live among us.

[9:26] We don't live among darkness, but we need light ourselves. We all dwell personally and individually in the darkness. Yes, in Parkland, Florida this week, a gunman walked into a school.

[9:44] And, yes, that's darkness. And Jesus says, you have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder. And whoever murders will be liable to judgment.

[9:56] But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council. And whoever says, you fool, will be liable to the hell of fire.

[10:12] Darkness dwells in me. Or maybe look to the Me Too movement. I think it's a very positive thing for our culture.

[10:24] It should be hard and shameful to do evil. Right? And we should celebrate that. But Jesus also says in Matthew 5 that darkness is not just outside of us.

[10:39] Right? You've heard it said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

[10:51] And so John said, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

[11:01] And Jesus says today, repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. What's different between the two of them? The words are exactly the same. But John couldn't offer the people a solution, really.

[11:19] He could only say, flee the wrath that is to come. He offered them fire. But then Jesus came. He numbered himself among the transgressors by being baptized.

[11:33] And he needed no repentance. And then he decisively defeated sin in chapter 4. It's about his victory over sin. Not so much about how we can defeat temptation by quoting scripture, though that's helpful.

[11:50] But it's about how he was victorious. And then he shows himself to be the light who dawned. John warned us about fire, but Jesus is giving us light.

[12:05] And what light is it? Now, I've said a couple times that this is Isaiah chapter 9, verses 1 and 2. If you've been with us through this Matthew series, I bet you know how Matthew's using this.

[12:20] He has this habit of quoting introductions to things and expecting us to think through the whole thing. It's as if he's saying, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

[12:33] And you're expected to think of lightsabers and death stars. It's as if he is saying, four score and seven years ago.

[12:44] And you're supposed to call to mind the Gettysburg Address and the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. And this is no different than that. He's quoting the introductory lines to a poem of victory.

[12:58] Isaiah chapter 9. First off, Isaiah is the most famous of their prophets. And chapter 9 is one of their most famous moments in the book of Isaiah.

[13:12] Isaiah. And so Isaiah, he prophesied hundreds of years before Christ came. And the context is that God is disciplining his people.

[13:24] They face an exile because they've abandoned him. And so he's going to send a nation to judge them through conquest. And that's the darkness that they dwell in, Isaiah says, their own darkness.

[13:38] But beneath that, they've chosen to turn away from the Lord and his light. They are the ones who walk in darkness. But Isaiah says, he's said up to this point, chapter 9.

[13:51] This will not last forever. I will correct you, but I will bring you back. But more than that, more than that, I'm not just bringing you back to a land so that you can sit here again.

[14:07] I'm bringing you back to a land and chapter 9. I should have bookmarked this.

[14:21] The verses that Matthew quotes here. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.

[14:36] You've multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy. They rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest. As they are glad when they divide the spoil. 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.

[14:53] For every boot of the trampling warrior in battle tumult, and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. And here's the conclusion.

[15:04] Here's what Matthew wants us to think about. Isaiah 9, verses 6 and 7. This is where it's all headed. It's somewhere beautiful. It's something more than just being restored to their land.

[15:18] For us, 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.

[15:35] Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end. On the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it, to uphold it with justice and with righteousness.

[15:47] From this time forth and forevermore, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do that. The light is not just a rescue.

[16:01] It's not just returning to their land. And it's not just a philosophy. It's not just an institution or a system of government.

[16:13] The light is a person. The light that dawns on the world is a person. Which means that the people who dwelt in great darkness lacked a person.

[16:32] That people who today dwell in darkness lack a person. Which is exactly why our next verse in Matthew says, From that time Jesus began to preach saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

[16:54] If you are in darkness and you need light, and light is a person, you need to turn to that person. What does the word repent mean?

[17:10] I think sometimes we use it without really thinking, considering what it actually means. And oftentimes we say, you know, in our minds, or just assume, it means like, you know, behave.

[17:23] Right? Just behave. That's what repent means. Mind your manners and God will be happy with you. If that's what it meant, we'd be in big trouble. If our place depended, if our place before him depended on us behaving, Isaiah goes on to say that all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.

[17:46] Now the book of Matthew was first written in Greek, and the Bible you hold in your hands is translated from the earliest manuscripts we have of that. And the books that come before it in the Old Testament were first written in Hebrew.

[18:01] There's also a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which is actually very helpful to us, because we can look to a verse in the Greek Old Testament and see what Greek and Hebrew words correspond to each other, what they match up.

[18:17] And the Greek word here that's used for repent matches up to two Hebrew words, the words for sorrow over and the words for turn.

[18:31] And so when Jesus says repent, he's not saying behave, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He's saying the kingdom of heaven is on its way.

[18:47] Fair behave? No. He's saying you walk in darkness. A light is dawning, and that light is a person. I am the light of the world, and I offer you myself.

[19:02] Will you count darkness? Something to be sorrowed over. Will you turn to me?

[19:13] I offer you myself. Will you have me? And so repentance has to do with the direction your heart is pointing.

[19:27] In the book of Acts, we see the apostles preach repentance a few times, and it's really helpful to see the words they put around it. In Acts chapter 3, Peter says, Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

[19:51] Light is a person. The presence of the Lord. Turn to him. He goes on in Acts chapter 8 to preach again. He says, Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

[20:13] So the Christian message is really quite simple. God is light, and in him there is no darkness, and we need him. Will you turn to him?

[20:25] Charles Spurgeon is called the Prince of Preachers.

[20:37] I can say it no better than how he said it. Mark right well who this Jesus Christ is. He is in the constitution of his person, both God and man, divine and human, equal with God and fellow with man.

[20:58] Do you not see in this fact the love of God? That he should be willing to take humanity into union with himself? If God becomes a man, he does not hate men, but has love towards them.

[21:14] Do you not see the suitability of Christ to deal with you? For he is, like yourself, a man touched with the feeling of your infirmities, of a human mother born.

[21:26] He suffered hunger and thirst and weariness and dead and buried in the tomb. He was partaker in our doom as well as our sorrow. O sinner, look into the face of the man of sorrows, and you must trust him.

[21:45] Since he is also God, you there see his power to carry out the work of salvation. He touches you with the hand of his humanity, but he touches the Almighty with the hand of his deity.

[22:02] He is man and feels your needs. He is God and is able to supply them. Is anything too tender for his heart of love?

[22:14] Is anything too hard for his hand of power? When the Lord himself that made the heavens and digged the foundations of the earth comes to be your Savior, there remains no difficulty in your being saved.

[22:31] Omnipotence cannot know a difficulty. And, oh sinner, to an omnipotent Savior, it is not hard to save even you. a look of faith will give you perfect pardon.

[22:48] A touch of the hem of the Redeemer's garment will heal you at once. Come then, trust the incarnate God, cast yourself into his arms at once.

[22:59] If you've never done that, friends, what stops you from running to the light?

[23:14] The light of the world is a person and he calls sinners to repentance, to be joined to him, to be united to him.

[23:25] In his presence, there is joy forevermore. So right. You might be saying, yep, I did that. Checked off the box.

[23:36] Long time ago. He calls us to turn to him each day to receive grace and life and light in himself.

[23:51] But I fear that many Christians walk in a perpetual twilight. yes, the light has dawned and they've received it but, you know, it kind of remains over the horizon for them.

[24:09] And they are walking around without much life, without much light, without much power and spiritual vitality. because they don't open their eyes to see the light each day.

[24:25] That's why Martin Luther, when he posted the 95 theses and started the Protestant Reformation, the very first of his 95 theses says this, when our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said repent, and he quotes Matthew 4, 17, when our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said repent, he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

[24:56] Because if we don't turn to him each day, we're going to be walking in that perpetual twilight. Light has dawned in our life but we don't live in the light. And we will live in a perpetual twilight of a powerless Christian life.

[25:12] there's some light but it's over there, over the horizon. And so I'll ask you, will you do Christian things or will you pursue a living and vital relationship with the risen Christ?

[25:34] Because only there is strength and only there is power. So will you do Bible study? will you open up the word each day and check off the box or will you see God in his word?

[25:53] Will you seek him out there? There's a difference. Will you not only open your Bible this week, but will you go to the living word of the living God?

[26:07] Will you not only read the words on the page, but will you say in your heart to your Lord, you alone have the words of life and really genuinely seek him out there?

[26:24] Will you only try to remember what it says? Will you direct your gaze to the God who reveals himself to you in his word?

[26:35] will you not only seek to obey it, to behave, but will you delight in him? And find that obedience is not a chore, but just what happens when you can see clearly in the light.

[26:54] Will you do Bible study this week? Or will you bask in his light? the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

[27:07] Will you walk in his light? Or when we gather and stand and sing, will it be a recitation of words on a screen or in a hymnal?

[27:21] Find yourself in a church with a hymnal? Or will it be the outpouring of your soul? Will you be seeking to actually commune and fellowship with God? they are not necessarily the same thing.

[27:35] You can arrive here and leave in twilight powerless and lackless. Will you do prayer?

[27:50] Or will you meet with your God? The light is a person. Will you meet with him? God? I was speaking with someone this week about anxiety in their life.

[28:09] We went to a passage that people commonly cite about anxiety. Philippians 4, 5 through 7, the Lord is the Lord is at hand.

[28:20] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

[28:33] And so we look at that passage and we say, all right, if you're anxious, pray about it. Done. Done. Paul doesn't say, do some prayer if you're anxious.

[28:51] It's not like a calming ritual. It's not just getting something off your chest. It's the Lord is at hand.

[29:04] Do not be anxious about anything. Will you go and meet with your God, the one who sent his son to die for you and conquered the grave and sits seated on the throne of heaven?

[29:17] Will you meet with him? Not to just do some prayer because I'm anxious, but go to the throne of grace, the one who rules the world.

[29:29] Those are not the same thing. So if we find ourselves just doing prayer, or doing Bible study, or doing singing, we can be doing a lot of things and living in a twilight when light has dawned.

[29:48] I spoke once with a non-Christian counselor who was talking about how meditation was very helpful for people. It slows people down, centers themselves, get in touch with themselves, and she said, oh yeah, your prayer, because you're a Christian, that's a good version of that.

[30:07] No. It's nothing like that. Nothing at all like that. Prayer is covenant fellowship with the living light of the world who gave himself for us and gives himself to us.

[30:21] For to us a child is born. So will you not only pray this week, will you enter the throne room of the king?

[30:34] Will you not only call to him, will you call him father? Will you not only recite praises and prayers, but will you stand in awe of his goodness and his glory?

[30:52] Will you not only do a ritual of making your requests known, but will you say in your heart, you are my only hope and my only good.

[31:09] The light has dawned. Will you not only list off the items that you should be thankful for, but will you humble your heart and consider that the God of the universe sent his son to die for you?

[31:29] Will that make you thankful? Will you do prayer? Or will you truly meet with your father in heaven? Will you do singing?

[31:42] Or will you meet with him? Will you do Bible study? Or will you meet God in his word? God the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

[31:54] Will you walk in the light? Or in the twilight? So whether you are far from Christ today, or you have walked with him for many years, every one of us needs to turn to him this moment and every moment to receive the light of his grace and his mercy, the light has dawned.

[32:18] And his name is Jesus. And so we need no longer dwell in the region and in the shadow of death.

[32:30] Will you turn to the one who is the light? To conclude, I'll quote Spurgeon again because he's better than me.

[32:44] I wish it were in my power to convey the light I see in the cross into the mental eyeballs of all my hearers, but I cannot.

[32:58] God, the Holy Ghost, must do it. Yet, beloved, if ever you get light, it will be this way. Christ must be a great light to you.

[33:12] nobody ever found light by raking in his own inward darkness that is indeed seeking the living among the dead.

[33:23] You may rake as long as ever you will among the embers of your depravity before you will find a spark of good there. Away from self, away from your own resolutions, away from your own things, away to Christ.

[33:41] On the cross must you look. All your hope and help are laid on Emmanuel's shoulders. You are nothing, not a rag nor a thread of your own righteousness will do.

[33:54] Christ's robe of righteousness must cover you from head to foot. Blow out your paltry candles, put out the sparks which you have vainly kindled, for behold, the sun is risen.

[34:12]  Let's pray.