Well, good morning.
My name's Billy Nye.
I lead the high school ministry here,
and it's my privilege to open God's Word with you this morning.
So who knows what tomorrow is?
Anybody been watching the news?
Iowa.
Iowa caucuses.
It's tomorrow, right?
That's what I thought.
Okay.
I know you're all really thrilled about that,
and you're like, why is he starting off his sermon talking about the Iowa caucus?
We don't want to hear any more about this election.
Well, in honor of this very important day,
I want to play a little game with you today.
I'm sure most of you watch the news.
You're probably aware of some of the candidates.
You can't be in this society
without glimpsing some little snippet here and there of the candidates
and the things that are going on.
So I'm sure probably some of you already have in your minds
an ideal candidate and the opposite ideal candidate.
A worst case scenario and a best case scenario.
I'm assuming that's probably true.
Let's play a little game.
Let's pretend just for a moment,
just for a moment, a very scary moment,
that your worst case scenario candidate gets elected.
Yikes!
Okay, okay, stop.
Stop thinking.
Stop pretending.
I know that's painful.
You're probably thinking,
no, don't torment me with that anymore.
Okay, so I did that just to communicate some comfort to you.
Just in case that worst case scenario happens,
they have a maximum of eight years
to do whatever damage they're going to do, right?
A maximum of eight years.
Okay.
Unless they decide to change the Constitution.
But we're not going to go to those horrible contingencies.
Okay.
Let's play a better game.
Let's pretend that if you're a worst case scenario candidate,
get them out of your mind.
They're gone.
Okay.
Let's pretend you're a best case scenario candidate.
Even if it's like the most unlikely person,
but your best case scenario candidate,
they get elected.
Yay!
Is that exciting or what?
That's hope giving.
It may not happen, but that's okay.
We can pretend for a little bit.
Here's the bad news.
They only have a maximum of eight years
to do whatever good they're going to do, right?
And then it's, you know,
and then it's up to, you know,
whoever comes after them.
Okay, let's just keep pretending for just a little bit more.
Let's just play a little game just for a little bit more.
Let's take that best case scenario candidate that you had
and let's stretch it to the extreme.
Someone comes to power who is infinitely good,
infinitely wise,
and infinitely powerful.
So this person can do the maximum amount of good,
an infinite amount of good,
for the longest amount of time,
and can do no wrong.
Now, even if you had a vote to get him out of power,
you wouldn't want to.
Because he's so good,
and he's so wise,
and he's so responsible,
he's so capable,
man, you wouldn't want to get him out.
I've got, you know,
some respect for the presidential candidates right now,
a couple of them,
but, you know, putting that aside,
I'd rather have that guy
who's infinitely good,
infinitely wise,
infinitely responsible,
infinitely capable,
and he's always going to be in power.
We don't have to worry about some loser
coming after him
and wrecking all the bad things he's done.
Well, I have good news for you.
This guy exists.
Let's go to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 4,
and we're going to find out about him.
Matthew chapter 4,
we're going to be in the last half
of Matthew chapter 4,
verses 12 through 25.
While you're going,
while you're turning there,
let me just tell you some of the names
we've heard this guy been called
in the book of Matthew so far.
He's been called the son of David.
David, the mighty king.
The hearts of the people were his.
He had a sword of power in his fist,
and he was good,
and he was wise,
and this guy is this guy's greater son.
He's also called Emmanuel,
God with us.
His name is Jesus.
He's the one who will save his people
from their sins.
He's called the Christ,
the Messiah,
God's anointed,
picked out,
hand-picked leader of his people.
He's called the king of the Jews,
the king of God's people.
He's called God's beloved son.
He's so much like God
and so resembling of God's perfect character
that he's called God's son.
John the Baptist called him
the one who is mightier than he,
and John the Baptist was the last great prophet,
the one who spoke God's words,
and this guy is mightier than John the Baptist,
and so he's going to baptize God's people
with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
He's going to do a mighty work to God's people,
so that's his name,
or those are his names.
So we're going to be looking at this guy,
this powerful figure,
and we're going to be looking at his reign,
his kingdom,
his exercise of power
when he gets into office,
and this passage is going to help us see
that his reign,
his rule,
his kingdom
is the best case scenario
we could ever imagine,
the best good news
that we could ever hear.
I want us to find that idea
of his kingdom being the good news for us.
I want us to find it in the passage real quick,
so go to verse 23.
I want you to know that I'm not making this up.
Look at verse 23,
and he, Jesus,
went throughout all Galilee,
teaching in the synagogues
and proclaiming the,
say it with me,
gospel of the kingdom.
So this is the first time we see the phrase
gospel of the kingdom
in the book of Matthew,
and Jesus is saying
that the kingdom is gospel,
the gospel of the kingdom.
The kingdom is good news.
That's what gospel means.
So there's a good news
about this kingdom,
but whose kingdom?
What kingdom are we talking about?
Well, follow back up to verse 17,
and we'll see the term kingdom used again,
but it's got a little modifier.
Let's look at it.
Jesus, from that time,
began to preach,
saying,
repent,
for the kingdom of,
say it with me,
heaven is at hand.
So heaven is,
this is,
Jesus is proclaiming the kingdom of heaven,
and heaven is God's space.
Heaven is where God's rule and reign
are totally evident
and unquestioned all the time.
But this is not heaven.
This is earth.
This is the world that we live in,
and unfortunately,
the one who has been delegated authority
over this world
is not very good.
He is Satan.
He has been given authority
to rule over this world.
But all of a sudden,
Jesus shows up on the scene here,
and he says,
behold,
the kingdom of heaven
is at hand.
Repent,
the kingdom of heaven
is here.
So we see that God's rule
is invading
Satan's jurisdiction.
God's reign
has come near.
That sounds like good news.
But how?
How has it come near?
In what way has it come near?
In the person
who's speaking these words.
In the person of Jesus.
This guy,
Jesus,
who is God
with us.
God himself
drawn near
to his rebellious image bearers
to reestablish
his reign over them
and to do good to them
for all time.
This sounds like
a best case scenario to me.
This sounds like good news.
So what's the gospel
of the kingdom?
What's the good news
about God's reign?
The good news
is that God's reign
has drawn near to us
through the personal
presence
of the king.
God's reign
has drawn near
to us
to humans
through the personal
presence
of the king.
And this passage
is going to paint
three pictures
of what that
personal presence
of the king
is going to do
and why that's good.
So let's
look at these
three pictures
that this passage
is going to show us
about how
this
rule of God
come near to us
in the personal presence
of the king
is going to be good
and do good
for God's people
and how we can respond
to that today.
Ready?
Picture number one.
Our king
has drawn near
to be the great light
in our darkness.
That's the first picture.
Our king has drawn near
to be the great light
in our darkness.
Let's read verses 12
through 17.
Read with me.
Now,
when he heard
that John had been arrested,
he withdrew
into Galilee.
And leaving Nazareth,
he went and lived
in Capernaum
by the sea
in the territory
of Zebulun
and Naphtali
so that
what was spoken
by the prophet Isaiah
might be fulfilled.
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
in the shadow of death,
on them
a light
has
dawned.
From that time,
Jesus began to preach
saying,
Repent
for the kingdom
of heaven
is at hand.
Literally,
has come near.
He's in the state
of being near.
So what's Matthew
trying to paint
a picture of here?
It appears
he's just telling us
that Jesus made
a geographical move
from the south
of Israel
in Judea
where he was baptized
up to the north
of Israel
and to Galilee.
So what's the big deal?
But
there's a big deal.
There's a very
intentional,
significant reason
that Matthew
has
given us
this
detail about
Jesus' life
and he's going
to give us
the significance
through the lens
of a prophecy
made 700 years
before Jesus
was born
in Isaiah
chapter 9.
That sounds
very interesting.
So,
let's
go there.
hop over
to me,
with me,
to Isaiah
chapter 9.
I just want you guys
to see this
in the context.
Isaiah chapter 9.
Isaiah's kind of
right in the middle
of your Bible.
Isaiah chapter 9.
We just read,
basically,
the first two verses
of Isaiah chapter 9
in Matthew chapter 4.
Matthew's quoting Isaiah.
And I just want to read
the rest of this passage
and I want you to get a feel
for what and who
Matthew is talking about
as he's talking about
this light dawning.
You have multiplied
the nation.
I'm starting at verse 3.
You have multiplied
the nation.
You have increased
its joy.
They rejoice before you
as with the joy
at the harvest.
Man,
there's a lot of joy
going on.
And 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.
For every boot
of the tramping warrior
in battle tumult
and every garment
rolled in blood
will be burned
as fuel for the fire.
No more war.
Broken yoke
on their backs.
For what reason?
For to us
a child is born.
This should sound familiar.
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
and of the increase
of his government
and of peace
there will be no end
and on the throne
of David
and over his kingdom
to establish it
and uphold it
with justice
and with righteousness
from this time forth
and forevermore
the zeal
of the Lord of hosts
will do this.
That's what Matthew
has in mind
as he is quoting
Isaiah chapter 9.
So Jesus,
he's making
a very clear connection here.
Jesus is that one
that Isaiah 9
is talking about.
The son that was given.
The child that was born.
The one who is
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Prince of Peace.
The one who is
Everlasting Father.
The one who has
the government
of God's people
on his shoulder
and he can bear it.
The one who is going
to sit on the throne
of David.
I mean it just keeps going.
It's the Messiah.
It's God's King.
The one is finally come
and he's about
to announce his reign.
But the really
interesting thing is
where is he going
to do it?
Where is he going
to announce God's reign?
His reign come
to invade Satan's jurisdiction.
Is he going to do it
in Jerusalem?
I mean Jerusalem
was the capital city.
It was the city of David.
That's where David's throne
was, his ancestor.
So that's where
God's presence resides
in the temple.
That's where the
sacrifices are made.
That's where God
communes with his people.
That's where the power
and the influences
politically.
All the important Jews
live there.
Is he going to do it there?
No, he goes to Galilee.
Galilee was a little
bustling backwater
of a region
that was far away
from the Jewish
center of power.
Why did he go there?
Galilee was quite a
melting pot of diversity.
It was a Jewish territory.
There were Jews
living there.
It was the ancient
territory of the
tribes Zebulun
and Naphtali
according to Isaiah 9.
But in the 8th century BC
a bunch of crazy
Assyrians rode in
at God's bidding
and they took out
the tribes of Zebulun
and Naphtali
and destroyed their
towns and villages
and carved off
the survivors
to Assyria
and they went into exile.
And in their place
came a whole lot
of different
pagan,
non-Jew,
not knowing
living God
people
and they came
and they settled
in that area
and eventually
some exiles trickled back.
Jews coming back
and they settled there.
So Galilee was just a
it was a melting pot.
There were Jews there.
There were Gentiles there.
And in Jesus' time
it was
it was kind of like
St. Louis was
150 years ago.
St. Louis was the gateway
to the west.
Everyone driven through
St. Louis
seen the arch?
Okay.
It's the gateway
to the west.
You go to St. Louis
and if you want to go
to the west
you go through St. Louis
and that's where you
get on the Oregon Trail
to go west.
Well, Galilee was like that
only it was the gateway
to the heathen north
and the heathen east.
And the roads
from the Roman Empire
ran down through Galilee.
And so lots of trade routes
were set up
that ran to east
to the Mediterranean
or west
to the Mediterranean coast
as well as to the riches
in the east
in the old Persian Empire.
And so all these places
were surrounded by
Galilee was surrounded
by heathen people.
People who didn't know
the living God.
People who were
living in darkness.
There were Jews there too
but they were certainly
influenced by
their Gentile neighbors.
So why did he go there?
Why did Jesus go to this place?
You might be tempted
to think that he's acting
out of fear
because we just read
that John had been arrested.
But Satan,
Jesus has just been
staring down Satan
in the wilderness.
I don't think he's afraid
of being arrested.
This is Jesus
we're talking about.
Did you notice the verbs
that were used?
He withdrew into Galilee.
That sounds very intentional.
And he went and he lived.
Literally he settled down.
He took up housekeeping
in Capernaum.
So there's intention here.
But what is that intention?
It's because these people
were living in darkness.
It's because
they were dwelling.
Literally the word for dwelling
means sitting.
They were sitting in darkness.
For those sitting in the region
and the shadow of death
a light has dawned.
Jesus has come
to be the light
in the darkness.
Where it was most needed
Jesus came
to dawn the light
of the kingdom.
And what does he do?
He announces his kingdom.
Repent
for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand.
Isaiah saw it
700 years before
Jesus came.
The king would come
and he would announce
and begin his reign
of light
not in the center
of the cultural hub
of Jerusalem
but in the backwater
of Galilee
where much light
was needed.
God's been
doing this
for the whole
of history.
Even from the very beginning
of the garden
when Adam and Eve fell
he promised
that he would send
a snake crusher.
He promised
that he would send
someone to deliver
God's people
from the darkness.
And then
he gave a promise
to Abraham
in Genesis chapter 12
where he says
all the nations
of the earth
will be blessed
through your family.
God set
a rescue plan
into motion
and that was
God's mission
to save
to dawn the light
upon those
who were in darkness.
And now it's happening.
Where there was
total darkness
and no hope
the king came
and the light
was dawned.
And the cool thing
is they didn't ask
for it.
They weren't looking
for it.
It was unanticipated.
It was kind of like
the shepherds
watching their flocks
by night.
They weren't asking
for a bunch of angels
to show up
and blind them
with the glory of heaven
and tell them
he's here!
It was totally
by grace
that Jesus has come
to dawn
upon those
in darkness.
But did you notice
that the presence
of the king
and the announcement
of his reign
demands action?
What does Jesus say?
Repent
for the kingdom
of heaven
is at hand.
Those dwelling
in darkness
must respond
to the light
that has dawned
upon them
by turning
from the darkness
and of sin
and self-sufficiency
and pride
and turn
toward the light
of the king
who has drawn
near to them
to be their light
in the darkness.
Can I ask you something?
Have you seen
this light?
Have you seen
the light?
Has this light
dawned upon you?
If you're a Christian
then it has.
I want to remind you
of the words
of a beautiful hymn
written by Charles Wesley.
Long my imprisoned
spirit lay
fast bound
in sin
and nature's night.
Thine eye
diffused
a quickening ray.
I woke
the dungeon
flamed with light.
My chains fell off.
My heart was free.
I rose,
went forth
and followed thee.
Many of you remember
what that dungeon
was like.
I do.
You still remember
the feeling
of being trapped
by sin
and the way
that your enemy
was in power
over you.
You still feel
the effects of it.
The ache
of that.
But you have
seen the great light
and the light
has set you free.
So what are you
to do?
Rejoice.
Be grateful.
This light
did not,
you did not deserve
for this light
to dawn upon you.
You were in darkness
and a light
dawned on you.
But maybe you
don't remember.
Maybe you're a Christian
but maybe you don't
remember what
that dungeon
was like.
Maybe
your heart
has become
hard and desensitized
to sin
after a while.
This happens
to me.
Happens to all
of us.
Your eyes
have become
accustomed to
the darkness
maybe again.
It doesn't seem
so bad
because your eyes
haven't been
looking at the
great light
of the gospel
for a while.
So brother or sister
if that's you
can I speak
some words
of encouragement
to you?
Stop and ask
God to cause
a light
of the gospel
of the glory
of Jesus
to shine
in your heart
once again.
Ask God
to get your eyes
on the blinding
light of his glory
and let your eyes
adjust to how
beautiful it is
so you can see
your sin
so you can confess
your sin
repent and turn
again to the light.
Don't let this world
satisfy you
with its promises
of comfort
and convenience
and contentment
because the king
has come
to give us
life and life
abundant
that far outweighs
anything the world
can give.
Maybe you're wondering
what the big deal is.
Maybe you're wondering
darkness, light
those sound like
exclusive
polarizing terms
I mean come on
what's the big deal?
Our modern culture
we've kind of
moved past that
right?
We don't really
like terms
like that
pure
good and evil
light and dark
but the message
of the Bible
is clear
there is a king
and he is good
and he is drawn
near to be light
to those in darkness
and so if you are
not under his rule
can I encourage you
you will continue
in the darkness
living under the shadow
of sin and death
unless you turn
and repent
and see the light
of the glory
of Jesus
he has come
to give you life
so can I ask you
to learn a little
bit more
to ask questions
and to put your
life under
this great light
that has shown
in your darkness
our king
has drawn near
and his coming
was like the rising
of the sun
to scatter the deepest
darkness
picture number two
our king
has drawn near
to be our light
and our darkness
our king now
picture number two
our king has drawn near
to call his own
to himself
let's read verses 18
through 22
read with me please
while walking by the sea
of Galilee
he saw two brothers
Simon who was called
Peter
and Andrew his brother
casting a net
into the sea
for they were fishermen
and he said to them
follow me
and I will make you
fishers of men
immediately they left
their nets
and they followed him
and going on from there
he saw two other brothers
James the son of Zebedee
and John his brother
in the boat
with Zebedee
at their father
mending their nets
and he called them
also
immediately they left
the boat
and their father
and followed him
a couple things
stand out
about this
little picture
we see here
first
it's interesting
Jesus begins small
he's just made
this huge announcement
the kingdom of heaven
has drawn near
we're kind of expecting
this
some world changing drama
to happen
right
massive movements
put into action
but what happens instead
Jesus walks along
the shore of this lake
he sees two fishermen
tells them to follow him
they leave their stuff
and they follow him
and this happens again
to two other guys
that's it
not very world changing
so far the kingdom
isn't doing anything big
just four local fishermen
that's the cool thing
about what Matthew
wants us to see
about God's rule
coming in
King Jesus
is all about
God doesn't work
according to our
expectations
Jesus' kingdom
is an upside down
kingdom
it works
against
human
expectations
it starts small
it's not flashy
God works
God works though
very powerfully
through small
faith filled
people
Jesus is interested
in
get this
Jesus is interested
in individuals
people like you
and me
he's got his eye
on massive movements
but he's interested
in individuals
he calls his own
to himself
one by one
so do you see
that this morning
Matthew wants us
to see
this is the way
the individuals
get into the
kingdom of heaven
we are called
by the king
personally
do you ever doubt
that Jesus cares
about you
that you have a place
or a role
in God's kingdom
let this passage
assure you
of something
if you're a kingdom
Jesus has called
you
individually
personally
he looked at you
and he said
I want you
in my kingdom
he didn't send out
a massive
generic
Facebook invitation
to everyone
in his social
media circle
no he looked up
your address
he walked to your
house
he knocked on the
door
and he said
follow me
he came near
to you
you weren't
looking for him
and he came
near to you
in grace
Jesus cares
about you
he calls
individuals
notice this
too
did you also
notice that
there's a cost
did you notice
that there's a
cost to following
Jesus
these disciples
leave their jobs
and their families
by the way
Galilee had a
very thriving
fishing industry
they had good
jobs
upper middle
class
they were doing
well
it's not like
they're just
you know
straggling for
the next bite
to eat
and Jesus
comes along
and offers
them something
better
it's not it
there's a cost
here
in our culture
we value
financial independence
and security
and that's a good
thing
I'm not saying
you should quit
your job
to follow Jesus
and I'm saying
that
however
I'm saying
that Jesus
demands
our whole hearts
and our whole lives
our jobs
are his
our families
are his
our goals
are his
our money
is his
our retirement
is his
our priorities
are his
so
are you withholding
something from your king
is there something
that you know
he is requiring
of you
in obedience
and trust
but you're saying
I'll follow you
Jesus
I like you
but
our king
demands
our lives
and he
promises
us
true life
whatever he
demands of us
he will supply
to us
a hundredfold
as we trust him
and obey him
in this world
or the next
it's another part
of Matthew
is he part
of your life
or is he
your life
lastly
notice
something else
about this
picture
he promises
to
transform
the disciples
into
people
fishermen
fishers of men
not just men
men women
children
people fishermen
fishers of people
he is the one
who transforms us
into useful members
of his community
as we follow him
he's not looking
for
the rock stars
of the varsity
Christian team
he is looking
for small
faith filled
people
who will give
him their lives
and trust him
with their whole
hearts
and he promises
to make us
into fishers of men
do you notice that
I will make you
fishers of men
I don't know about you
but I'm really bad
at sharing my faith
I'll just be honest
I don't think I have
the gift of evangelism
I definitely know
people who do
but guess what
Jesus promises
to make me one
to make me
an evangelist
to make me
into a fishers of men
some are better
than others
naturally for sure
but
he has called us
all to be fishers
of men
part of following
Jesus is seeing
his light
having the light
dawn upon you
and then also
seeing that there
are some in darkness
and they desperately
need the light
and that's here
in this area
here in your
neighborhood
and that's also
in China
and that's also
in the universities
of this land
that's also
in Europe
that's also
in Africa
that's also
in the Muslim world
all over the place
people need to hear
the gospel
people need to be
fished into the kingdom
and he promises
to make us
into fishers
of his kingdom
and so if that
sounds like
an incredible task
it is
but he has promised
to do it
after service
we can have
an opportunity
to start small
we got a ministry
fair going on
downstairs
our mission
as a church
is to just join
Jesus and his mission
of fishing people
out of the darkness
and into the light
and so
come downstairs
after the service
and find out
where you can
meaningfully be a part
of our mission
which is Jesus' mission
to make disciples
of all nations
picture number three
so our king
is drawn near
to be our light
in our darkness
he's drawn near
to call his own
to himself
and three
our king
has drawn near
to deliver
all people
from the power
of sin
and evil
he's drawn near
to deliver
all people
from the power
of sin
and evil
read with me
verses 23
through 25
and he went
throughout all
Galilee
teaching in their
synagogues
and proclaiming
the gospel
the good news
of the kingdom
and healing
every disease
and every affliction
among the people
so his fame
spread throughout
all Syria
and they brought
to him
all the sick
those afflicted
with various diseases
and pains
those oppressed
by demons
epileptics
and paralytics
and he healed
them
and great crowds
followed him
from Galilee
and the Decapolis
and from Jerusalem
and Judea
and from beyond
the Jordan
so this little section
right here
kind of serves
as a summary
that Matthew
is going to use
to springboard us
into the next
several chapters
of his gospel
so it's a summary
of what Jesus
did in Galilee
in proclaiming
the good news
of the kingdom
so we're going
to see
in the weeks
and months
to come
this little summary
gets spelled out
in greater detail
but even in this
little teaser
there are two big
things that stand out
I want you guys
to see
first
the king
is on the move
and he's on the move
for all people
the king
is on the move
and he's on the move
for all people
I absolutely love
the Chronicles of Narnia
I'm sure I think
I've already said that
before from the pulpit
I love the Chronicles of Narnia
and there's this part
in the Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe
when the four Pevensey children
are in Mr. and Mr. Beaver's house
and they hear the name of Aslan
for the first time
and they have no idea
who Mr. and Mrs. Beaver
are talking about
but they hear them say
Aslan is on the move
and they don't even know
who Aslan is
and yet they feel this thrill
rise in their hearts
Aslan is on the move
the king is on the move here
did you notice
all the alls
and the everys
he is moving
and did you see
all the geographical place names
Galilee
Decapolis
Jerusalem
Judea
beyond the Jordan
Syria
holy smokes
the king is moving
and he's moving
to all people
so he went throughout
all Galilee
did you notice that
verse 23
teaching
preaching
and healing
tons of people
every disease
and every affliction
among the people
that means
everything that was
brought to him
he dealt with it
everything he encountered
he dealt with it
but his activity
in all of Galilee
also made his fame
spread to all of Syria
verse 24
by the way
Syria is just
probably just
the Roman province
that included
all of Palestine
and the surrounding area
so this is
Jews
Gentiles
everybody
so it's a big area
and so his fame
is spread
from his operation
in Galilee
it's gone out
and then
we see
great crowds
are following him
from Galilee
Decapolis
Galilee's in the north
Decapolis is in the
southeast
on the eastern side
of the
Sea of Galilee
Jerusalem and Judea
all the way in the south
you have to come over
lots of mountains
to get up to Galilee
from Jerusalem and Judea
and then beyond the Jordan
which is probably
the area to the southeast
south of the Decapolis
and so
oh and the west
is not mentioned
because that's the
Mediterranean Sea
there's nobody there
so basically
they're everywhere
where there are people
around
and they were coming
to Jesus
and the blessings
of God's rule
and his reign
were coming to them
through him
he's on the move
secondly
notice this
the good news
of the king's nearness
to all these people
came in the form
of deliverance
from the effects
of
and the consequences
of sin
and evil
Jesus' healings
were like little sparks
of light
in the darkness
that signaled
the breaking in
of God's good rule
to undo
and heal
the brokenness
of our world
they were signs
of his kingly credentials
that yes
he is the king
spreading God's kingdom
to the kingdom
of darkness
by healing
all and every kind
of ugly effect
of the fall of man
that he encountered
he was exercising
the kingly authority
to extend
the blessings
of his rule
mastering
every illness
and disease
among them
simply by his presence
simply by his word
simply by his touch
if you read
through the healings
of Jesus
throughout the gospels
all he does
is just
touch
or heal people
but with a word
that's all he does
he speaks a word
or he touches them
or he
make a little mud
thingamajig
and put it on their eyes
it's just simple
it's not
there were ancient
healers
in this time
who just made
elaborate healing
methods
and they kind of
wrote books
of how to heal
by mixing this potion
and that
Jesus says
it's gone
done
that's his authority
and so it's a little
spark of light
in the darkness
physical ailments
even paralysis
total disability
you're paralyzed
this was considered
incurable
by the way
by all those
ancient healers
they were subject
to him
with a word
mental disabilities
like epilepsy
were mastered
by him
with a word
spiritual torment
through demonic
influence
was abruptly
ended
by a word
from the son of God
I'm really grateful
for modern medicine
I think it's
a wonderful thing
it's God's blessing
on the age
we live in
but it can't
hold a candle
to this kind
of authority
our king
simply mastered
every form
of illness
just by virtue
of his authority
of his person
and it shouldn't
surprise us
he's the king
of life
he's the light
in the darkness
but even more
than that
Jesus' healings
they were signs
of his authority
signs of God's rule
breaking into this
kingdom of darkness
but even more than that
they were pointing
forward to what
Jesus was going
to do
that Isaiah 53
had announced
beforehand
that we were
he was crushed
for our iniquities
he was pierced
for our transgressions
the chastisement
that brought us
peace was upon him
by his wounds
we were healed
and so all this
is pointing forward
to all of his healings
are pointing forward
to the way
that he would heal
the entire
broken world
and every lost
human soul
that comes to him
by taking on
all the darkness
into himself
and beating it
on the cross
and the empty tomb
he came to deliver
all people
from the effects
and the power
of sin and evil
the darkness
no longer has dominion
still has a presence
we still live
in this world
that is affected
by sin and evil
we all feel it
we all feel those
creaks and groans
of our own bodies
and of creation
we're under the weight
of the curse of sin
and death
we feel sickness
and disease
and suffering
but
now
and forever
our king
has showed
that he is
authoritative
over
all of that
and one day
he's going to come
he's going to put
an end
to all of that
listen to Revelation 21
I heard a loud voice
from the throne
saying
behold the dwelling place
of God
is with man
God is with man
God
with us
he will dwell
with them
and they will be
his people
God himself
will be with them
as they're
did you hear
how many withs
there were
with us
Emmanuel
God is with us
now and forever
and forever
he will wipe away
every tear
from their eyes
death
will be
no more
and neither
shall there be
mourning
nor crying
nor pain
anymore
for the former
things have
passed away
because Christ
has taken it
all into himself
at the cross
so on this side
of Revelation 21
we still feel it
but we also know
that our king
has power over it
are you feeling
the effects
and the power
of sin
and evil
at work
in your own life
or in the lives
of those
that you are
close to
there is nothing
outside the authority
of King Jesus
there is no chain
of sin
no spiritual oppression
no work of the enemy
that he cannot break
or turn on its head
go to him in prayer
the elders will be here
in front
at the end of the service
if you want to come
and pray
Christ the King Church
your king is drawn
near to you
his rule
and his reign
are near
to you
this is good news
and it is good news
to all people
and all kinds
of people
Jew
Gentile
Chinese
and American
to us
to the people
in your neighborhoods
to the people
you work with
the people
of all nations
he is the light
in our darkness
he calls us
as his own
he delivers us
and all people
from the darkness
of sin
and death
and Satan
so repent
if you need to repent
for the kingdom
of heaven
is drawn near to you
give to him
what he asks of you
in grace
and know that he is
calling you
to be his own
and trust that he will
make you into a fisher
of men
and rejoice
in his reign
of great light
let's pray
father we thank you
that you did not
have to
but you drew
near to us
to say
that the kingdom
of heaven
is near
god the kingdom
of heaven
is still near
to us
because you
are with us
and you've promised
to be with us
to the very end
of the age
and you've given
us jobs
to do
to be the light
and the darkness
in your place
ambassadors
of the light
I pray god
that you would help us
to do that
I pray that you would
equip us
as we go to the ministry
fair to do that well
God would you strengthen
us as a church
to be on your mission
to be trusting
in the light
that is dawned
and to be spreading
that light
God I pray
that you would
cause the light
to dawn on
all those
within the hearing
of this word
cause that light
to dawn
in power
would you bring
repentance
where it is needed
we ask this God
in Christ's name
Amen