“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4      Jesus Begins His Ministry

¹² Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; ¹³ and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. ¹⁴ This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples

¹⁸ Now as Jesus was 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. ¹⁹ And He *said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. ²¹ Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Ministry in Galilee

²³ Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

²⁴ The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

In this text from today's daily reading in the One Year Bible, we read an account of the beginning of Jesus ministry here on earth. Jesus had just been baptized, the Holy Spirit had descended upon Him and He overcame the temptation of satan. In this text we see several references to healing miracles. Yet, Jesus did not set out to establish a healing ministry. Jesus came to redeem and restore a world affected by sin. Verse 17 says:  From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Let's look at that simple message. Repent means, "to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent." Jesus call to the people was to acknowledge their sin and change for the better. The reason to repent is because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus didn't preach salvation. He preached repentance for the soon coming kingdom of heaven. Verse 23 says:  Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. Jesus was proclaiming the gospel(good news) of the kingdom. Repentance is required for participation in the kingdom of heaven because sin serparates man from God. We can read of an account in Exodus when Moses asked to see God's glory. Exodus 33: Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” ¹⁹ And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” ²⁰ But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”  Even though Moses spoke with God, Jesus the redeemer had not yet come. Moses could not see God's face.

Jesus came to restore that relationship. He came so that man could again commune and fellowship with God, just as Adam and Eve did before the fall. That is the good news, the gospel of the kingdom. The relationship between man and God will be fully restored when the kingdom comes. Even now in Christ we can see God.

So what about the healing miracles, what was the purpose or reason for the miracles we see throughout Jesus earthly ministry? There are basically two reasons for these healing miracles and the other miracles of provision and authority that we see in scripture. The first reason that miracles were manifested to the people was as evidence that Jesus truly was who He said He was, the Son of God. In Matthew 12:25-28 Jesus says this about the miracles He is performing.

Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ If I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 

Jesus miracles were evidence that the kingdom of God had come upon them. That's what a miracle is. What we call a miracle, an unexplained occurance in this realm, is simply this earthly realm coming into alignment with the kingdom of heaven. That's why we are instructed to pray "Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." In heaven there is no sickness, no disease, there is no lack. When the kingdom of heaven touches earth, earth comes into alignment with heaven. Miracles are the evidence of the nearness or presence of the kingdom of God and heaven. That is the second reason we see these miracles. It is because this earthly realm can not remain unchanged when it is overcome by heaven.

In Matthew 10 we see Jesus extending this same authority and the eveidence of miracles to Hs disciples.

Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and toheal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness...⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; ⁶ but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.

In Mark 16 we read Jesus final words to His disciples and to us before He ascended to His place at the right hand of the Father. He says:

  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. ¹⁷ These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Signs and wonders are to confirm the gospel. Miracles are not what we are to seek or to proclaim. The good news of the kingdom is what we are to preach and proclaim. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Our message is to be good news, not the threats of what the world will miss, but rather the good news of redemption and resoration. The good news that in Christ we have full fellowship with God and full access to the heavenly realm. Our message should be come and see "there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

The signs and wonders, the miracles of healing, provision and authority over darkness will come. If we are faithful to proclaim the kingdom, God will be  faithful to fulfill His word and confirm the message with the signs Jesus spoke of. Not only that, but if we declare, proclaim and enter into the presence of God in worship and praise, earth will change. It has to. Nothing touched by God can remain unchanged.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, we so desire to see miracles, signs and wonders in our day. Help us, help me to get it right. Help me to seek first Your kingdom and righteousness. May my desire and delight truly be in You. May I be faithful to proclaim the goodnews of Your kingdom. I believe Your word and Your promise that signs will follow. I believe that in Your  presence things will change, they have to. Heavenly Father I pray the Your will be done and Your kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.  Amen

Remember the power of the spoken word. Pray it out loud, declare it.