Sermon from Matt 4.12-17 on June 10, 2012
Discovering Messiah: Light in the Darkness
Jesus Begins His Ministry to the Darkened (p2) 

A Light in the Darkness Jesus Begins His Ministry to the Darkened (Part 2)

Scripture: Matthew 4.12-17

v. 17 – “From that time” ***Major Transition!***

Only found twice in Matthew’s gospel. Separating his gospel into 3 main sections:

1.)  Matthew ch. 1 – ch. 4.16:  Disclosure & Preparation

2.)  Matthew ch. 4.17 – ch. 16.20:  Preaching & Public Ministry

3.)  Matthew ch. 16.21 – f:  Death & Resurrection

Parallel Account -

Mark 1:14–15 (ESV)

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Notice 2 things:

1.) Mark mentions the word “gospel” twice.

2.) Jesus’ main message is: “Repent”.

Therefore -

A gospel w/out repentance is not Jesus’ gospel.

Galatians 1:6–7 (ESV) 

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:4 (ESV) 

4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

Jesus’ message is an exact echo of what John the Baptist preached.  This is the opening word of Jesus’ 1st sermon sets the tone for His entire earthly ministry.

Luke 5:32 (ESV) 

32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Repentance was a constant motif in all His public preaching.  And in His closing charge to the apostles, He commanded them to preach repentance.

Luke 24:47 (ESV) 

47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

REPENT – IMPERATIVE (Greek) This is not a suggestion.

This is a command.

MacArthur: 

The “truth” is the gospel, which is essentially a command to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the NT, the gospel message was always preached as a command. (Mt. 3:2; 4:17; Mk. 6:12; Luke 5:32; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 26:20)

As a command it calls for obedience.  Anyone who is genuinely born again has a new spiritual life.  They have eternal life because they:

• heard the truth of Scripture
• believed it
• and obeyed it

If one wanted to be a part of the kingdom, he must repent.  Repentance was mandatory if fellowship with God was to be enjoyed.

The Gospel Must Come… From Repentance & Of Repentance

No one can preach Christ credibly unless he preaches from repentance.
No one can preach Christ properly unless he preaches of repentance.
No one can preach Christ unless he personally repents himself.

The Gospel Must Come… From Repentance & Of Repentance

No one can preach Christ unless he preaches repentance itself.
Repentance must precede the preacher & repentance must proceed the hearer!

Repentance:

• John’s Message

Matthew 3:2 (ESV) 

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

• Jesus’ Message 

Matthew 4:17 (ESV)

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

• Our Message

Luke 24:46–47 (ESV)

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from !Jerusalem.

Darkness is Transformed by the Light

When God transformed us, He gave us a new:

✓ will
✓ mind
✓ heart
✓ power
✓ knowledge
✓ wisdom
✓ life
✓ inheritance
✓ relationship
✓ righteousness
✓ love
✓ desire
✓ citizenship

Paul called it “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4)

When we receive Christ, we don’t just receive something new… We become something new altogether!  Outward repentance is the evidence of inward grace.

Matthew Henry:

The doctrine of repentance is right gospel-doctrine

Charles Spurgeon:

“Repentance” was Christ’s first & last subject.

The message of repentance prepared people for Christ.
The message of repentance was preached by Christ.
The message of repentance is what Christ’s people are to proclaim.

Light in Darkness = Salvation Resulting in Repentance

There is only one thing more sad than people who are constrained in darkness…
People who are content in it.

You can’t bring light into a dark place and not notice a difference.

Repentance is not the light. Repentance is the illumination that light gives off.

When Jesus Christ comes into someone… their darkness cannot help but run away & hide.

Repentance is not salvation… Repentance is the natural by-product of salvation.

Repentance does not produce salvation.  Salvation produces repentance!

Darkness has no real nor lasting effect on the light… but light has real & lasting effect on the darkness.

You can’t turn a light on in a dark place and not expect people to:
notice, squint their eyes, & complain.

But some will rejoice!