Read Matt. 4:12-25
Mat 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Mat 4:23-24 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. (24) So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
Interestingly enough, Jesus has the same message as John the Baptist. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repent, have a change of mind, turn around. Here repent is taken in a narrow sense. We are to recognize our sins, faults, defects and errors of our ways. We are to confess them as they did before John. We claim them as our own and detest them. We are heartbroken over them and seek forgiveness.
“The kingdom of heaven is at hand” is the gospel. For if the kingdom of heaven is at hand then sin, death and the power of the devil and their power over us is on their way out. The Kingdom is taking the world by force. Not by strength of arms but by the power of the gospel. The Gospel being God for us in Jesus. Jesus is the Kingdom. It is in Jesus we have power from on high to turn away from the world and its ways to be conformed to the image of God’s Son Jesus.
It is interesting here to note that Jesus’ message has something different from what is reported of John. As far as we know, John performed no miracles. But here we see Jesus’ message being confirmed with signs, wonders and miracles. The miracles though do not create faith. In fact during Jesus’ ministry he will refuse to give signs or do any miracles so that people would believe in him. No the signs and wonders are to confirm the faith of those who would believe the message. It tells them and us we can have confidence in the message we already believe in. They strengthen and confirm the faith of those who believe.
If you don’t believe the message, no miracle will change your mind. Even after Jesus fed the 5000 with a few loaves a bread and fish and had leftovers, the unbelievers were still looking for a sign. Jesus even said, even if someone were to rise from the dead if they won’t listen to Moses neither would they believe in him.
But should some sign come from God that confirms your faith go ahead and be glad and rejoice and give thanks to God. Just don’t base your faith on those sign but rather the Word that is confirmed by the sign. No, we rely only on the promise given us, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand,” and we look to the one who is the kingdom, Jesus.
Grant us faith O Father in Heaven in your Word and Promise alone that we may repent of our sins and be received into your kingdom in Jesus Christ your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.