#DailyDevotion Jesus Is The Kingdom Of God

Matt. 4¹²When Jesus heard John had been put in prison, He went back to Galilee. ¹³Leaving Nazareth, He went and made His home in Capernaum by the lake, in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. ¹⁴And so what was said through the prophet Isaiah was to come true: ¹⁵ Land of Zebulon and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, across the Jordan Galilee of the Gentiles! ¹⁶ The people sitting in the dark will see a great Light. For those sitting in the land of the shadow of death a Light will rise. ¹⁷ Then Jesus began to preach. “Repent — the kingdom of heaven is here!”

What the LORD had spoken by the mouth of the prophet had to come to pass. It is God’s Word. The former land of Israel had been run over by the Gentiles. While Jews settled the land of their brothers who were there no longer, the citizens of other countries who had overrun the area were now some of the main occupants. Darkness, spiritual darkness enveloped the land. Even the Jews who had God’s word a veil covered their eyes when Moses was read so they did not understand and many still do not to this day.

The LORD had move his son Jesus Christ to move into this area of Capernaum to fulfill the word of his prophets. Jesus Christ who is the light and life of the world had come to this place of darkness to begin his ministry—teaching the Jews the true meaning of the Law and proclaiming the good news. His teaching indeed was received as light by many, as many as were appointed to eternal salvation.

Jesus’ gospel message is quite simple, “Repent—the kingdom of heaven is here!” Repent! Be sorry for your sins. Be contrite and have a broken spirit over how your words, thoughts and deeds have offended your God and harmed your neighbor. Mourn over your death, the death wrought by your iniquities, your trespasses and your sins. Let the guilt and shame of your sins be manifest in your minds. Turn from your wickedness and hate it. Turn towards God who proclaims the kingdom of heaven is manifest.

Jesus is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is mercy, kindness, forgiveness, love, long-suffering patience towards turned towards you. God’s righteousness, glory and holiness has come to cover your brokenness and claim you as his own. The kingdom of heaven is here to give you by grace, as a gift what is rightfully his own, to save you, to redeem you and to ransom you.

While God’s righteousness, holiness and glory may initially cause us to fall down as dead men, when Jesus gives it to us by his grace it turns us towards the God and Father who made us and loves us. We can repent in joy knowing our Father in heaven is no longer angry with us but is reconciled to us through his son Jesus Christ. Are you going to be reconciled to him today?

Merciful and Loving Father, you sent your son Jesus Christ, the very kingdom of heaven into the darkness to make manifest your light. Grant us faith to repent of our sins and believe the good news we have been invited into your kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ your son our Lord. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.