Outline Jesus is a Great Light for our Dark World based on Matthew 4:12-25

Let us pray: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I. We live in a dark world for children.

II. We live in a dark world of bad TV shows and movies.

III. Adam and Eve’s first sin led to more wrongs.

IV. God’s plan for Light in Matthew 4:12-17. Because of sins and wrongs done throughout human history God had a plan to bring Light into our dark world. Today’s Gospel lesson lets us know about that Light. Matthew 4:12–17 tells us, “Now when (Jesus) 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 and 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.’”

V. Who was this John who had been arrested? This John was none other than the man who came to prepare people for the coming of a great light into this world of darkness. This man was John the Baptizer. Matthew 3:2 tells us that his main message was the same as the One whom he came to prepare the way for: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John the Baptizer came baptizing people to prepare them for a great light.

VI. Jesus in Capernaum as a prophecy fulfilled. Jesus no longer lived in his hometown of Nazareth. He now lived in his new hometown of Capernaum on the north side of the Sea of Galilee. This was the same area where the tribes of Israel named Zebulun and Naphtali had once lived. This was the same area that had seen battle after battle throughout history as enemies came from the north to fight against Israel. Around 722 B.C. this northern part of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians. The Assyrians sent people from other nations to live in that area. This area became known as Galilee of the Gentiles with many Gentiles or non-Jews living in this area beside Jewish people. Many of the people then as now were living in a land of sin and darkness. They were living in an area under the shadow of death. The prophet Isaiah, around 700 years before, had predicted that a great light would dawn on this area. In order to fufill Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus came to live in Capernaum, by the Sea of Galilee. Like John the Baptizer, Jesus began to preach to the people, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) Jesus was the Great Light that dawned on the people living in darkness.

VII. Repent. That message of Jesus is the same message we need to hear today. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” So what does the word, “repent,” mean? Repent means to change our hearts and minds from loving the darkness of sin to loving the Great Light of Jesus who has brought the kingdom of heaven to be at hand. Repent means feeling sorrow over our many sins and wrongs. Repent means to stop trusting in ourselves and to start trusting in Jesus to forgive our many sins and wrongs. Repent means knowing we have failed to perfectly love and trust in God, so that we now trust in the perfect saving work of Jesus in our behalf. Repent means to fight against sin and unbelief daily through the power of the Great Light, Jesus.

VIII. We have a Great Light in Jesus. He said about Himself in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Those words are similar to the words of Psalm 23:4 in the Old Testament of the Bible, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

IX. Conclusion. We have a Great Light in Jesus to counter the dark world we live in. We can celebrate God’s gift of children and do our best to point them to that Great Light in Jesus. God has mercy on us for the sake of the saving work of Jesus in our place. Jesus called Peter and Andrew and James and John to follow Him and become His first student disciples. Jesus continues to call us to follow Him today as student disciples. One way we might point people to Jesus the Great Light today is to ask them a simple question, “Do you believe in an afterlife?” Starting with their answer to that question we can tell others that we believe in an afterlife. In the afterlife we believe we will enjoy the joys of everlasting life with Jesus, the Great Light, who has done everything necessary to save us from the darkness of sin and the shadow of death. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.