The Dawn of the Kingdom

THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER

What does Matthew see in the Person of Jesus?

He sees Jesus as the fulfilment of the OT Scriptures.

Son of Abraham, Son of David, Messianic King;

New Moses; Isaiah’s Servant; Emmanuel - God With Us.

What does Matthew see in the Actions of Jesus?

He came to do what Adam, Moses, and Israel failed to do.

He came to fulfil all that the prophets, priests & kings pointed to!

He fully obeys His father through baptism

Victorious over Satan in the wilderness.

We see Jesus undoing the curse that came after Adam & Eve sinned.

What we don’t see in Matthew!

A year has passed between v11&12; the other gospel writers fill in the gaps, especially John.

Declared the Lamb of God; calls of disciples; wedding at Cana; Jerusalem for Passover:

Cleanses the temple; Meets Nicodemus;

Teaching and baptising in Judean countryside.

Before returning to Galilee he goes through Samaria - woman at the well.

Jesus returns to Galilee where an Official’s son is healed; He is rejected in Nazareth.

John has been imprisoned and Jesus makes his home in Capernaum.

Why Capernaum?

THOUGHTS TO GRASP

THE PLACE

Situated in Galilee of the Gentiles - The city of the Prophet Nahum - the Prophet of mercy.

Nahum 1:15 - “Look, there on the mountains, the feet of one who brings good news, who proclaims peace!”

Large jewish community, surrounded by Gentiles; ideal place to begin the great Commission!

It was a harbour city; strategic network of road; belonged to the tribes of Zebulun & Naphtali.

In Matthew 9:1, Jesus calls Capernaum “his own city”.

Matthew says the main reason Jesus came to Capernaum was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah.

THE PROPHECY

Matthew has already alluded to Isaiah 7 (the vigin shall conceive); Ch 11 (the fruitful branch) & Isaiah 40:1-9 (Preparing the way and making straight the roads for God coming to Israel).

Is 9:1-2 “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

DAWN: ends the night of darkness; it begins a new day; and is a symbol of blessing.

Later in the chapter, the prophet reveals that the Great Light to dawn is a CHILD & a SON.

The government / the Kingdom will be on his shoulders!

What a picture! A child, a son, a king who will bring upon his shoulders the Kingdom of God.

He will be “Wonderful Councellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace…"

“He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom…"

The prophets in the OT saw the kingdom of God and the coming King.

They couldn’t fully grasp a king being a baby and one who has come into true Sonship (30yr).

They didn’t fully understand that the Kingdom would come in 2 phases - “already and not yet!”

We see the firstfruits, but what a day when the fulness of the Harvest/ the Kingdom comes!

THE PURPOSE

For Matthew, the prophecies point to Jesus - God has come! The King has arrived!

He has come to preach the Good News of the Kingdom.

This Jesus is the Messianic King of Israel, who brings in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew doesn’t understand Kingdom as a place; it’s the rule of God, His reign; His authority.

Jesus said, “my kingdom is not of this world.”

As Jesus begins his Ministry we will now see a “Display of the Kingdom”.

We will see Jesus rule, reign and have authority over sickness, the demonic, and over creation.

We will see countless lives responding to the Good News of the Gospel.

We meet with those whose lives have been turned around - they experience true repentance!

Those living in depravity, wickedness, immorality, bitterness, darkness… have seen a great light!

Isaiah talks of those "walking in darkness", while Matthew quotes "sitting in darkness". Matthew here paints a picture of utter despair, where the people are settled in their hopeless situation and have given up all hope.

We meet the blind, the lame, the sick, those living in a graveyard, in the shadow of death.

We meet publicans, prostitutes, the despised, the rejected, the jew and gentile, slave and free.

Jesus came into this world for the weak and worst; the sick and sad.

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Are you living in the Dark?

the darkness of despair, distress, sorrow, ignorance, error...

“Sitting” in the shade of death, seeing no Light of Hope!

There is Hope of Light today!

We have Hope in Christ: in His light is life.

Will you come and experience the king in all His beauty?

“Though I sit in darkness, He shall be my light!” Micah 7:8

Will you respond to the Light?

Repent, turn away from all the darkness, the wickedness, the bitterness.

Walk in His light

Sit under His delight.

Take this moment to pray, and receive Christ the Light of the World.

HYMN - “I Shall Arise!”

V.1

Our enemy shall not rejoice

When we in sin do fall;

For yet again we shall arise:

The Lord our Light, we call.

V.2

Remember what our Lord revealed?

‘The triumph of His name!’

That on the Cross – sin, death and hell

Were crushed to Satan’s shame.

[Refrain]

I shall arise! I shall arise!

And once again rejoice:

In darkness, He shall be my light,

In Him I shall rejoice!

V.3

Death, where’s your sting? Sin, where’s your pow’r?

Grave, where’s your victory?

The Love of God now shed abroad

Lifts us triumphantly!

V.4

No condemnation shall arrest

Whose soul in Christ abides;

For ev’ry deep and awful sin

The blood of Jesus hides.

[Refrain] I shall arise…

V.5

Lift up your head, raise now your voice,

And sing most valiantly;

For more than conquerors through Him

Our Blessed Surety!

[Refrain] I shall arise…

Scott Cameron

© 1991 M. Scott Cameron

(Tune: “There is a fountain” or “Scottish Melody - Rowan Tree)