The Barn Christian Fellowship

Jesus Begins to Preach

¹² When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.  ¹³ Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-  ¹⁴ to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: ¹⁵ ‘‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- ¹⁶ the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." ¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Preaching was a very central part of Jesus' ministry and remains a central part of the ministry of the Church. The word preach means to proclaim, to publish, it is to make publicly known. Preaching is not to argue it is to proclaim publicly to all men then truth of God wants us to state.

Jesus did not come to argue the message he preached, he preached the message with certainty. Jesus also preached as one who had authority, he did not preach like the preachers of the day.

Matt 7:29

²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

The teachers of the law who preached in Jesus' day could not preach with authority because they had the truth of God so mingled up with their own interpretations and traditions that they could not distinguish between the Word of God and the opinions and speculations of men.

Would it not be nice to go to church and have a feeling of safety, that the word of God and not the latest fad or tradition or good idea is preached?

When the people heard Jesus preached they were astonished. It was so clear and with authority that came from God.

Jesus did not only preach with authority but also preached what God commanded Him to preach.

John 3:34

For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Jesus himself said:

John 8:38

³⁸ I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father."

Later he said it even more direct as recorded in:

John 12:49

⁴⁹ For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.  

In His own authority Jesus sends us out to make disciples of all the nations.

Matt 28:18-19

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations

Now Jesus began to preach and his message was not what people expected from the Messiah. People expected a Messiah who would set them free from the Roman Empire and who would deliver them from their oppression. Instead of preaching a message of deliverance, he pointed to the people that they were living in the darkness of their sin and evil. Jesus said the great darkness is upon you because it is in you.

His messages was that they needed to understand before the light could shine through you it needs to shine in you.

Matt 4:17

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

The word repent indicates a 360 degree turn. You walk in the one direction you make a turn about and walk exactly in the opposite direction. No half backed, almost committed, partially converted Christian has repented properly.

The Greek word for repent means to think. Repentance thus involves a decision that results in a change of mind which in turn leads to a change of purpose and action.

To repent therefore involves a way a person looks at sin and at righteousness, It involves a change of opinion, and a change of direction, it also involves a change of lifestyle.

Repentance involves a radical change of mind, heart, will and behavior.

Matt 3

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: ‘‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.  ⁹ And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.  ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

When Peter preached his first sermon he ended it with a call to repentance

Act 2:38

³⁸ Peter replied, ‘‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  

Many years later Paul reminded Timothy that repentance leads to knowledge of the truth.

2Tim 2:25

²³ Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.  ²⁴ And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  ²⁵ Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,  ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Jesus preached a message of repentance for the Kingdom of heaven is near. The King has arrived, the Kingdom is at hand but the most important thing the Jews did not get was that the Kingdom and His reign does not come unless it is preceded by repentance.

2 Chron 7:14

¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.  

We know what it means to repent

Repentance paves the way for following

Matt 4:18-20 it says

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  ¹⁹ ‘‘Come, follow me," Jesus said, ‘‘and I will make you fishers of men."  ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,  ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

From among the fishermen Jesus called his first crew to catch his church. He had the power and the authority to proclaim the gospel by himself.  He could have done it alone but his plan was to use a bunch of men who were as original as you can get. He could have commanded his disciples to do many things, but the first thing he told them was Come, follow me," Jesus said, ‘‘and I will make you fishers of men."

I wonder what convinced these men to leave their family business to follow Christ.

The word follow is from the Greek word "akoloutheo" which conveys the idea of following as a disciple who is committed to imitate the one he follows.

Many years ago and Italian recluse was found dead in his house. He lived sparingly all his life but when his friends started to sort out his few possessions they discovered that he had accumulated over 246 expensive violins. Some were cramped in his attic and other in cupboards in his house. He spend all his money on buying these expensive violins. His misdirected devotion to these instruments had robbed the world of their beautiful sounds. Because he selfishly treasured these instruments he robbed many people from listening to the sounds these instruments could make. It is reported that the first violin that one of the greatest makers of violins made was played for the first time when the violin was 147 years old.

Many Christians are like these violins. Their lights are hidden. Researchers have shown that 95% of Christians have never lead another person to Christ. If this is true then 95% of the worlds spiritual violins have never been played and are hidden in cupboards.

DL Moody one visited an art gallery in Chicago , he saw a painting that impressed him a lot. It was a painting of a person in stormy waters clinging to a cross that was firmly embedded in a rock. Years later DL Moody saw another picture. This time it was a person who was in stormy waters clinging to a cross with one hand but reaching our to another person who is drowning with his other hand.

Did Jesus say I will save you, heal you make you rich, give you position and power and make your name great among the nations or did he say I will make you fishers of men.

May have repented

Few have followed

Some have paid the price of discipleship

Few have become fishers of men

All of us will give account

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