“From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””
Jesus began right away preaching. That is one the reasons Jesus was sent into the world - to reveal God's will so that people would be saved. Jesus began His public ministry after His testing for obedience. He called people to repentance and to believe the good news. Some people have yet to realize that this is an authoritative call from the Son of God that will change your life for all eternity.
From the time Jesus came into Galilee into the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, He began to preach. He had been preaching, before this, in Judah but His preaching was not as public as now.
John preached, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The command was the same as Jesus’ and the reasons to enforce them the same. Even an angel from heaven dare not preach any other gospel because it is the everlasting gospel. John’s message prepared the way for Jesus. Jesus prepares the way for His second coming. Wherever Jesus went, this was His message. It was also the message for and from His followers.
Jesus came preaching. “Repent the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Indeed, The kingdom of heaven had arrived.
To preach, simply, is to proclaim. It is to make known the truth. His preaching was with authority. It was a matter of certainty, not doubt. When Jesus came preaching, it was not a matter of “What do you think,” but a matter of “This is the way it is.” Jesus spoke a message of repentance. The people knew they needed to change.
I remember growing up, my brother and I would get into a fight. He was bigger so he would always win, but I tried to get a few licks in. My mom would be on my side because he was older and should have known better. (Of course, I never did anything wrong, I'm a preacher you know.) Mom would tell my brother, "Now tell him you are sorry you hurt him." He would say I'm sorry, but when she wasn't looking, he'd hit me again. That was not repentance. His words didn't match his actions. "Roger, Change you ways you sinner, confess to me that you did me wrong and do not hit me again."
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the gravity of repentance: "Repentance is not a casual turning away from sin. It is a decided change of mind and heart about sin and about God."
Repentance means that we have a necessary change of mind. Our views change. Our values and goals change. The way we live changes. Repentance means that we turn away from sin and turn to God.
The kingdom of heaven is God’s rule. What should believers do after repentance? It is hearing God’s call and obeying it, even though it means radical changes of direction in life. People are afraid to change, or, people don’t want to change, so they talk themselves into unbelief as an excuse not to follow
It involves more than leaving sin behind. It is living for Jesus no matter the cost. The need to change was a certainty. There was no compromise when the disciples were called.
I’m good at making excuses, how about you?
