Scripture:
Matthew 4:17:
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Theme:
In His Hands
Introduction:
The gospel of Matthew documents the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in this scripture:
“From that time”
- This time was just before the selection of disciples (Matthew 4:18)
- After He had baffled the priests in the temple at age twelve (Luke 4:16)
- After He was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13)
- After the epiphany with Jesus, the Dove, and God’s voice at the River Jordan (Matthew 3:16-17)
- After Jesus had fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2)
- After Satan had been tempted by Satan three times in body, mind and spirit (Matthew 4:1)
- After John the Baptist had been imprisoned (Matthew 4:12)
- After Jesus had dwelt in Capernaum to fulfill the prophecy by the prophet Esaias (Matthew 4:14)
“Jesus began to preach”
- Jesus was God in the flesh, and it wasn’t until this point in His 30th year that he started preaching
- Jesus was the Word made flesh, and it wasn’t until this point that he preached Himself
- It’s about God’s time and not our time!
“Repent:”
- This message is the continuation of John the Baptist’s sermon of the same content. (Matthew 3:2)
- After Malachi there was no prophet until John the Baptist appeared first in the wilderness of Judea.
- John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ…as the message shows.
- Repent implies a total alteration in the mind, a change in the judgment, disposition, and affections, and a better bias of the soul. The change of the mind produces a change of the way.
- Gospel repentance flows
- from a sight of Christ,
- from a sense of His love, and
- from hopes of pardon and forgiveness through Him.
“the kingdom of heaven”
- This portion of the message was repeated in the instruction to the disciples as their first sermon — Matthew 10:7, “And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- Used in the Bible synonymously for the “Kingdom of God”, but the “Kingdom of Heaven” is a more specific used term for the rule of God on earth during a specific time period. The “Kingdom of God” representing God’s entire rule in earth and in heaven.
- Not of this world — John 18:36, “Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”
- Entrance only by the NEW BIRTH — John 3:5-7, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
- The benefits of the kingdom of heaven are sealed by baptism before His Kingdom is established.
- Is characterized by fruits of the Spirit — Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
- As the most popular topic for parables in Matthew, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto 1)a man who sowed good seed, 2)a grain of mustard seed, 3)leaven, 4)a treasure, 5)a net, 6)a pearl, 7)a king who called his servants to a reckoning, 8)a householder, 9)a king who made a marriage feast, 10)ten virgins, and 11)a man traveling into a far country and delivering his goods to his servants.
Body:
“ at hand.”
The hand or hands is a symbol of human action and conditions:
- Prayer — 1Timothy 2:8; Declaring innocence — Matthew 27:24; The right hand denoted the south, and the left the north — Job 23:9;
- To give the right hand was a pledge of fidelity — 2 Kings 10:15; of submission to the victors — Ezekiel 17:18; was lifted up in taking an oath — Gen. 14:22; is a symbol of power and strength — Ps. 60:5
- To kiss the hand is an act of homage — 1 Kings 19:18
- To pour water on one’s hands is to serve him — 2 Kings 3:11.
A position at the right hand was regarded as the chief place of honour and power — Psalm 45:9, “Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.”
AT HAND implies the Kingdom of Heaven being
- Approaching/imminent — Joel 2:1, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;”
- Close — Jeremiah 23:23, “Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?”
- In your hand or possession/now — 1Samuel 9:8, “And the servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.”
The hand of God is the symbol of his power:
- Can bring punishment — Judges 2:15, “Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.”
- A position at His right hand was regarded as the chief place of honour and power — Matthew 26:64, “Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”
- Being in His hand denotes favor — 2Chronicles 17:5, “Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand….and he had riches and honour in abundance.”
- God’s Hand symbolizes the breadth of God’s Kingdom and power in our lives!
Conclusion:
How do you get in His hands?:
- He reaches out to you –
- Jeremiah 18:6 says, “O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”
- Also, the hymn says, “Love lifted me. Love lifted me. When nothing else could help, Love lifted me.”
- You reach out to him
- The old hymn says it best, “Father, I stretch my hands to thee. No other help I know. If thou withdraw thyself from me, oh, whither shall I go?”
Thank God for Jesus who hung, bled, died and rose again that we may have a right to be in His hands!!
Let me tell you a story:
- When I was born, I went into the hands of the doctor, but the doctor could not accept all of the responsibilities associated with my mother’s child.
- Then I went into the hands of my mother, but I grew to be too big for my mother to hold me.
- I’ve been in the hands of the Law, but the Just Judge, God, delivered me from the ultimate condemnation.
- I’ve been in the hands of other women, but the Love of God prevailed over the temporary worldly desire.
- In my life I have been in the hands of Satan, but God’s Grace and Mercy has always brought me through.
Now I am in the hands my Father in Heaven!!!
- He loves me > He proves me
- He keeps me > He protects me
- He corrects me > He directs me
- He soothes me > He moves me
- He takes me > He makes me
- He holds me > He molds me
I’m in His Hands!
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