30. Jesus preaches in Galilee
– Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15; John 4:43-45
How incredible is it that we have actual sermons from God himself? The next section of the gospels are recorded sermons from Jesus.
Matthew 4:12-13 “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake area of Zebulun and Naphtali.”
Jesus left his home and traveled twenty miles north to a region in Galilee called, Capernaum. It was probably hard for him to move away from his parents and community. Still, Jesus knew that he had to go to Galilee to fulfill God’s plans. Not only was Jesus leaving behind great opposition in Nazareth, but he also was going to a location where he could impact a larger number of people. There was a greater probability that the people would listen to him and be impacted. Sometimes God needs you to leave your comforts so that you can impact those that need you.
Matthew 4:14-16 “to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: ‘Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – 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.”
Isaiah 9:1 “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 honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan.”
By Jesus moving to Capernaum, he was also fulfilling a prophecy written hundreds of years earlier in Isaiah. Jesus brought light to Zebulun and Naphtali. God is not confined to time; neither are his plans constrained to time. God can fulfill a promise or plan hundreds of years later. But, he needs our help to do our part in that plan while we are here on this earth. If Isaiah never recorded his prophecies, people may not have believed in Jesus.
Matthew 4:17 “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for he kingdom of heaven is near.”
When Jesus began his ministry, he first instructed the people to repent. Repenting is the foundation to building a relationship with Christ. It helps you become more like him. It also helps you break away sin that may hold you back from having a closer relationship with him. Being a follower of Christ requires us to turn away from our self-centeredness and turning our lives over to Christ’s direction and control. It is dying to your sinful human ways and giving life to the true identity God has called you to become.
Mark 1:15 “The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”
In Mark, it goes further to say that Jesus even states that repentance allows room for you to accept and believe the “good news”. The good news that you are no longer yoked to sin. You are set free. The devil no longer has any hold on you. You have been cleansed of all impurities. You are clean and righteous before God. Jesus has barred the weight and consequences of your sin so that you do not have to bare it. He has saved you from death. Turn away from sin and press into God.
John 4: 45 “When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.”
In John, we learn that Galilee not only had more people, but it also had people who were receptive to Jesus’ message. Jesus offered his truths to the people in Nazareth, but they rejected him. Will you be someone from Galilee or will you be someone from Galilee? Will you learn about Jesus and welcome him into your life or will you reject him?
