Find Hope: Matthew 1-4Намуна

The Kingdom of Heaven

The Gospel of Matthew was written by a Jewish tax collector to a predominantly Jewish audience, with a clear and profound purpose: to announce “The King and his Kingdom is here,” the Jewish Messiah is finally here, and the new age and rule he’s bringing in. Matthew’s gospel is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and Scripture, containing more Old Testament quotations and allusions than any other gospel. His language reflects Jewish sensibilities and traditions—for example, he calls the kingdom the “kingdom of heaven,” and not the “kingdom of God” like other gospel writers—because Jews avoid saying God’s name.

Now what is the kingdom of heaven? Well the book of Matthew exists to answer this question —to describe and define the kingdom Jesus is bringing in—a kingdom that is different than what the Jews expected, a kingdom defined by humility, grace, and sacrifice.

The first person to talk about the kingdom of heaven was John the Baptist who said “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John’s purpose was to prepare Jewish hearts for Jesus. His job was to prepare the way for the Lord, and today his job continues through Matthew’s Gospel. As we read this gospel to learn more about king Jesus and the kingdom he’s ushering in, we cannot skip John the Baptist, nor his message and application for us. Like the Jews needed to repent to be prepared for Jesus, so we need to repent, and do so daily.

As the church father Tertullian once said “We were born … for nothing but repentance.”

Today, ponder this: Sin flourishes in darkness and secrecy; what is one thing you’re afraid people will find out about you? Is your secrecy and privacy about this wise or foolish? Is this something you need to confess and bring to the light? Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and obey his instructions.