The year of the Lord’s
favor
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matt 4:17b NIV
The big picture of the kingdom
• God is supreme ruler over everything
• His reign works on choice and consequence in the
context of grace
• Creation is a sub-set of his realm
• His creation was spoiled by rebellion
• His long term goal is restoration
• Restoration is a process
The beginning of the end
• John set the ball rolling
Matt 3:1-2 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching
in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven has come near.”
• Jesus took over when John went to prison
Matt 4:12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in
prison, he withdrew to Galilee……17 From that time on
Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven has come near.”
‘The kingdom of heaven has come’
The King’s Brief
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
19
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
How will Jesus apply this prophecy?
‘good news to the poor’
‘freedom for the prisoner’
Social or spiritual restoration?
Matt 11:5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those
who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead
are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
How will Jesus apply this prophecy?
‘recovery of sight’
‘to set the oppressed free’
Luke 5:31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need
a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.”
The puzzle of the kingdom
• Under Israel’s present circumstances
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What type of liberation is on offer?
In what sense is the Kingdom at hand?
How would God’s rule be established?
How would God’s territory be recovered?
• Why would Jesus say
‘no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born
again’
‘the kingdom of God is within you’
‘my kingdom is not of this world’
The King’s Speech
• Jesus is recruiting counter ‘terrorists’
• People who can live out God’s standards in Satan’s
territory
• He describes
• Their character
• Their personal values
• Their fortitude in the face of opposition
• Jesus uses figures of speech
• Picture language to ponder over and form a response
Repent for the kingdom of Heaven has come near