Matt. 4:12-17.
Do you know the joy and freedom of the gospel? John the Baptist’s enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be silenced. As soon as John had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee. Galilee was at the world’s crossroads, and much traffic passed through this little region. It had been assigned to the tribes of Asher, Naptali, and Zebulum when the Israelites first came into the land (see Joshua 9). For a long time, it had been under Gentile occupation. Isaiah foretold (see Isaiah 9) that the good news of salvation would be proclaimed in this land and reach the Gentiles. Jesus begins the gospel proclamation here to fulfill God’s word. The Old Testament prophets spoke of God’s promise to send a Redeemer who would establish God’s rule. That time is now fulfilled in Jesus.
Jesus takes up John’s message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the good news he has come to deliver.
What is the good news that Jesus delivers? It is the good news of peace (restoration of relationship with God), of hope (the hope of resurrection and heaven), of truth (God’s word is true and reliable), of promise (he rewards those who seek him), of immortality (God gives everlasting life), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of God). The gospel is the power and wisdom of God: the power to change and transform our lives and wisdom to show us how to live as sons and daughters of our Father in heaven. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord makes it possible for us to receive his word with faith and to act upon it with trust.
In announcing the good news, Jesus made two demands: repent and believe! Repentance requires a life change and a transformation of heart and mind.
The Holy Spirit gives us a repentant heart, genuine sorrow and hatred for sin and its consequences, and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Holy Spirit gives us the grace to see our sin for what it is — rebellion and a rejection of the love of God. God’s grace helps us to turn away from all that would keep us from his love. Faith or belief is an entire gift that God makes to us. Believing is only possible by the grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes of the mind and makes it easy for us to accept and believe the truth. To believe is to take Jesus at his word and that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to redeem us from the slavery of sin and death. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to himself. Do you know the love of God that surpasses all else and impels us to give him our all? God wants to change our way of thinking and transform our lives through the power of his word.
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