The Opportunity of a Lifetime!

Day 6 Matthew 5:17


17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Jesus comes out of the wilderness 40 days after his time of testing and temptation. Note, he was led by the Spirt, who prepared him by overcoming the devil's temptations by relying on God's Word he learned as a boy in the temple. As he begins his public ministry our text today says, “He began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus begins by proclaiming in essence, “Turn around look what God is doing. I am here to show you a new way to REALLY live.”  In this sense, repentance is not so much focused on our sin, but things in our lives that keep us from participating in God’s kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven. Martin Luther taught in his Small Catechism on the Lord’s Prayer, “God’s kingdom will surely come, but we pray that it will come through us.”  Lent is a time to look at those things that distract us from being open to God’s kingdom coming through us.  Jesus opens up the greatest opportunity of a lifetime, to make a difference in the world which will last for all of eternity.  Spend time in Lent asking God how he might want to use you to advance His kingdom in your “sphere of influence”.



Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to bring heaven to earth by following you in the power of the Holy Spirit. Make us aware each day how we might seize the moment with the people and situations you put into our lives. In Your Name

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why are you persecuting me!"  Paul thought he was serving the Lord, but he was persecuting him b
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in
Read more