Introduction

Hello everyone, I am so glad you’re here with us today! Today we are in the book of Matthew, chapter 4. This is one of those passages where I think to myself, “I wish I had been there to see this,” because this is the start of Jesus’ ministry. It’s the start of his message that the kingdom of God is near. It’s the start of his calling people to follow him and learn from him. And it’s the start of his healing ministry, demonstrating that he has all authority over sickness and disease.

Sometimes the hardest part in life is just getting started. We live in deeply engrained routines, whether we’re conscious of them or not. Our daily habits, repeated over and over again for a long period of time, shape us into who we are. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the habit.

The thing about starting something new, whether it’s a new job, a new habit, a new diet, a new exercise program, or a new relationship, is that it’s often clunky and messy at the beginning. It’s uncomfortable and awkward. Sometimes we avoid starting something new because we don’t like the discomfort involved. We don’t like feeling awkward. We feel like we might be criticized or laughed at. Or, maybe we’re afraid of failure. And because of that it’s easy to stay in the comfortable world of the familiar.

What I like about Jesus is, he just starts. He just gets going and steps into his calling. He aligns his life — his routines, his habits, and his activities — with his identity. Let’s look at his identity.

What I like about Jesus is, he just starts. He just gets going and steps into his calling.

Main Teaching

Matthew, the writer of this gospel, reiterating the words of the prophet Isaiah, describe Jesus as the light. “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” (Matthew 4:15-16).

Darkness is the absence of light. Jesus, the light, comes to us. Notice how we are described? We are: living in darkness; living in the land of the shadow of death. Darkness and death. Those are terrible words. And even worse, they are terrible conditions to be in.

Do you ever feel the words darkness and death describe the season you’re in? Do they ever describe your demeanor? Do they ever describe what you’re feeling in your heart or thinking in your mind?

There is a pervasive sense of fatalism and despair in this world. Albert Nolan writes, “Fatalism is not a particular philosophy of life which once existed in some remote corner of the world. Fatalism is the prevailing attitude of most people most of the time.”

Fatalism is marked by a sense of hopelessness, a sense of being stuck, or overwhelming feelings of anxiety, worry, or fear. Fatalism is the sense that everything is bad, everything is broken, and nothing can be done about it. It’s the belief that bad things overpower good things, that evil is stronger than good.

Another facet of living in darkness is societal darkness: crime, murder, exploitation, wars, systemic injustices, ungodly political leadership. The list can go on and on. We live in a dark world scarred by sin and evil.

What is darkness? Darkness is simply the absence of light. Darkness itself is not a thing to be studied, but an absence of something. Darkness is simply the absence of light, just as cold is nothing more than the absence of heat. We don’t really study darkness but we do study light. Darkness is the emptiness, the void, and the absence of the goodness and love of God in this world.

And into this darkness a light has dawned. Jesus doesn’t curse the darkness, he just shows up and gets going. He is the light who comes into the darkness and demonstrates the love and goodness of God.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” (John 8:12) ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium