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A HISTORY OF GREAT DARKNESS

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: If you are united to Jesus by faith, you are called to participate—by extension—in Christ's victorious mission of shining the great Light of God into the darkness, spreading the kingdom of God to all nations.

*Words [in brackets] within Scripture passages are commentary supplied by John Cole. Some Scripture is emboldened for emphasis.

JESUS IN A DARK LAND

From the victory over Satan in the wilderness, Jesus came as the promised Light in the prophesied darkness of the land of Zebulon and Naphtali. The promised King brings heaven’s light into our cursed darkness.

Matthew 4:12–13

12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:

Q: What might it look like to be a faithful follower of the LORD in a land of dark unbelief?

GREAT LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Matthew 4:14–16

14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

From beginning to end, the Bible reveals God as our true and promised source of light.

God is our light: Genesis 1:3; Isaiah 60:19-20; 1 John 1:5; Revelation 21:23; 22:5

God reveals through Isaiah that the promised holy Seed will come as a child born of a woman and yet as “God with us” to bring the light and kingdom of God to those in darkness among all nations.

Greater context passages that we went through last Sunday: Isaiah 2:1-5; 6:9-13; 7:14-16; 8:22-9:7; 11:1-16; 42:1-16; 49:1-13; 51:4-5; 54:1-3; 61:1-3

Matthew and the Spirit say Isaiah 9:1-7 is fulfilled by Jesus coming to Galilee.

Q: Can you truly say that your heart is filled with joy and song because of the light Jesus has brought? Do you delight in His light? Is His kingdom your joy? Do you agree that you were in darkness before He brought you into His kingdom?

A KINGDOM OF LIGHT

Matthew 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Q: How does it help you to connect Jesus “being the Light of the world” with preaching the kingdom of God?

Extra: On your own or with someone else in the church, reflect on this question while reading Acts 1:6; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23; 28:31.

SHINE FORTH CHRIST’S KINGDOM

Jesus extended His “light ministry” to all His followers—who are joined to Him by faith (Matthew 5:14).

Peter describes all Christians as being called into God's light to give witness of it (1 Peter 2:9).

Paul applies to himself and us Jesus's mission of being a light to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47; 26:23).

Paul also applies Jesus's mission—by extension—to us in relation to our conduct (Ephesians 5:1-16).

Brothers and sisters, our life and message should call sinners to repent from their dark way and enter the shining kingdom of God by faith in Jesus—the Great Light.