We all have an answer to that question. It’s the word that goes at the end of this sentence: ‘I’ll be happy when…’
Is it ‘when I’m wealthy enough to retire or to get through any financial downturns’?
Is it ‘When people recognise my success, achievement, reputation, influence, status, beauty or skill’?
Or maybe you think that for a Christian, that kind of happiness will all have to wait until heaven.
Jesus’ most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, starts by telling us what it means to be satisfied, to be truly happy, to be blessed. Jesus says, ‘You’ll be happy when you have a right relationship with God through Me. Everything else you look to for satisfaction and meaning will let you down.’
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It’s about salvation, repentance, forgiveness, believing, trusting and obeying. Two of the Bible’s words for being a Christian are being a disciple and following Jesus. We can say “A disciple is someone who is chosen by Jesus, called by Jesus, and loved by Jesus too, who follows Jesus, lives like Jesus, and becomes like Jesus too.” (QuizWorx). It’s easy to say, but harder to do.
It’s hard to turn from our sin. It’s hard to admit our failure to live for God and it’s hard to change.
It’s hard to follow Jesus and live like Him. It’s hard to store up treasure in heaven. It’s easier to live like the world.
And it’s hard to tell others to trust in Jesus too. It’s especially hard when we think it’s all on us, alone.
Those are all reasons why we’re looking at the start of Jesus’ ministry here in Matthew. God has shown us a lot about who Jesus is. And He also shows us what He came to do: He came to call disciples to follow Him.
God’s question for us today is: Have you heard Jesus’ call to follow Him?
Jesus is calling us to follow Him and live like Him and become like Him too. Where do we start?
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*Sermons can be downloaded by clicking on the three dots at top right.
What kind of Jesus do you believe in? Most times that Christians and churches get off track, it’s because we’ve got the wrong idea about Jesus.
It’s so easy for us to have the wrong kind of Jesus in our minds. What we need is the tried and tested Jesus that God declares to us here in Matthew 4. Matthew 3 ended with God the Father declaring from heaven: ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’ (3:17). Now, God shows us how Jesus Christ used His power when He faced the same temptations we do. He proves to us what kind of Son Jesus is.
Just like Jesus was baptised for us, so Jesus goes 3 rounds with Satan for us.
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Would you want to know if you had the Coronavirus?
It’s pretty simple isn’t it? Yes.
None of us wants to have the Coronavirus, but we’d want to know if we did. We wouldn’t want to give it to someone else and we could have treatment so we could get better.
We want to know if there’s something wrong with our bodies. So why is it that we often don’t want to know when there is something wrong with our souls?
That’s why the words of John the Baptist are uncomfortable “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” (v2)
The idea that God’s reign demands our obedience terrifies us or disgusts us. So we ignore the command to change our ways.
Maybe we think we’ll be okay because of who we are. “I’m not perfect, but I’m not that bad” we say to ourselves.
Maybe we don’t think that Jesus would actually judge us. Surely, he’d be too kind to do that.
But would this work: Just thinking “I’ll never get Coronavirus”? Does that mean you’ll be okay?
So, does thinking you’ll never be held accountable by God mean you’ll be okay?
The fact is: God does care how we live. Our rebellion against Him matters. And Jesus will one day judge the world.
So, what can we do? What John says: “Repent” (v2). Whoever we are, that’s God’s message for us today: repent. We must completely change our mind about ourselves, our sin, and God, in a real way that shows in how we live.
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