Message

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The Great Light Dawns

Matthew 4:12-25

Key Verse: 4:16 “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.”

  Today’s passage contains three parts: 1) the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as the fulfillment of God’s prophecy (12-17), 2) Jesus calls his first disciples (18-22), 3) Jesus’ threefold ministry (23-25).  Even though it has three parts, there is one message: Jesus is the light of the world.

First, a light has dawned. (12-17) Look at verses 12,13. “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-” Matthew 14:1-12 explains why John the Baptist was imprisoned. John rebuked King Herod, who took Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. John told Herod, “It was not lawful for you to have her” (Mt 14:4) Through the imprisonment of John the Baptist, justice was denied. Jesus saw this event from God’s point of view. He believed that the era of John was over and that his messianic ministry should begin. Jesus went to Capernaum, a city located on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. Capernaum would be the main town of Jesus’ messianic ministry, and was where most of his miracles were performed.

  Matthew, the author of the gospel, saw the appearance of Jesus in Galilee as the fulfillment of God’s prophecy. Look at verses 14-16. “to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “ Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles- 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.” Zebulun and Naphtali were located at the north and west side of the Sea of Galilee. Those who lived in that area in Jesus’ day were despised by the southern Jews. Galilee was far from the holy city Jerusalem and many gentiles lived there. The Jews described those who lived in the land of Galilee as people who were living in darkness. The Jews did not expect that any good thing would come from Galilee. (Jn 1:46) The Jews had racial, cultural, and geographical prejudices against the people who lived in the land of Zubulun and Napthali.

  But the prophet Isaiah saw them differently when he prophesied 700 years before. According to Isaiah 9:1,2 the people in northern Israel abandoned God, the true and only God of Israel, who had brought them out of Egypt. They worshiped idols and prostituted themselves with pagan gods. Those who left God had to live in utter darkness because they rejected God, who is light. Their problem was a not racial or cultural or geographical problem, but a spiritual problem. The prophet Isaiah warned them about God’s divine judgment through the invasion of the Assyrians. God used the Assyrians as a tool to discipline his people for their repentance. Finally, northern Israel fell to Assyria in BC 722.

  In the midst of his divine judgment, God planed to save his people by sending the Messiah as a baby who would be born of a virgin. He is the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. (Is 9:6) The prophet Isaiah saw the birth of the Messiah as the appearance of a great light for those who were living in the darkness. This was the gospel for them. This was the sure sign that God had not forgotten them or abandoned them, but loved them and would be with them to the end. Hebrews says that no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Heb 12:11) Immanuel means God with us. By sending the Messiah, God proved his unchanging love for his people with the message that he is with them.

  The time that Jesus lived in was known as one of the darkest eras in Israel’s history. They suffered from severe poverty under Roman occupation. People barely ate two meals a day. Their freedom and national pride as chosen people was deprived. Injustice, poverty, and oppression were rampant over the land of Israel. But the prophets did not see their problems as political, social, or economical problems, but sin problems. The prophet Isaiah said that his people rejected God, who is the source of the living water.(Is 8:6, Jer 2:13) The prophet Amos also said, “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12)

  In America we have no shortage of food or water. When we work, we can buy everything necessary. The problems in this country are not economical, racial, social, or political problems, but spiritual problems which are sin problems. People abandon God and say that they live their own lives. Families are broken and their children suffer. Christian values and morality are denied. People love darkness and will not come to the light. All problems are caused by the absence of God in their lives.  Darkness is the absence of light. Those who live in darkness have no direction and no hope because they can’t see anything. They don’t have hope for the future because they have no light.

  In Jesus’ day some prisons were underground, called dungeons, which had no light at all but utter darkness. Some dungeons might by fortune have a crack or a hole made by animals, and provided a slight beam of sunlight for the room. When the slight beam of sunlight shone, all the prisoners in the dungeon gathered to receive the light. They moved as the sunlight moved. They struggled with each other to occupy the better spot for more light. When the sunlight was gone, they waited until the next morning. Historians say that those who received the beam of sunlight lived longer and healthier lives than those who were in utter darkness. Even as this slight beam of light provided hope for the prisoners, how much more hope and blessings are given to those who live under the great light!  Jesus came to this world as a great light for those who are living in darkness. Zechariah described Jesus as the rising sun which came from heaven. (Lk 1:78) No matter how deep the darkness of this world is, when the sun rises, darkness disappears.  

  What was Jesus’ first message for his people? Look at verse 17. “From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus did not preach for social justice or political revolution, but for repentance.  Repentance is turning to God. Leave our life of sin and turn to God. The word ‘repent’ in Greek, Metanoia, means change your mind and direction. Confess our sins and worship God and serve him only. Open our hearts and accept God’s divine love which comes through Jesus Christ. Sin separates us from God. Sin leaves people in darkness and in the valley of shadow of death. When we repent of our sins, the kingdom of heaven comes. When we repent, darkness disappears. This is because the heavenly sunlight shines.

  One of the most difficult pains which people go through is fear of rejection. The people living in Galilee suffered rejection from the Jews. They suffered being abandoned by God. But God never rejected them or abandoned them. He was always with them and cared for them. This is why God sent Jesus Christ his own son to this world. Jesus is the Immanuel God and he is the sure sign of God’s unchanging love for sinners like us. Even though his people abandoned God and rejected him, God didn’t. God said “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” (Is 49:15)  Jesus said to his disciples in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit as Another Comforter to be with his disciples. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Instead of despairing or complaining, we have to fix our eyes on Jesus, who was hung on the tree. In him was life and that life is the light of men. (Jn 1:4) Through the cross of Jesus, God demonstrated his own love for us while we were still sinners. (Ro 5:8)  In the cross there is God’s forgiving love. In the cross there is true freedom. In the cross there is a real healing for all wounded souls and broken hearts. By his wounds we are healed. (Is 53:5, 1Pe 2:24) In the cross, God completed his work of salvation.

Second, come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people. (18-22) What did Jesus do first when he started his Messianic work? He recruited his disciples. Look at verses18-22. “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Who were the disciples Jesus called? They were Peter, Andrew, James, and John, who were fishermen. In Jesus’ day, fishermen were regarded as lowly people in society. Jesus didn’t call his disciples from religious leaders or people in high positions, such as teachers of the law or Pharisees, but from people who were in low positions such as fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, and so on. This reminds us of 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, which says, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things- and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” Jesus wanted to reveal God’s glory through these lowly people by accomplishing his great world salvation purpose. There were other reasons for Jesus to choose them. They were obedient. When Jesus called them, they left everything and followed him right away. They saw the image of God in Jesus. They saw the hope of God in Jesus. They had no direction and purpose in life but to catch fish and make money. But Jesus visited them and called them. “Follow me. I will make you fishers of men.”

  There is a big difference between fishermen and fishers of men. Jesus said, “I will send you out to fish for people.” In the Old Testament, God said that he would send his servants to fish for his people. God wanted to gather his people from the exile of the Gentiles. (Jer 16:16)  Jesus called his disciples to bring those who live in the darkness into the light. His disciples will fish for those who are rejected, abandoned, wounded, broken, distressed, and lost and bring all of them to Christ Jesus. Fishermen catch fish and make money and that’s it. But fishers of men catch people and bring them to God for their eternal life. This should be the most important and valuable life on earth. What is a more precious and important thing for a man to do on earth than to save lives! This is the reason why we go out for fishing on campus and invite students to Bible study. After Jesus called his disciples, he promised to be with them forever. (Mt 28:19-20) Amen!

Third, Jesus’ threefold ministry (23-25) Look at verses 23-24. “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” On the Sabbath all synagogues were open and provided time for anyone who wanted to teach. Jesus taught the word of God in the synagogue on the Sabbath. During the rest of the days of the week he traveled around and preached the good news of the kingdom of God. What is the good news for those who are sick? It is the news that sick people were healed by Jesus. They also wanted to be healed by Jesus. There is saying that you never know what you have until you lose it. I didn’t realize the importance of health until I lost it when I was in college. Jesus healed me spiritually and physically when I came to him. I received the grace of Jesus over my soul and body. This is the gospel and a great light for those who suffer from sickness. Jesus healed all kinds of sick people. Jesus healed the demon-possessed and the paralyzed. Jesus’ compassion was not limited. His hand of healing was not short. Whomever he touched, a miracle happened. The blind received sight. The deaf heard and the mute spoke. The crippled walked. The demon-possessed were freed. The broken and wounded were healed. The dead were raised.

  What was the people’s response? Look at verse 25. “Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” Jesus’ healing stream flowed down from the land of Galilee through all the corners of Judea. People saw a great light in Jesus. They had restored hope in Jesus. They felt the love of God in Jesus.  John the Apostle described Jesus, “In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” (Jn 1:4)  Matthew describes Jesus, “A light has dawned.” (4:16)

  There was a young man who lived without any life purpose or direction. Even though he grew up under devoted Christian parents, he had no motivation to serve God. But when he was a freshman in college, Jesus called him. “Follow me. I will make you a fisher of men.” Through one to one Bible study he met Jesus personally and decided to give his life for saving many wandering and perishing souls on campus. He became a fisher of men and a disciple of Jesus.  A student he had fished two years ago studies the Bible with me now. The student brought his father and mother to Bible study. In this way the kingdom of God expands. He saw the great light dawning for his family. Jesus is hope for everybody. Jesus shines all the time. His healing stream reaches everywhere.  Amen!

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