Matthew 3-4
In chapters 3 and 4 of Matthew the childhood narratives are left and we are introduced to John the Baptist and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Something of interest that stood out to me as I read through and thought on this portion of scripture is the importance of preaching. Now when I mention importance of preaching in this context I do not have in mind just preaching in a formal setting as a church service that we are accustomed to. Rather any individual that consistently brings a message to others. We say it like this if we don’t like the message; “Quit preaching at me!” or when a head coach says during a practice; “I have told you and told you and told you… do it again until you get it right.” He is preaching.
In Matthew 3 John the Baptist is preaching in a non typical and counter cultural way “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This statement is mixed with warning and blessing. Preaching is important because it can warn us and bless us. This statement is a warning to all those who reject the truth, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees in this chapter and a blessing to those who follow and bear fruit.
Matthew quotes another preacher in Matthew 3:3 ; Isaiah who told the people that there would be a forerunner to the Messiah, this is John the Baptist. Isaiah is also quoted in Matthew 4:15-16 from Isaiah 9:1-2 about a great light which will dawn in the land of the Gentiles, this is clearly Jesus Christ. Biblical preaching is important because it continually gives us hope and points to the Lord Jesus Christ who is our light.
In chapter 4 we read of the great temptations that Jesus experienced in the wilderness by Satan. We must not forget that Jesus also heard preaching during his childhood, teenage, and young adult years. He heard formal preaching that taught and quoted the Old Testament in the synagogue weekly. Each temptation Jesus faces he quotes from Deuteronomy certainly these scriptures he could have heard people preach either at home, in the synagogue, or in the market places. So preaching is important because it teaches us the scriptures when the preacher gives priority to the scriptures.
In Matthew 4:17 Jesus uses the same statement that John the Baptist made earlier “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” This identical statement confirms that John the Baptist was the literal fulfillment of the Isaiah 40:3 and that of the forerunner. Biblical preaching is important because it is consistent.
In Matthew 4:23 we read of Jesus going about and teaching and proclaiming (preaching) the gospel of the kingdom. Preaching is important because it offers good news; that eternal life is available in Jesus Christ.
So may each of us know the great importance preaching plays in our everyday lives. We need people in our lives that will preach to us. There are also people in our lives that we ought to be preaching to everyday and they need it sometimes as a warning other times as a blessing. Our preaching always needs to give hope and point to Jesus Christ based upon scripture, reminding or introducing people to the good news of the kingdom which provides eternal life.
Prayer: Father bless my life with good preachers, who could be my parents, my spouse, my children, my relatives, my friends, my co-workers, or anyone that I have repeated contact with and as a result my life would be bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Amen