The Power of the Kingdom

Matthew 4: First Steps (7)

Pray Psalm 111.1-3.
Praise the LORD!
I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.

Sing Psalm 111.1-3.
(Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
Praise the LORD! O let my heart give thanks here amid His chosen race! 
Your works are great, O LORD, and sought by all who know Your grace. 

For Your work is full of splendor, LORD, and of majesty most pure; 
Your righteousness, O glorious God, forever will endure!

Read aloud Matthew 4.12-25. Choose a few verses that stand out to you for meditation.
Why did you select those verses?

Prepare.
1. Summarize Jesus’ first steps in ministry, following His temptation by the devil.

2. How would you describe the results of Jesus’ ministry? 

Meditate.
Jesus’ first steps in ministry are defining in many ways. We can learn much from verses 12-25 about what our own “works of ministry” (Eph. 4.12) should entail. First, we note that Jesus began His ministry in a specific place. He had a Personal Mission Field, which God had prepared for Him, where He began His work, and from which His work expanded. Each of us has a Personal Mission Field as well, and Jesus has sent us there in the same way He was sent to earth (Jn. 20.21), to bring near the Kingdom of God (Matt. 4.17).

Second, Jesus’ ministry involved words and deeds. He wasn’t just a preacher or a teacher. And He didn’t just heal people of their various maladies. He did both. Underlying all He did was the message of the coming Kingdom of God (v. 17). Jesus came to restore the goodness and uprightness with which God originally created all things. We are ambassadors of a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit (Rom. 14.17, 18).

Third, Jesus quickly began to enlist others in His work. He has commanded us to make disciples as well (Matt. 28.18-20). 

Fourth, Jesus expected results, and He got them. What are our expectations for our Kingdom work? 

Finally, we want to make sure that, as we pursue our calling to the Kingdom and glory of God (1 Thess. 2.12), that what we seek is what Jesus realized, the fame of Jesus Christ. We seek no glory for ourselves, but only that people might know and believe and love and follow Jesus. May our every next step mirror the first steps of Jesus, to the praise of His glorious grace!

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Lk. 2.52).

In plotting out His Personal Mission Field Jesus considered the times and the circumstances surrounding Him. 

Things were happening with John the Baptist that played a role in Jesus’ decision making. We are told that “when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee” (Matt. 4.12).

Also to be considered was the attitude of His listeners.  
“A prophet has no honor in his own country” (Jn. 4.44).
He personally experienced this response at the hands of the religious in Nazareth while teaching in their synagogue: “So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.’ Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matt. 13.57, 58).

Solomon taught his children about gaining wisdom to prepare them for their Personal Mission Field work.
These words are equally as informative for our own preparations to serve in God’s Kingdom work: 
“My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you,
so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding,
if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasure;
then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; 
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; 
He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the way of His saints. 
Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path.
When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, 
discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, 
to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things, 
from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness… 
to deliver you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words, 
who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God…
so you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness.
For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it…” (Proverbs 2). 
To speak true words and do good works.

Those wise words warn us away from everything we should avoid;
yet guide us carefully into all the things we should embrace—
To be in the Word. To learn from Jesus:

Who was wise about the times and the circumstances; as must we be.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 
redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5.15, 16).

Knowing always, that in Him—by His Spirit—is the power for Kingdom living.

Reflect.
1. What do we mean by “the power for Kingdom living”?

2. How does one access that power? When? To what ends?

3. How will—or did—you know that power in worship today?

When Christ began to preach, he began to gather disciples, who should be hearers, and afterwards preachers of his doctrine, who should be witnesses of his miracles, and afterwards testify concerning them. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Matthew 4.18-22

Pray Psalm 111.4-10.
Pray that God will so work in you that you will follow Jesus every step of every day of your life.

Sing Psalm 111.4-10.
(Manoah: When All Your Mercies, O My God)
You have caused Your many wondrous works to remain before our face. 
For You are full of mercy, LORD, and abounding all in grace. 

For all who fear You, You provide; Your covenant endures. 
Your pow’r You show Your people, LORD, and make the nations theirs. 

The works of Your all-sovereign hands are faithful, LORD, and just. 
Your precepts evermore are true and worthy of our trust. 

You have sent redemption, to us, LORD, in Christ of cov’nant fame,
and we in wonder, grace, and awe adore Your holy Name. 

All they who would true wisdom know must learn to fear You, LORD, 
And in that wisdom daily live and praise You evermore.

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

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Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast begins a series of readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter has begun a new series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is studying the Church and why we need it. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.