"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4:17

Have you ever wondered what message Jesus preached to the people as He traveled from city to city and town to town? Many would have us believe it was simply a message of God's love for us and our duty to love others, but was it? The Bible sums up Jesus' preaching in this way: "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Jesus preached the coming of the kingdom of God – the day of God's judgment upon sinful man and the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom – and He called upon all to repent and believe the gospel (cf. Mark 1:15). His message was the same as that preached by John the Baptist, who said: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2). Nor was it different than the preaching of the apostles following His death and resurrection, for Peter preached: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38; cf. 3:19).

If the hearers of Jesus, of John the Baptist and of the apostles – even the religious people among the Jews – needed to repent and believe the gospel to be a part of the kingdom of God, why is it that so few preachers today are calling upon their hearers to repent of their evil ways and look to the LORD God for mercy and forgiveness for the sake of Christ's atoning sacrifice – for the sake of Jesus, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (cf. John 1:29)?

If Jesus' hearers needed to repent and believe the gospel, they were on the wrong path and living secure in their sinful ways, thinking all was well with their souls when it wasn't. And what of hearers today? Are they any different? We all need to repent and look to Jesus for pardon and peace. Only in Him can we sinners be forgiven of all our sins and escape the coming judgment of God. Only in Jesus, can we have any part in the eternal kingdom of God.

And what message are we to proclaim in this dark and dying world? It's really no surprise. Jesus tells us: "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47). We are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name – for the sake of His innocent sufferings and death in our stead!

O merciful and gracious God, grant that we heed Your words and repent of our evil ways, trusting alone in Your mercy and forgiveness for Jesus' sake, and grant us a place in Your everlasting kingdom. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.]