Though we don’t know what Jesus’ face looked like during His earthly ministry, we do know what He did with His feet. He ran against the wind. He railed against the prevailing religious establishment, particularly for the ways in which they had perverted the worship of God.
Most countries don’t have kings any more in our world. But there is one kingdom that has always been ruled by an absolute monarch. It is “the kingdom of heaven” (“kingdom of God” in the other Gospels), and God is the everlasting king.
We remain where we were last Sunday, in Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus took His disciples for a weeklong retreat. You may remember this city is the location of the famous Banias Waterfall, a double drop that deposits two streams into the Jordan River. It is here that two streams of revelation fell, as well.
Everybody I’ve ever know wants to go to Heaven and see God in all of His glory. Even unbelievers want to believe there is a Heaven. Believe me, there is! But heavenly glory is only for true believers who make a credible confession of faith while on earth.
In Matthew’s timely retelling, the miracle of the loaves and fishes is a love story about God and His people. It defines for us the love of God. It demonstrates some of the things God’s love can do. And, since every miracle of Jesus is a parable of the gospel, it declares to us the one thing, namely salvation, that only God’s love can bring.
Matthew’s Gospel presents the Lord Jesus Christ as King of “the kingdom.” Forty-four percent of the appearances of the word “kingdom” in the Gospels appear in the first one (56 out of 127), and thirty-five percent of the uses of the word “kingdom” in the New Testament are found in Matthew (56 out of 158).
The palms on Sunday wave at us like the hand of God. He wants our attention. Of course, He demands and deserves it every day of every week. But we are human, with feet of clay and minds that wander.
The only way a person can be saved is to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ with faith and repentance. Faith and repentance are gifts from God. Faith and repentance are commitments to Christianity. Faith and repentance are put on beautiful, meaningful display in the act of a baptism. Jesus paved the way.
How was your Christmas this year? Did you get any good gifts? Did you get any bad gifts? Maybe your gift was in between good and bad, and you’re not sure whether to keep it or return it. Well, that’s Christmas! And, that’s life...
Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Solus Christus: Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. God sovereignly saves by granting faith and repentance through the preaching and acceptance of the gospel, converting people into true followers of Jesus Christ.
