Sermon Tone Analysis

Matthew 4:12-25

Introduction

One of the most beautiful metaphors used to describe Jesus’ nature and character is that of light.

In conveys the idea of the illuminating, truth-revealing, and sin-exposing ministry of the Son of God.  (MacArthur “Matthew 1-7,” 101-103)

John 1:4-5 (NASB) 4In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

5The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 3:19-21 (NASB) 19“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

John 8:12 (NASB) 12Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John in his gospel (1:19-4:42) tells use that about a year elapsed between Jesus’ wilderness temptations and the events recorded in Matthew 4:12-25.

During that year Jesus performed His first miracle at the wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11), cleansed the Temple (John 2:12-25), met with Nicodemus (3:1-21), received a final public testimony from John the Baptist (John 3:22-36), and ministered to the woman at the well in Samaria (4:1-42).

Matthew picks up the narrative with the “Dawning to the Light” we are told of the Coming of the Light, the Companions of the Light, and the Conformation of the Light.

1A.

The Coming of the Light  (4:12-17)

1B.

The Light came at the right time  (4:12a)

The time was right for the Light to appear.

Romans 5:6 (NASB) 6For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

2B.

The Light came to the right place  (4:12b-16)

It was the right place geographically - Galilee

“It (Galilee) was more of a crossroads than Jerusalem.

One ancient writer said Judea (Jerusalem) was on the way to nowhere, whereas Galilee was on the way to everywhere.”  (MacArthur, 106-107)

It was the right place ethnically - Gentiles

“The Lord’s move to Capernaum placed Him right in the middle of all the bustle of a world where Hebrew and heathen met and mingled as nowhere else in the promised Land.”  (John Phillips, “Exploring the Gospels, Matthew,” 80.)

It was the right place spiritually – Dark and dead

Galilee had long been the home of spiritual compromise and darkness.

The Light always shines brightest where it is darkest.

3B.

The Light came with the right proclamation  (4:17)

Notice the essence of His proclamation – repent!

Notice the urgency of His proclamation – the Kingdom of heaven is at hand  (2 Corinthians 6:2)

\\ 2A.

The Companions of the Light  (4:18-22)