Matthew 4:17
From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
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Matthew 4:17
Repent: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand – YDM – Yeshua Deliverance Ministries
FEBRUARY 14, 2025
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Sermon Notes
Repent: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand | Bishop Huel Wilson Sermon
This sermon, "Repent: The Kingdom of God Is At Hand," emphasizes the foundational biblical command to repent, detailing its meaning, the elements of God's Kingdom, and compelling examples of lives transformed through genuine repentance.
Key Points:
The Message of Repentance:
Both John the Baptist and Jesus began their ministries with the message: "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand" (Matthew 3:1-2, Matthew 4:17) [00:43, 01:00].
Repentance (in Christianity) is a sincere turning away in heart and mind from self to God, involving a change of mind that leads to a change of action [03:20].
It means recognizing God as the most important fact of one's existence, with God coming first in life [03:58].
Understanding the Kingdom of God:
The Kingdom of God is a spiritual realm where God reigns as King and His will is fulfilled on Earth [04:53].
Genuine repentance requires acknowledging one's true spiritual condition and allowing Jesus to reign as King and Lord in our lives [05:43].
Four Basic Elements of a Kingdom:
King/Queen: Jehovah is the King over all [06:47].
Territory: "The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof" (Psalm 24:1), meaning Jesus owns all things [07:06].
People/Subjects: Every kingdom has people who are in submission to the King [07:59].
Rules/Laws: God's primary law is the law of love: loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself [08:16].
True Repentance Involves Change:
It is not enough to merely believe Jesus was a good man; true repentance acknowledges Jesus Christ as Lord God Almighty, the Son of the Living God [09:07].
Repentance involves turning from sins and turning to Jesus as "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), not merely to a church or religion [12:00].
Examples of True Repentance:
The Thief on the Cross (Luke 23:42): Even in his final moments, the thief recognized Jesus as King and sought remembrance in His kingdom, receiving immediate salvation [13:21].
The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:12-25): The son recognized his awful condition, arose, and returned to his father, who joyfully restored him [14:35].
The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:16-34): After Paul and Silas' midnight praise led to an earthquake and open prison doors, the Jailer, convicted, asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" and he and his household were saved [16:06].
The Holy Spirit and Personal Transformation:
Biblical Passages Used in the Sermon:
Matthew 3:1-2 (NIV): "In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”"
Matthew 4:17 (NIV): "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”"
Luke 4:17 (NIV): "The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:"
Malachi 4:4-6 (NIV): "“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel. “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”"
Psalm 24:1 (NIV): "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;"
John 1:1-3 (NIV): "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."
Mark 1:14-15 (NIV): "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”"
John 14:6 (NIV): "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”"
John 10:9 (NIV): "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture."
Luke 23:42-43 (NIV): "Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”"
Luke 15:11-25 (NIV): (Parable of the Prodigal Son)
Acts 16:16-34 (NIV): (Account of Paul and Silas in Philippi and the Jailer's conversion)
Acts 20:20-21 (NIV): "You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus."
Revelation 3:20 (NIV): "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me."
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SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
From the Word
Psalms 24:1
The earth is Yahweh’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell therein.
WEBJohn 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
WEBLuke 23:42
He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
WEBLuke 15:12-25
The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
WEBActs 16:16-34
As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling. Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!” She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city, and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.” The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened. The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!” He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God.
WEBLuke 4:17
The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He opened the book, and found the place where it was written,
WEBMalachi 4:4-6
“Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
WEBJohn 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made.
WEBMark 1:14-15
Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”
WEBJohn 10:9
I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.
WEBLuke 23:42-43
He said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
WEBLuke 15:11-25
He said, “A certain man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of your property.’ He divided his livelihood between them. Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough to spare, and I’m dying with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.”’ “He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.’ They began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
WEBActs 20:20-21
how I didn’t shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, teaching you publicly and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus.
WEBRevelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
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