Matthew 4:23-25, Philippians 3:12-16
The Kingdom of God is kind of a big deal. Especially in the gospel of Matthew. As we go along, we will come to read many parables and stories that Jesus tells about the Kingdom of God. But today, we’re reading about how he actively lived out the Kingdom by what he did. Matthew provides this picture almost as an endnote in chapter 4, but it really encompasses all of what we will read from here on out.
There is a lot to admire about Jesus. Perhaps a lesser known feature of his way is the persistence in a steadfast ability to keep going and keep doing. Jesus took care of himself - finding solitude, eating, resting, and seeking God through prayer and attention to the community of God. But he used these things as a foundation for keeping on.
Matthew 4:23-25
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues. He announced the good news of the kingdom and healed every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all those who had various kinds of diseases, those in pain, those possessed by demons, those with epilepsy, and those who were paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from the areas beyond the Jordan River.
Philippians 3:12-16
It’s not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected, but I pursue it, so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose. Brothers and sisters, I myself don’t think I’ve reached it, but I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. The goal I pursue is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. So all of us who are spiritually mature should think this way, and if anyone thinks differently, God will reveal it to him or her. Only let’s live in a way that is consistent with whatever level we have reached.
Prayer:
God,
I have things to do today. May they be yours. The tasks for which I make effort, the things I actually complete, the people I meet: may they be yours. Keep my mind sharp and my heart soft. Make my words sure and my appearance loving and compassionate. I give you this day for the blessing of working in your Kingdom. Keep me as I keep going.
By your Spirit and in Christ, Amen.