I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to others!

It might be your stuffed animal, action figure, family pet, food, sports, the latest tv show or movie, book, park, etc. We all have that thing we talk about without someone asking about it. Whatever it is interests, impacts and inspires us. Whatever it is becomes part of who we are and how others see us.

He was not known for bringing good news. At least that is how some felt about him because he was always talking about God’s judgment against their country, and preaching against all the corruption, perversion and godless behavior. He was not a popular voice, but he would not stop talking even though he began to face death threats. The man’s name was Jeremiah, and he was called by God to be a prophet to Judah at the point when they would be destroyed by the Babylonian Empire. Jeremiah told the people to surrender to Babylon, and that God would be with them, but the stubborn officials did not trust God or Jeremiah’s preaching, so we read in Jeremiah 38,

4 Then the officials said to the king, “This man should be put to death. He is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, as well as all the people, by the things he is saying to them. This man is not seeking the good of these people but their ruin.” … 6 So they took Jeremiah and put him into the cistern of Malkijah, the king’s son… it had no water in it, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud.

Then, by the grace of God, Jeremiah was rescued from his muddy prison before he starved to death.

Jesus was known for bringing good news. At least that is how some felt about him according to Luke 4,

36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!”

These words were spoken by the people who heard Jesus preach and perform miracles in Capernaum on the northern coast of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ words and work generated excitement among the people and plans to bring him those who needed help, but this happened on a Sabbath day of rest preventing them from going to him until the evening when the Sabbath ended.

Jesus was trending in Capernaum, and the people did not want him to leave. In our Gospel reading from Luke 4, we learn what Jesus did in the time before sunset,

38 Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.

Jesus went and stayed in the home of his disciples Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, and his miraculous healing work continued. This is the first time in Luke’s Gospel that the people ask Jesus to help, and he heals Peter’s mother-in-law from her fever. Then, we read in Luke 4,

40 At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. 41 Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

Once the Sabbath was over, Jesus continued his Son of God, Messiah, epiphany or revelation work healing the many sick and demon possessed. As he ministered to the people, he was quick to stop the demons from shouting his identity because they were not reliable sources. The demons were right, but they were on the side of evil, not good. After a long night, we read in Luke 4,

42 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.

Jesus needed some time alone with his Father in prayer, but the people found him. Understandably, they wanted him to stay, but doing so would have kept him from his mission.

Failing to understand Jesus’ mission means preventing it. Jesus’ plan was to leave Capernaum after the Sabbath as we read in Luke 4,

43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

More people needed to hear Jesus tell them the good news that entrance into the kingdom of God was through him, the promised Messiah. Jesus made it clear to the crowd in Capernaum that he could not stay there to heal, protect and provide for them. When Jesus announced his plan to leave, any moping around because he was leaving was out of place. Jesus left them with the good news, so they had what they needed to face sickness and death, even sin and demons.

When we mope around because Jesus does not live in our spare bedroom, it does not align with his mission. Jesus has saved us and called all of us to join him in proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God to others. Now, that does not mean that you need to quit your job, quit school, sell the house, buy an RV, enroll in homeschool and become a traveling missionary. For Peter, it was not wrong for him to be married or have a home in Capernaum. For the other people of Capernaum, it was not wrong for them to ask Jesus to heal their sick. Marriage allows you the unique opportunity to know someone better than anyone else and minister to them with the Word of God, both law and gospel. Sickness gives you the chance to pray to God for healing and trust that in long suffering and even death there is still hope and victory in Christ. Because with God’s gift of saving faith, we are also given understanding into Jesus’ mission. Forgetting or remaining at a surface level understanding and avoiding participation in Jesus’ mission to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God prevents Jesus’ mission. When we are not known for talking about Jesus, then we prevent his mission to save others and bring others into his kingdom with the good news.

Jesus understood why he was sent to the world. Jesus could have remained in Capernaum. He could have set up a permanent residence in Capernaum and the news about his healings would have spread. People would have flocked to him from around the world, and he could have used his power to heal them from all their sicknesses and drive out all the demons. We know too that he could have given them all the food that they needed. Jesus even could have kept them all from dying, which would mean remaining in this broken world, but if he had done all those things, he could not have accepted their praise or claim to be the Messiah. Again, we read in our Gospel reading from Luke 4,

43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”

Jesus’ authoritative preaching and healings attracted crowds, but he did not give into the temptation to serve himself with glory from the people. Jesus kept on his mission by proclaiming in many towns the truth about sin and the danger of working at righteousness to be saved. Jesus kept on his mission proclaiming forgiveness from God through the sacrifice of the Son of Man to many people in many places. And Jesus fulfllled the good news by following through on his sacrifice for sin on the cross. The cross both hid and shined the glory of God who loved us enough to suffer in our place. And after the resurrection, he ascended into heaven where he made sure someone would bring the good news to you and bring you into his kingdom. His good news is for you. His forgiveness is for you. His kingdom is for you.

Jesus supports us as the authority when we proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. Jesus reveals where to go when we grow lax in proclaiming the good news. After proclaiming, healing and helping so many, Jesus went off to a solitary place to spend time in prayer with his Father in heaven. When we spend time with God in his Word and in prayer, we are refreshed and realigned with him as we hear in our New Testament reading from 2 Timothy 3,

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we grow in the Holy Scriptures, we are equipped to serve others with the Word of God and doing good. Peter’s mother-in-law is an example for us as she began to serve Jesus, Simon and the other houses guests right after Jesus healed her fever. Timothy and Jeremiah are examples that we are equipped to proclaim the good news even at a young age as we heard Paul encourage Timothy and as the Lord encouraged Jeremiah in our Old Testament reading from Jeremiah 1,

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

God was the reason Jeremiah kept proclaiming God’s Word which exposed and condemned sin, but also promised God would be with Israel in Babylon and save them as we hear in Jeremiah 30,

10 … ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

We do not get as specific a call as Jeremiah, but we live in the same broken kingdom of this world that needs to hear about the kingdom of God. Jesus proclaimed the same good news that we do today. We use the same Holy Scriptures, the same law and gospel, the same message of sin and grace, with the same love and faith backed by the authority of God who backs up all Scripture, the universal, unchanging good news of Jesus.

It might be your stuffed animal, action figure, family pet, food, sports, the latest tv show or movie, book, park, etc. We all have that thing we talk about without someone asking about it. Jesus was sent to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to others, and because of his sacrifice on the cross and resurrection, he is the good news. Through him, the kingdom of God is ours. Through him, not out of guilt, we proclaim this same message regardless of age, circumstance or outcome, we proclaim, we serve, and we love others joining Jesus to say, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to others.” Amen.