Citizens

This sermon finds itself in the context of the arrival of the King. The people of Israel are waiting with eager anticipation of the arrival of the promised king whose kingdom would be eternal. His kingdom  would break into this world and He would set his people free in order that they may flourish as his people. Matthew has previously established Jesus as the rightful promised king (Matt 1:1-17 genealogy), the birth of the King (Matt 1:18-2:23); the preparation for the King by John Baptist in chapter 3 who is calling people to repent for the kingdom of heaven was at hand and that the coming King would be mightier than he and baptise not just with water but with the Spirit.

Thus new power would be made available to God’s Kingdom people in order to live out the Kings ways through his word and Spirit. and when his people fell short, they would have the security of their identity as God’s loved children because of their great King who lived the perfect live on their behalf, died the death they should’ve died and rose again to new life. Thus the message of the king is to repent, to turn to him, trust in his finished work on the cross and his promise of a Spirit that would fill his people’s hearts, transform their lives to live God’s way, designed to bring them true and lasting joy.