What Jesus Preached:  by James Lantz

      Jesus preached that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised and the acceptable year of the Lord. (see Luke 4)  Do you think of Jesus as a preacher, he’s the best there is. After Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and tempted by the devil he left Nazareth and came to Capernaum.  Mt. 4:17   From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Mark records, that after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.  Mt. 9:35  And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  Luke 8:1  And it came to pass afterward, that he went through out every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God .  .  . .  Mark tells us that Jesus preached the word unto them. Of all the many things that Jesus taught and preached, repentance and the kingdom of God were given great emphasis. The purpose for repentance is so that we can enter into the good things God has made available to us. Repent means to think differently, reverse or to change. God’s ways are totally different than the ways of the flesh and natural human thinking. Remember Jesus words, except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Little children just believe and humbly do what they are taught. They are not wondering if you have the ability to back up those things you say. Some folks just don’t want to admit that they need to change. Stubbornness and pride lead to destruction.  Acts 2:47  Praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.   Now some folks will read that and say, it does not matter what I do or don’t do, God is going to save those whom he pleases. Well, it is true that God saves those whom he pleases but only in the confines of his word. God pleases to save everyone who will accept His Son. Go back several verses and realize that Peter preached that they must repent and then they would be saved. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. Remember the words of the master, whoever exalts himself shall be abased and he who humbles himself shall be exalted. In order to come to God we must believe that he is God, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. True repentance is to acknowledge the truth and adjust our life according to what God says, both in his word and what he has planned for our lives.  Mark 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.  Many times Jesus used parables to teach people and you had to discern the meaning. This was done so that his disciples would understand but those who were his enemies would not understand. When Jesus spoke to his disciples in the last chapter of Mark, He was about to ascend to the Father and he made it real plain who would be saved. God pleases to save those who believe and humble themselves by conforming to the Lordship of His Son, Jesus. The same child like faith and the spirit of humility in which we enter the kingdom of God is what it takes to excel in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven is a place, and the kingdom of God is a method. The very moment we made Jesus the Lord of our life, we were removed from the kingdom of darkness, and placed into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Right now on this earth, we are to walk as children of God, enjoying our righteousness in Christ, and his peace and joy. Now that we are citizens of the kingdom of God and children of the royal family we may enter boldly into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them. Believe the love that God has shown toward us. (1 John 4:16)  Jesus preached and taught the ways of the kingdom so we could walk on this earth as he walked. The same spiritual laws that govern entering the kingdom of God apply to our every day walk with God. The law of faith, love, humility, confession and the law of commitment. Mt. 16:24 &25  .  .  .  If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  The great exchange that took place on the cross, Jesus took our sins upon himself and gave us his life. Our life is in Him, we are not our own, we have been bought with a price! It’s good to remind ourselves that in God’s kingdom, Jesus is Lord and God’s agenda is first. Jesus preached that a wise person would do the things that he said. Back, when I was responding to the call of God to preach and again, several years ago, I was greatly impressed with God’s emphasis on doing what God said. Mt. 7:24  Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.  Mt. 16:2 .  .  . and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  Luke 10:27&28  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

1 Thess. 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.  Vrs.17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.