A Light in the Darkness

In Matthew 4:12-17, as Jesus begins his ministry with a powerful proclamation: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” He doesn't speak from Jerusalem's center of power, but from Galilee of the Gentiles—the backwaters, the margins, the place beyond the Jordan where all nations gather. This draws us back to Isaiah 9, reminding us that God's people have always known what it's like to live under the shadow of foreign empires, whether Assyria, Rome, or the modern powers that surround us today. But here's the deeper truth we must confront: Darkness isn't just out there in the world or mixed among us—it's inside us. The light of Christ doesn't just illuminate our brokenness, it transforms it, and the proper response is repentance. But, repentance isn't about worldly sorrow, self-punishment, or religious performance. It's about recognizing we're living contrary to God's perfect order and turning back to him as a loving Father, and godly repentance paves the way for the Kingdom to operate in our lives. God isn't angry. He’s inviting us home. Repentance leads to liberation.