Why Jesus Began with ‘Repent’ 🔥 | Matthew 4 Devotional (7-Step QT)
7-Step QT Notes
1. 🙏 Quiet Time
Pause.
Take a deep breath.
Ask Jesus to open your heart to His call and to give you courage to respond.
2. 📅 January 19, 2026
Today’s passage reminds us:
Following Jesus begins with repentance and continues with bold obedience.
3. ✝️ Matthew 4:12–25
Jesus withdrew to Galilee after John’s arrest and settled in Capernaum to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy about a great light shining on those in darkness. From then on, He began preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus called His first disciples—Peter, Andrew, James, and John—who immediately left everything to follow Him. He then traveled throughout Galilee, teaching, proclaiming the gospel, healing every disease, and drawing great crowds from all surrounding regions.
4. 📖 Key Verse
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (v. 17)
5. 📝 Reflection
Matthew, the author of the Gospel of Matthew, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He records Jesus’ first message as: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (v.17). Surprisingly, this is the same message John the Baptist proclaimed before being imprisoned: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matt 3:2). This same call to repentance appears repeatedly in the messages Jesus gives to the seven churches in Revelation (Rev 2:5, 16; 3:3, 19). If so, what should we proclaim to the world in our time?
We now live in a society that considers verbal evangelism an intrusion or burden. Many therefore teach that showing a Christian life is the most modern and effective way of evangelism. Speaking out and proclaiming the gospel is often viewed as outdated and irrelevant. Yet today’s Scripture testifies that both John the Baptist and Jesus boldly called people to repent. Many evangelists in the Bible also proclaimed the gospel with a loud voice. Therefore, we must do the same. Scripture does not present a new method of evangelism. Even in Revelation, the message remains the same: repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
Beloved, whoever you meet today, proclaim the gospel with boldness: “Repent and believe in Jesus Christ to receive eternal life.” I pray that you will never be ashamed to declare God’s salvation.
6. 💬 What does this passage speak to you today?
- What holds me back from sharing the gospel with my words?
- Who in my life needs a loving invitation to turn to Jesus?
- How is Jesus calling me to respond immediately, like the first disciples did?
7. 🙏 Prayer
Lord, give me a heart that listens and obeys quickly.
Make me bold—not harsh, but lovingly courageous—to share the gospel as You did.
Let my life and my words point people to You.
Amen.
Scriptures
📖 12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan (Matthew 4:12-25, ESV).
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