From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17
These may or may not have been the exact words that Jesus said, but they undoubtedly convey the two overarching themes in his preaching, namely, that it is incumbent upon us to sincerely repent, and after sincere repentance our eyes will be opened to see the kingdom of God.
Why is it so important to repent? To repent is to turn around, to do an about face, to recognize that you’ve been on the wrong road. It is to square-up with reality, acknowledging that the God who made you will someday call you to account. It is to ask God’s forgiveness out of a heart-felt understanding that things are somehow not right, not right inside you, not right in the world around you. It is a Holy Spirit-aided desire to make Christ, the Son of God, the center of your life and aspirations.
And what when are eyes are opened to see the kingdom of God? We see everything in a new glorious light. We see that there is meaning in everything, even suffering. We see Death itself as a defeated foe. We see those we meet each day as men and women loved by God, and for whom Christ died. We have hope where we didn’t have it before. We begin to experience that “joy unspeakable and full of glory” the Bible talks about.
And finally, we recognize how we need to go on repenting. True repentance always leads to more true repentance.
