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  THE LIGHT BEGINS TO SHINE
  by F.B. Meyer
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Summary: Jesus' early ministry was characterized by a tender and winsome
approach, inviting people to the heavenly kingdom.

Topics: "The Kingdom of God", "Embracing Jesus' Light"
Scripture References: Matthew 4:12

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DESCRIPTION
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F.B. Meyer emphasizes the beginning of Jesus' ministry in Galilee
following John the Baptist's imprisonment, highlighting the tender and
inviting nature of Christ's message of the Kingdom of God. He draws
parallels between Jesus' arrival and the dawn that brings light to
darkness, reassuring listeners that no matter how far they feel from
goodness, they are included in God's love and grace. Meyer encourages
the faithful to embrace Jesus' presence in their hearts, reminding them
that even those in the most distant places are welcomed into the light
of His kingdom.

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CONTENT
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Matthew 4:12-17

Our Lord’s earliest ministry seems to have been centered in Jerusalem
and its contiguous villages. See John 2:1-25; John 3:1-36. But on the
news of the Baptist’s imprisonment, He took up His testimony to the
hearers of the heavenly kingdom, which is the reign of God over the
hearts and lives of men. Someone has said that it is “the universal
awareness of God.†Yet there was a difference! At the commencement of
His work, the Savior showed a tenderness and a winsomeness which were
very inviting to the crowds of harried sheep. See Matthew 9:36. His
ministry resembled the gentle, holy dawn that breaks over the mountains
and dispels the black shadows of the night.

The evangelist quotes the prophet’s anticipation of the coming of Him
who is called “Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God.†Oh, do not be
afraid when Jesus comes to your heart! You may be as far away from
goodness and purity as Naphtali and Zebulun from Jerusalem, but Galilee
of the Gentiles is included in John 3:16.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/fb-meyer/the-light-begins-to-shine/
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