Reading: Matthew 4:12 to 5:3
Text: Matthew 5:1-3

Sermon: The Poor Get a Kingdom, by Rev. John van Popta of the Canadian Reformed Churches.

Read by Brother William Vaatstra

Matthew 4:12-5:3 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Jesus Begins His Ministry
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into

Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by

the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was

spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
[a]By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the [b]Gentiles—
16 “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great Light,
And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death,
Upon them a Light dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to [c]preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of

heaven is at hand.”

The First Disciples
18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon

who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for

they were fishermen. 19 And He *said to them, “[d]Follow Me, and I will make

you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 21

Going on from there He saw two other brothers, [e]James the son of Zebedee, and

[f]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.

Ministry in Galilee
23 Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and

proclaiming the [g]gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and

every kind of sickness among the people.

24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all

who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs,

[h]epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. 25 Large crowds followed Him

from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the

Jordan.

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes
5 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the [i]mountain; and after He sat

down, His disciples came to Him. 2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them,

saying,

3 “[j]Blessed are the [k]poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.