In this episode, Pastor Mo Brooks teaches from Matthew 4:17, the moment Jesus begins His public ministry with one central announcement: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” This is not a message of shame, fear, or behavior policing. It is an invitation to rethink your assumptions about God, yourself, and others, and to step into the reality of God’s reign that is accessible right now.
This teaching reframes repentance as belief renewal that leads to real life change, and it highlights how spiritual growth accelerates when you stop trying harder and start seeing differently.
Phase 1 Context
The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo is currently in Phase 1 of 4 in its new church plant. Each episode is a short teaching followed by group discussion and strategic work on building the church.
What You Will Learn
• Why Matthew 4:17 is a turning point in the Gospel story and the foundation for Jesus’ message
• What repentance means in Jesus’ context: a change of mind that realigns your worldview
• Why behavior change follows belief change, and why performance based faith keeps people stuck
• How fear based obedience creates shame and hiding, while love based discipleship produces joyful obedience
• What the “Kingdom of Heaven is near” means as God’s active reign, not merely a place you go when you die
• Why communion is a practice of receiving before doing, and remembering Jesus before striving
Scripture Focus
• Matthew 4:17
• Matthew 3:17
• Matthew 4:1–11
• Romans 12:2
• Acts 3:19
• 1 Corinthians 10:16
Quotes and Key Ideas
• Repentance is not primarily feeling bad. It is learning to see reality differently.
• If beliefs do not change, behavior will not change.
• Jesus did not begin His ministry by telling people to behave better. He told them to think differently.
• The Kingdom is God’s reign made available in everyday life.
Next Steps
• Reflect: What do you believe about God that might be shaping your choices more than you realize?
• Practice: Ask God to help you see Him as He sees Himself, and to see yourself as He sees you.
• Share: If this helped you, send it to someone who feels stuck in shame or religious pressure.
Connect With The Beloved Church of Kalamazoo
Website: belovedchurchkzoo.org