Jesus' Ministry Begins - Starts Small - Grows Large

Introduction: Ministry is a calling! I remember when Debbie and I started out in the ministry. We had just finished our first semester of Bible college and I applied to serve as a summer youth pastor at the Nile Community Church, just outside of Natches, Washington. Our first Sunday was May 18, 1980. A significant date – the day that Mount Saint Hellen’s blew. Washington state dropped the “W” and became known as Ashington.

After our commitment at the Nile concluded we returned to Bible college in the Fall of 1980. Within weeks we were called to First Baptist Church, downtown Spokane, Washington as their Youth Pastor. Those were exciting days. We served there from 1980-1982.

In 1982 I graduated from Inland Empire School of the Bible, and Debbie and I applied to Village Missions – a rural missions organization that supplies Pastors in small rural churches across the USA and Canada. We were sent to Nemo, South Dakota (2 years), to Winchester, Idaho (3 years), and back to Spokane to serve as Assistant Pastor at Foothills Community Church (6 years).

In December 1993, I preached for the first time here at SLBC. A few months later I was asked to serve as interim Pastor, and in August of 1994, I was called to be the Pastor of SLBC. Debbie and I have served here this coming August for 29 years.

Ministry is a calling! And every ministry has a starting date. There is a particular moment in time when a ministry begins. It was true for Debbie and me, and it was true for our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we come to our text, we are going to look at the early ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. What do we learn about the ministry of Jesus Christ? We learn the following…

I. The setting of Jesus’ Ministry – 4:12-13

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

A. John was arrested and imprisoned – 4:12

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

As you read through the four Gospels you discover that Jesus ministered for about a year before John the Baptist's arrest.

Why was John the Baptist arrested?Well, John had criticized Herod Antipas for having an adulterous relationship with his brother Philip's wife (14:1-12; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:19-20).

Matthew 4:12 indicates that Jesus ministered first in Galilee (John 1:19—2:12) and then in Judea (John 2:13—3:21). Then He returned to Galilee by way of Samaria (John 3:22—4:42).

But why did Matthew begin his account of Jesus' ministry with John's arrest? John's arrest by Herod signaled the beginning of a new phase of Jesus' ministry. The forerunner's work was now complete. It was time for the King to appear publicly.

I have read, "In royal protocol the King does not make His appearance in public until the forerunner has finished his work. Matthew, emphasizing the official and regal character of Jesus, follows this procedure exactly."

B. Jesus departed to Galilee – 4:12-13

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

· He departed to Galilee

This means that Jesus leaves Nazareth. He leaves the place where he grew up. He is going off. He’s starting His ministry.

· He came and dwelt in Capernaum

Notice that we are told that Capernaum is by the sea.

In 1994 Debbie and I walked through the town of Capernaum. This town became the Homebase for Jesus’ ministry. The Apostle Peter had a house in Capernaum. We saw Peter’s house. We also saw the synagogue that Jesus would often visit in Capernaum.

At the conclusion of verse 13, we are told that Capernaum was in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali. Zebulun includes Nazareth, and Naphtali includes Capernaum.

I have read that the first-century population of Capernaum may have been anywhere from 1,000 to 15,000 people.

As I thought about these first few verses the following came to my mind:

1. Ministry may require a move. It did recently for Christian & Erin Starr.

2. Ministry may involve adjustments. Moving to a new location requires you to learn about your surroundings.

3. Ministry always involves people. Whether they be less than 1,000, or more than 15,000.

4. When God moves you – you go!

What else do we learn about Jesus’ ministry? We learn…

II. The Prophecy of Jesus’ Ministry – 4:14-16

14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 16The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

A. Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’ ministry – 4:14

14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

Where did Isaiah prophesize this? In Isaiah 9:1-2,

1 Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. 2The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.

What is the point of this Scripture? The point I believe is to tell us that God will not leave His people in darkness but will send them light.

I like the last words of Isaiah 9:2,

Upon them a light has shined.

The point that I want to drive home is that the ministry of Jesus would be a ministry of light. People who live in darkness need light!

There are two things mentioned in verses 14-16 that needed light. They are:

1. The land – 4:15

15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:

We often hear people speak of how dark a land is or has dark a land has become. When people forget God or reject God the land becomes dark.

2. The People – 4:16

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

People need light. Light expels the darkness. When darkness has lifted TRUTH is revealed. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you FREE.

What else do we learn about the ministry of Jesus Christ? We learn…

III. The Message of Jesus’ Ministry – 4:17

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

In previous messages, I mentioned the importance of timing. Timing is everything in the ministry of Jesus Christ. We read here,

From that time Jesus began… What did Jesus begin?

A. To preach - Proclamation

What does it mean to preach? The word means to be a herald or to proclaim. Jesus had words that He shared that were not His own. He spoke only what the Father gave to Him.

The point is that Jesus spoke what the Father told Him to share.

B. To say – His message

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus preached a message of repentance. His message was the same message that John the Baptist preached. Jesus was calling people to turn from their sins. The word “Repent” means just that. It means that a person hears the truth, and that the truth convicts them, and they have a change in mind and behavior. Jesus’ message was going to have this effect on people.

Why was it necessary for the people of Jesus’ day to repent? They were living apart from God. They were living lives of brokenness. Sin was destroying individuals and families, as well as the nation.

C. To promise – God’s Kingdom.

“for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The promise that was a part of Jesus’ message was that the kingdom of God was a hand. Which simply means, it is closer than you might realize.

The word “kingdom” means, rule, reign, and authority. It speaks of the rule of God.

Are you a part of the kingdom of heaven? Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord? Have you repented and turned from your sin? Have you called upon Jesus Christ for Salvation? There is only ONE WAY to be saved. Through Jesus Christ!

What else do we learn about the ministry of Jesus Christ? We learn…

IV. The Followers of Jesus’ Ministry – 4:18-22

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 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. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

In those verses, we see the calling of Jesus’ early disciples. We discover the names of those called to follow Jesus.

A. Jesus’ calling - Two brothers – 4:18

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

1. Simon called Peter (Pebble).

2. Andrew (Manly).

They were fishermen by trade – Fishermen had a few things going for them. First, it takes a lot of patience to be a fisherman. Second, they know what type of bait to use to catch certain fish.

B. Jesus’ challenge – 4:19

19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”.

Peter and Andrew immediately took hold of Jesus’ challenge, and they left their nets and followed Him.

What do we need to leave today to follow Jesus?

"The expression 'Follow Me'would be readily understood, as implying a call to become the permanent disciple of a teacher. Similarly, it was not only the practice of the Rabbis, but regarded as one of the most sacred duties, for a Master to gather around him a circle of disciples. Thus, neither Peter and Andrew, nor the sons of Zebedee, could have misunderstood the call of Christ, or even regarded it as strange.”

This message appeared on a church marquee: "Be fishers of men. You catch 'em. He'll clean 'em." That is the proper order.

C. Jesus saw others - Two other brothers – 4:21-22

21 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. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

1. James (Greek form of Jacob, supplanter).

2. John (Jehovah’s gift).

They too were fishermen by trade. These two verses tell us that they were the sons of Zebedee and that their father was with them in the boat. They were mending their nets when Jesus approached them.

It is often when we are carrying out our daily responsibilities that we will hear the call of God in our lives.

D. Jesus called them – 4:21-22

21 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. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

This is the same calling that Jesus had just given to Peter and Andrew. Jesus was calling them to forsake all and follow Him, and that He would teach them to catch men.

How do you catch men? You catch men through teaching and persuasion, or through what we term today as relational evangelism. And hear this, it often takes a lot of patience to win people to Christ. Fishermen knew a little about patience!

These two brothers also immediately left the boat (their livelihood and their father, and they followed Him.

One man wrote:

· Jesus summons them.

· Jesus promises to equip them.

· Jesus commissions them.

What else do we learn about the ministry of Jesus Christ? We learn…

V. The Expansion of Jesus’ Ministry – 4:23-25

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

A. Jesus went about all Galilee – 4:23

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.

Galilee covered an area of roughly 80 miles by 50 miles. Jesus and His disciples traveled on foot.

What did the ministry of Jesus consist of? Notice three key areas of His ministry:

1. Teaching in their synagogues – explaining Scripture.

2. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom – expounding truth.

3. Healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

Do you think that people liked having Jesus around? I do! At least the common people did.

B. Jesus’ fame spread throughout all Syria – 4:24

24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

The word “fame” speaks of hearing, message, or report. The idea here is that Jesus’ message was being heard. That the people were lending their ear to it. And that it was being passed on to others.

Look at what is said in this verse 24,

· His fame went throughout all Syria

To the Jews in Galilee, Syria meant the area to the north. However, the Roman province of Syria covered all of Palestine except Galilee, which was then under Herod Antipas' jurisdiction. Regardless of the way that Matthew intended us to understand "Syria," Jesus' popularity spread far north.

· They brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases, torments, and those who were demon-possessed.

As I read these words, I couldn’t help but think that people’s lives were a mess. Various diseases, torments, and demon possession. None of that sounds healthy! These people needed help and hope – they needed Jesus Christ.

Think for just a moment about our own present social conditions. We have probably all heard about the recent suicide in Priest River, the mass shootings across our country, drug use in our cities, fractured families, our economy being in a recession, we face a major border crisis, and on and on it goes. Do you think that just maybe people need help and hope today? Do you think that the world needs Jesus Christ? I do!

· He healed them.

That is what Jesus did then, and I would testify that this is what Jesus can do today!

Are you aware that MOST if not All diseases, torments, and demon possession are a direct result of refusing to obey God’s commandments? When people turn away from God everything falls apart.

People are NOT healthy because they reject God’s TRUTH.

C. Great multitudes followed Him – 4:25

25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Jesus wasn’t just popular among His disciples. No, Jesus was popular among the people. Look at the various regions where the people were from, and the great number of people who followed Jesus Christ.

· From Galilee (80 x 50-mile area).

· From Decapolis (meaning ten cities)

· From Jerusalem (The hub of the nation of Israel).

· From Judea

· From beyond the Jordan

As I look at the area of impact that Jesus’ ministry had I couldn’t help but think that this is what type of impact the church and Christians ought to be having today.

How far and how wide is our impact as a Church? How far and how wide is our personal impact on the world?

Conclusion: Jesus had a ministry that touched lives. How can we have a ministry that changes lives? I would suggest the following steps:

1. Leave your comfort zone and step out when Jesus calls you.

2. Let your light shine in a very dark world. People need the light of Jesus Christ to shine on them. You are that light.

3. God has you where you are to make a difference. You are to be On Mission.

4. Get up and follow Jesus Christ as one of His disciples. Learn from Him and go catch men. Evangelize the lost. The best evangelism is relational evangelism. Love people into God’s kingdom.

5. Live in such a way that your fame spreads. Make a difference here in Spirit Lake, in your neighborhood, and in the state of Idaho, but also throughout our nation, and even around the globe.

6. Our end goal ought to be to get a great multitude to follow Jesus Christ.