The Life of Jesus - Week 3

Matthew 4:18–22 NIV

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus’ focus was on the dark places that don’t know Him

STORY - one day, the disciples were walking with Jesus in the temple, showing it off. Jesus replied - it’ll all be rubble.

We talked about how Jesus was totally different than the other rabbis at the time. The rabbis were there to maintain and grow the religious establishment. And it seems like that was the ONLY thing they were concerned about.

Jesus actually blasts the pharisees for this singular focus. He says - you nailed tithing, and missed justice. You travel over all the earth to make a single convert, and then make him twice the son of hell that you are.

And here, Israel had this temple, and it was grand, and beautiful. People marveled.

But when the disciples held it up to Jesus as a high point, He said - they’re just stones, soon to be torn down.

Jesus isn’t saying - this temple, this structure, it’s worthless. He’s saying - this is temporary. And he’s here for far more eternal things.

SIDEBAR

How often do we miss God’s riches because we’re too focused on rubble?

STORY - there’s a rule in marriage. Don’t fight over a topic you won’t remember the next day, or the next week.

Our sense of priorities can be so wrong. We’re willing to pursue so many things, die on so many hills, for topics that won’t even be remembered in a decade.

Paul describes this time where one day everything we do will be piled up, and tested with fire to see if it’s of an eternal quality, or it’s just rubble. God is looking for the people who want to work with gold, not dust.

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So Jesus’ disciples say, look at this amazing thing, the temple. And jesus says - that’s just dust. That thing is temporary.

So we gotta ask ourselves - where did Jesus start ministering?

It makes sense for Jesus focus his ministry around jerusalem, and the temple right? They’re practically the seat of holiness on earth.

But Jesus showed us what the real priority was. Jesus chose to start his ministry in galilee.

Jerusalem was the seat of religious power and focus for Israel.

Galilee was a mixed place through a lot of his history, but around the time of Jesus, while it was mainly jewish, it had a really varied ethnic background. So it was a big mix of lots of religious perspectives, and was heavily influenced by roman and greek culture. Jews from Judea looked down on citizens from Galilee.

They thought Galilean Jews were a corruption, and had it wrong. And religiously - they were a corruption of judaism, and did have it wrong. But that wasn’t Jesus’ priority to hang out with all the right folks in the beautiful places. his priority was to seek and save the lost.

Jesus is showing the first steps towards the OT hope that this gospel is for all nations. It wasn’t something reserved for a select, small group of people. It was going to be offered to everyone, everywhere. ESPECIALLY in the darkness

We talked about this earlier. With Abraham - blessing to all people. Israel - covenant to be a light and a kingdom of priests for the nations. David - eternal king over the whole world.

Before Jesus starts to preach, Matthew points this out to his readers. It’s a prophesy from Isaiah.

Matthew 4:15–17 NIV

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Thousands of years ago, in Isaiah, he prophesies - there’s a great light coming. And it’s going to light up in ‘the land of the shadow of death’.

even at the time, the jews understood this to be messianic. But notice - it’s a prophecy about the messiah, lighting up the darkness, in a place of the gentiles.

More scriptures:

Isaiah 42:4

Isaiah 42:4 NIV

he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”

Isaiah 49:6 NIV

he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

Zechariah 2:11 NIV

“Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

God has been prophesying from the beginning - God is gathering the people to himself. But not just Israel - everybody.

So when Jesus hits the scene, this is the kingdom of God breaking into the world.

BUT. The first foothold the kingdom of God took in the world was in Galilee. It was to the people on the outside.

I want a soap box moment here.

Something that really bothers me is when we think we’re too good to be around ‘bad people’. We’re too clean to be around ‘dirty people’. I try my hardest to be the kind of person that can be around and love anybody. If Jesus hung out with prostitutes and tax collectors and the ‘sinners’ - how can I be better than him?

If your gospel isn’t strong enough to stand up in the land of the shadow of death and bring light, then it’s not the true gospel.

WHAT TO DO?

Be prepared to go out to the darkest places

There’s a saying that I took to heart when I learned it many years ago. Jesus called us to be fishers of men. Don’t settle for simply being keepers of the fishtank.

We are not here to build up our little empire. We’re here to go out for the kingdom of God into the darkness.

If you’re following Jesus everywhere He goes - you’re going to be going everywhere He goes.

We stand in a long line of faithful witnesses.

God called abraham out to a new land, and promised to bless the whole world through him.

God called david out from shepherding his sheep to leading a nation, and God promised to extend that line over the entire earth.

And when God calls you - and he will - he will send you out with a promise to bless those around you.