Jesus Begins His Ministry

The Gospel of Matthew Jesus Begins His Ministry - Matthew 4:12-25 January 26, 2025 I read a book by Kyle Edleman recently called "Not a Fan." The General premise was to challenge the reader to ask the question, "am I a fan, or a follower?" A fan, Edleman describes is "an enthusiastic admirer." He says that fans love to be close to Jesus, but maybe not too close, as to have to commit to making a sacrifice. A Christian is a follower, not a fan. As we continue in our sermon series in Matthew, we begin to see the first steps that Jesus takes in His ministry. Getting followers. And what we'll see from our passage today is that Matthew records a bit of a formula on what it takes to be a follower. It may end up surprising you. Let's read Matthew 4:12-25: 12 NOW WHEN HE HEARD THAT JOHN HAD BEEN ARRESTED, HE WITHDREW INTO GALILEE. 13 AND LEAVING NAZARETH HE WENT AND LIVED IN CAPERNAUM BY THE SEA, IN THE TERRITORY OF ZEBULUN AND NAPHTALI, 14 SO THAT WHAT WAS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET ISAIAH MIGHT BE FULFILLED: 15 "THE LAND OF ZEBULUN AND THE LAND OF NAPHTALI, THE WAY OF THE SEA, BEYOND THE JORDAN, GALILEE OF THE GENTILES 16 THE PEOPLE DWELLING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT, AND FOR THOSE DWELLING IN THE REGION AND SHADOW OF DEATH, ON THEM A LIGHT HAS DAWNED." 17 FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, SAYING, "REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND." 18 WHILE WALKING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE, HE SAW TWO BROTHERS, SIMON (WHO IS CALLED PETER) AND ANDREW HIS BROTHER, CASTING A NET INTO THE SEA, FOR THEY WERE FISHERMEN. 19 AND HE SAID TO THEM, "FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN." 20 IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THEIR NETS AND FOLLOWED HIM. 21 AND 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, AND HE CALLED THEM. 22 IMMEDIATELY THEY LEFT THE BOAT AND THEIR FATHER AND FOLLOWED HIM. 23 AND HE WENT THROUGHOUT ALL GALILEE, TEACHING IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES AND PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM AND HEALING EVERY DISEASE AND EVERY AFFLICTION AMONG THE PEOPLE. 24 SO HIS FAME SPREAD THROUGHOUT ALL SYRIA, AND THEY BROUGHT HIM ALL THE SICK, THOSE AFFLICTED WITH VARIOUS DISEASES AND PAINS, THOSE OPPRESSED BY DEMONS, THOSE HAVING SEIZURES, AND PARALYTICS, AND HE HEALED THEM. 25 AND GREAT CROWDS FOLLOWED HIM FROM GALILEE AND THE DECAPOLIS, AND FROM JERUSALEM AND JUDEA, AND FROM BEYOND THE JORDAN. Here's the main idea from our text this morning: Following Jesus means that I am a disciple of Jesus. Now, you may think I'm being redundant here. The Lexham Theological Wordbook describes being a disciple this way: "Discipleship is the process of devoting oneself to a teacher to learn from and become more like them. For the Christian, this refers to the process of learning the teachings of Jesus and following after his example in obedience through the power of the Holy Spirit. Discipleship not only involves the process of becoming a disciple but of making other disciples through teaching and evangelism." You see, discipleship is less about being a casual viewer, and more about learning and following to become like the One Whom you are following. That's a lot of what we see in this passage. Let's be more specific. What is it that we see in this passage? As we've seen over the past two weeks, Jesus begins His ministry with His baptism, then His temptation. If we were to only take Matthew's account into play, we could conclude that these events from our passage this morning comes immediately after the temptation, but there is at least one clue in the text that tells us otherwise. Verse 12 tells us that John was arrested. More clues, however, give us a more detailed timeline. In John's Gospel, chapters 1-4, it seems is what happened during the first year of Jesus' ministry that precedes this passage, what is referred to as His Judean ministry. John 3:24 tells us that John had not yet been arrested. Matthew omits this year of Jesus' life - but remember, John had a specific purpose for writing his Gospel, and Matthew had a specific purpose for his. Also recall, Matthew wrote more topically than he did chronologically. So, Matthew wants to draw our attention to how this part of Jesus' ministry in Galilee was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy from 9:1-2. And what this prophecy does is reveal the Lord's plan of salvation for all people, to include the Gentiles. This text is also significant in that we see the official hand off from John - the forerunner, to Jesus - the Savior. We must remember that John was a bridge from the Old Testament to the New Testament. As such, there had to be a moment when John fades out, and Jesus comes in. As mentioned, the first 3-4 chapters of John indicates that they both were ministering at the same time - but in different regions - and that, according to John 3:30, John's ministry was not only about to decrease, but that it needed to decrease, so that Jesus' ministry and reach could increase. This is really another illustration of God's providential nature. Even John's arrest, was for a purpose ... namely, to close off his ministry, paving the way for Jesus to return to Galilee to begin His ministry there. One final note on this. Verse 13, of course, tells us that he left Nazareth, His hometown and went up to Capernaum, which later was identified as His home in Matthew 9:1. Notably, Luke 4 reminds us that Jesus was rejected in His hometown of Nazareth. I would contend that Jesus provides us a blueprint here on discipleship, and its beginnings. Namely, that we are called to minister, just like Jesus. This is confirmed in 1 Peter 2:9. Because, if discipleship's goal is for the disciple to become like his teacher, then we must be a minister, like Jesus. So, here's the blueprint on HOW TO MINISTER LIKE JESUS: First, in order of appearance: * It involves a journey (vv.12-16) o If nothing else, the example of Jesus should only affirm that ministry and the Christian life is very active. o Jesus travelled - a lot - we see in the opening verses that He withdrew into Galilee, and to Capernaum, which was right at the Northern coast of the Sea of Galilee. o John 1:19-2:12 gives us an idea of His journey, where we see that He attended the wedding in Cana, then spoke with Nicodemus in Judea, then travelled through Samaria (chapter 4 of John) to Galilee. o In His ministry, we know from passages such as Mark 10:45, He was to come to be the Lamb of God, and from 1 Corinthians 15:45 that He was the Last Adam, the Savior of the world. o The reason for His journey? o To preach the Gospel. o But the Lord also gives us a journey in life. o That may begin with our lives before Christ. Realizing our need of a transformed heart through the finished work of Jesus. o It may then continue in realizing and executing our Spiritual gifts in ministry to others. o As we saw a couple of weeks ago, Jesus was being obedient to His call, and we are called to do the same. o Our journeys are more than just coming to faith, it is about going where God leads us. o Where is God leading you? o Are you working for Him in all areas of your lives? o Really, this begins when we ... * Answer His call (vv.18-22) o In verses 18-22, Jesus calls His first disciples, later to be appointed as Apostles. o Of course, these men had the advantage of hearing the words of Jesus mere feet away, so where do we hear this call? o From the Word of God. o Romans 10:17 reminds us that FAITH COMES FROM HEARING, AND HEARING THROUGH THE WORD OF CHRIST o We must answer that call. o I remember watching a silly sitcom and one of the main characters' rent had gone up. He claimed that he never received any notice, although several notices were previously mailed to him. He called a friend to help him figure it all out, and she suspected that he had received a notice, but of course, he was adamant that he didn't. She asks to see his files, and he takes her to his "mail tub" with all of the mail that he threw into the bathtub - literally overflowing. o Of course, he received the notices, but he failed to read them. o Many receive a call to follow Jesus but fail to answer that call. o We must answer that call. We must respond to Jesus and follow Him and become His disciple. o The sequence is the same for Peter and Andrew and with James and John. Namely, Jesus, * Calls them, * Invites them, * And they immediately follow Him o It's easy to read this account and assume that they did not know Jesus prior to this interaction, but once again John's Gospel gives us clarity. o John chapter 1, beginning at verse 35 implies that they knew and followed Jesus before this encounter - although, it may be a recap of that encounter. * This would imply that they all returned to their "jobs" after their initial encounter with Jesus. o Either way, their response of immediately leaving the comfort of their job and leaving their families to follow Jesus speaks volumes. o I think five of the twelve Apostles were fishermen. You may wonder, why fishermen? o Now, I don't fish, and I know that some of you do. The picture I get in my head, is a middle-aged man (or woman) sitting in a tiny boat with their rod attached to some sort of mount until it starts to pull. * Fishermen in that day were different than my - probably inaccurate - picture. * In those days, the fisherman was always at work, whether sorting their catch, preparing for the next day out, or mending their nets, they were always working. * Someone pointed out that these fishermen were busy people, not afraid to work, so the Lord wanted men like this to do ministry. * There is also a hint of faith on the account of the fisherman. They need faith to go to certain spots and believe that fish will be there, otherwise they may not go out. o But there is another aspect to Jesus' first call to the disciples. In verse 19, Jesus says that He will make Peter and Andrew "FISHERS OF MEN" * Apparently, this phrase was not new or unique to Jesus. One source said, "for centuries, Greek and Roman philosophers had used it to describe the work of the man who seeks to 'catch' others by teaching and persuasion" o What does this mean for you and me? * We are to be fishers of men as well. * We should be sharing Jesus with others. * We should be living out the Great Commission of making disciples. * Penn Jillette - better known as Penn of the magician duo, Penn and Teller, once said: "I've always said that I don't respect people who don't proselytize. I don't respect that at all. If you believe that there's a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward-and atheists who think people shouldn't proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself-how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?" * "I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn't believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that." o Sharing Jesus with others is the responsibility of all disciples of Jesus. o Next, we are to ... * Respond to teaching and preaching (vv. 17, 23) o Late theologian William Barclay made the distinction of teaching and preaching this way: "Preaching is the uncompromising proclamation of certainties; teaching is the explanation of the meaning and significance of them." o We saw just moments ago that the Word of God us what drives us to faith. o Back in August I made the statement "the Bible is transforming" and I'm pretty certain that most of you agreed with that statement. o But I want you to notice something about Jesus' ministry. * He began with teaching and preaching. * He didn't begin with programs. * He didn't begin with a rock band style worship team * He didn't begin with shows and skits * He didn't even begin with healing the sick - that came later. * His primary focus was the Word. The Message. The Gospel. * As a Church. A people. Our priority should begin with the Word of God. * That's what is considered a "biblical worldview" * A worldview that is shaped by what the bible teaches. * If Jesus' focus was first on the Word, then on service - to include healing - then that is where we need to focus as well. * Unfortunately, many churches get it backwards. * Even those under Christ got it backwards. Recall when Jesus fed the 5,000? Once the food was gone, many of them were gone too. o This is why we are a Bible teaching church. o This is why we encourage daily consumption of God's Word. o We want this to be foundational in your lives. o Is it? Is it fundamental in your life? o Then, we are called to ... * Participate in ministering to others (vv. 24-25) o Verse 24 says that they brought Jesus the sick and the oppressed. o Are we bringing the sick and the oppressed to the Lord? o Are we giving them the hope of the promises of the Lord? o We are to be active participants in the ministry of the Lord. o Where can you serve? o How can you serve? o Who can you serve? o Those are questions that every disciple of Jesus should be asking themselves. Earlier we said, following Jesus means that I am a disciple of Jesus. We are no longer fishermen, so to speak, we are fishers of men. When we say that we are Christians, that means we are followers of Jesus. A disciple. A learner who works to be like his teacher. Striving to minister like Jesus. In his closing words in the book I mentioned earlier, Idleman says this: "You have a new identity in Christ. You are not the names they called you in junior high. You are not what your friends said about you behind your back. You are not what your coach yelled at you. You are not how your boyfriend treated you. They were wrong about you." "You are adopted (Ephesians 2:19)" "You are chosen (Colossians 3:12)" "You are called (Ephesians 4:1)" "You are a follower (Luke 9:23)" "That is who you are." "Now go live it." Let's pray. 2