Jesus Begins His Ministry

Introduction

Have you ever started a project? I mean really started, the prayers are made, the plan is finalized, all the prep work is done, the supplies are bought, the people are in place, now it’s time to execute the plan? Well Chapter 4 where Jesus goes into the wilderness was the preparatory process for Jesus’s ministry, now Jesus has to put the people in place and get started. And that’s exactly what we see in today’s scripture

Jesus Moves to Capernaum.

Matthew 4:12-17 “Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: 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.” From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””

A. The first verse tells us that Jesus left Nazareth. Jesus needed to get away from Nazareth to begin his ministry. But why? Luke 4:24 gives us some insight on why, it reads, “Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.” Jesus had to leave, because Jesus knew He would only be known in Nazareth as a carpenters son, unless he preformed some major miracles, but it wasn’t the time or place for that yet. I can attest to that sentiment as well, it’s very hard to be accepted as a Pastor in your hometown, for multiple reasons people find it hard to accept such stark changes in your life. Because of that, it is easier to move away and begin anew in a new place that knows only the new, regenerate you and if its the place God has for you, you will flourish in the light of God’s love there. I was speaking to a friend Friday on the phone and he said, “I dont know what brought you to Livingston, but I’m glad you’re here doing God’s work.” It was God that brought me here, and God that works through me in all things.

B. This move also fulfilled the Prophet Isaiah’s prophetic scripture, Isaiah 9:1–2 “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. The 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.” Jesus was supposed to begin his ministry in the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali. Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus was ready to begin and His first teachings are “repent. The kingdom of heaven is at hand, it’s here, the wait is over. God has come to redeem His people, the reign of the Devil is nearing its end.

Recruitment

A. Jesus also needed to begin recruiting disciples. Disciples were needed in those days for several reasons: one was to give legitimacy to the teacher, if a teacher couldn't convince some to follow him, he wasn't worth listening to. The number of and quality of your disciples was an indicator to others how good of a teacher you were. Christ chose from the masses, from the working class, so He could connect with the masses, for He came to save not the few, but the whole world. Secondly, because your disciples helped you spread your message to a greater number of people, the more people telling others your message was exponential in reaching more and more people. Thirdly, after you were gone your disciples would continue teaching your word to the world around them, the mark of great teacher was how long after him his teaching survived. Jesus needed all of that, so he sought out disciples.

B. Jesus didn't just go pick random people to follow Him, he came to Capernaum seeking four men He knew would be there. Andrew who was a disciple of John the Baptist and a brother to Simon were fishermen in Capernaum. Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee called out to them in Matthew 4:18–20 “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. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Andrew had seen Jesus’ baptism and likely told his brother all about it, so when Jesus comes calling, they respond whole heartedly. The other two men are James and John the sons of Zebedee, fishermen as well. John is believed to have been the other disciple of John the Baptist present when Jesus was baptised. So in Matthew 4:21–22 “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, and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” it comes as no surprise really that they also respond immediately and follow Christ. Another interesting note, James and John’s mother was Salome, who may have been Mary the mother of Jesus’s sister. This makes sense to why Salome was a benefactor for Christ, present during a lot of his ministry, present at the cross and crucifixion of Christ, and present at the tomb on Resurrection Sunday! This would also make James and John Jesus’s first cousins, which could account for the close relationship and inclusion of James and John along with Peter in the inner circle of disciples. But its pretty clear that they didn't know each other growing up in different cities 20 miles apart, or scripture would likely have pointed out the familiarity when they met again in Capernaum.

Matthew doesn't give a bunch of information but a rather a brief overview of the events to follow the recruitment of these four crucial disciples.

Jesus Preaches and Teaches Throughout Galilee

A. Matthew 4:23–24 “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. 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.”

Jesus according to Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t begin slowly, he wades in chest deep and teaches, preaches, heals and exorcises demons from the beginning. He heals so many that scripture says word of His ministry and healing have reached Syria, Jerusalem, Judah, Galilee, Decapolis and beyond the Jordan River. Word of Jesus is spreading fast. But notice here, Jesus went to the world around Him, He didnt stay in one place and wait for peopel to coem to Him, He went seeking them. We have to learn to be the same way, seekers and not waiters. Because, when Jesus is active in the lives of believers it’s evident to those around them, the word of the change in us because of Jesus is like a wildfire. But rather than flee from it people then and now flock to it, to see what all the fuss is about. That’s when we do what Jesus did, we wade in chest deep and teach, preach, lay on hands for healing and exorcise demons. We don't cower away like those who have no hope, we double down and through the hope in our confession of Christ we spread the Gospel, and heal the world one person at a time. If each one of us does that, then we can exponentially affect the lost world around us and reach an untold multitude of people for Christ.

Applications:

Recognize that the people closest to you may be the hardest to reach for Christ, but don't let that stop you from reaching outside your current sphere of influence. You may have to get outside your comfort zone and talk to new people about Christ.

You’re not in this battle alone, God has given you brothers and sisters in Christ to share the burden with. He has placed people in your life who will rejuvenate you and exhort you, who will lift you up and carry you through the hardest parts because you all have the Holy Spirit, you have the power of God to change the world with the truth of the Gospel. And you are to recruit others to do the same…. Just like Jesus did.

As you go about your life of teaching and preaching, healing and exorcising, you will point the lost not to yourself but to Christ who is in you. Don’t be afraid to go all in, because all in is exactly what God’s plan for your life is.