Matthew 4:12-25

Scripture Reading:

Last Time:

We Saw Jesus Go Into the Wilderness Being Led by the Spirit to the Tempted by the Devil

We Were Told of 3 Different Temptations that Jesus Faced in the Wilderness

Turn Stones to Bread to Go Against God’s Will for Him to be Hungry

Jump Off the Pinnacle of the Temple to Test if God Would Save Him or Not

Worship the Devil to be Made King Over All the World Without Having to Suffer According to God’s Plan

Jesus Stayed Faithful to God’s Will for Him and Passed All of the Tests

Then God Sent Angels to Provide All of His Desires for Him

Matthew 4:12-25

Matthew 4:12–13 (NASB)

Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.

The First Thing We See is that John the Baptizer has Been Arrested

Why?

Matthew Tells Us Later in this Account

Matthew 14:3–4 (NASB)

For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

John was Imprisoned Because He was Calling Herod Antipas Out for His Sin

Once this Happened, Jesus Immediately Traveled to a New Place

We will See in a Minute that this was to Begin His Ministry

John Prepared the People for the King to Usher in His Kingdom

Now is the Time for the King Himself to Take Over this Mission

Jesus Goes to Galilee and Starts Living in Capernaum

(Map of Jesus Going from Nazareth to Capernaum)

Capernaum was a Bigger Town than Nazareth

This Would Have Been a Better Location for Him to Live and Begin His Galilean Ministry

Matthew Sees a More Prophetic Purpose for Jesus’ Change in Location to the Region of Zebulun and Naphtali

Matthew 4:14–16 (NASB)

This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “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 were sitting in darkness saw a great Light, And those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, Upon them a Light dawned.”

Matthew Quotes from Isaiah 9:1-2, Believing Jesus to Have Fulfilled this Prophecy by Moving to that Region

Over Half the Population Were Gentiles

So Matthew is Foreshadowing Jesus as the Light to All People Who are in Darkness

As with All of Matthew’s Quotes, it’s Helpful Look at the Context of the Passages to Get a Fuller Picture of What He’s Trying to Show Us about Jesus

Isaiah 9:1–7 (NASB)

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.

You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders, The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of YHWH of hosts will accomplish this.

In Isaiah’s Context, the Territories of Zebulun and Naphtali had Been Dominated by the Assyrians

There was a Dark Cloud (Shadow of Death) Hovering Over Them

But as Isaiah Prophesied, One Day, Something Glorious is Going to Happen There

One Day the Anointed God-Human from the Lineage of David will Take His Throne and Bring Light in the Form of Justice, Righteousness, and Peace

Jesus is the Very Fulfillment of the Messiah Bringing Light to this Territory

In What Way Did He Do That?

Matthew 4:17 (NASB)

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

“From That Time” Indicates a Shift in Matthew’s Account

Jesus’ Ministry is Officially Underway

He Began Doing Exactly What John the Baptizer Did

He was Spreading the Word that God’s Kingdom was Near and Repentance was the Way to be a Part of it

This is the Light that Jesus was Bringing

God’s Kingdom is in Heaven, But Now He’s Coming to Set Up His Kingdom on Earth as Well

And When God Reigns as King, Righteousness, Justice, and Peace Reign with Him

Matthew 4:18–22 (NASB)

Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

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. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

While Jesus is Walking by the Lake, He Sees Some Fishermen

Fishing was a Thriving Industry at this Time Around the Sea of Galilee

Fishermen Typically Made More Money than the Average Person

Jesus then Does Something that Should Remind Us of Elijah

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah Walks Up to Elisha While He is Working and Throws His Mantle on Him

Elisha Knew this Meant that He Would Now be Elijah’s Disciple

He Immediately Said Bye to His Parents and Sacrificed His Oxen (Former Way of Providing for Himself) and Followed Elijah

Jesus Walks Up to Peter, Andrew, James, and John and Tells Them to Follow Him

They Immediately Leave Their Family and Their Jobs Behind and Follow Him

Matthew’s Account Makes it Seem like this is the First Time They had Ever Met Jesus

That’s Not the Case

According to John’s Account, Peter and Andrew had Probably Been Disciples of Jesus for a Year Now

Remember, Matthew is Not Trying to Tell Us Every Detail

He is Focused on the Kingdom of Heaven Coming to Earth Through Jesus the Messiah

So Jesus is Now Officially Calling for These 4 Men to Take on New Career as His Disciples

What He was Asking Them to Do was to:

Live with Him

Learn from Him by Watching and Listening to Him

Take On His Values and Priorities as Their Own

Be Passionate about the Things He was Passionate About

Follow His Example and Serve the Way He had Come to Serve

He Invited These Fishermen to a Higher Calling of Fishing

They Were No Longer to Gather Fish into Their Nets

They Were Going to Gather People into the Kingdom

Matthew 4:23–25 (NASB)

Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.

The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.

Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

As Jesus was Traveling Throughout Galilee, We See What His Ministry Always Consisted of

Teaching His Disciples, Preaching/Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom to Outsiders, and Healing People of All Types of Sufferings

He Would Often Teach in Synagogues (Picture of Synagogue in Capernaum)

A Synagogue was a Local Jewish Learning and Worship Center

The Jews Started Making Synagogues in Babylonian Captivity

After the Return from Captivity, They Continued to Build and Use Them in Their Communities

When the Church was Established, Christians Would Meet in Local Congregations to Learn and Worship Together

This Form of Worship was Started with Synagogues

His Fame Began to Spread so that People from All Around Started Coming to Him to be Healed and to Follow Him

(Map of Surrounding Areas Mentioned)

Jesus Now has this Great Crowd Following Him

Next Week, We will Start to Look at the Sermon on the Mount

This Sermon is a Taste of What Jesus Went Around Teaching and Preaching During His Ministry

We’ll Spend Several Weeks Analyzing the Sermon and Learning so Many Amazing Things about What it Means to Live a Kingdom Lifestyle

Applications

Jesus Chooses Us

It was Common Practice for Rabbis/Teachers to Have Disciples

But the Disciples Were Normally People Who Chose to Become Followers/Students of a Certain Rabbi

But Jesus is the One Who Chooses and Calls Upon His Disciples

To Me, that Makes Being a Disciple of Jesus so Much More Special

Jesus Wanted to Lead Me Before I Ever Wanted to Follow Him

I Didn’t Have to Leave Earth to Follow Him; He Left Heaven to Lead Me

I Didn’t Have to Get My Life Right for Jesus to Die for Me

I was an Enemy When He Died to Make Me Family

Romans 5:6–11 (NASB)

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Jesus was a True Leader

He Chose Us First

He Loved Us First

He Served Us First

He Showed Compassion, Mercy, and Grace to Us First

He Died for Us First

When We Choose Jesus as Our King…

to Love, Serve, Show Compassion, Mercy, and Grace, and Be Willing to Die for His Cause…

We can Know that He Did All These Things for Us First

Because Jesus Chooses Us, Choose Him

Knowing the Love Jesus has for Us Should Ignite that Response in Us

Like These 4 Fishermen, We Must be Willing to Leave Whatever is Necessary in Order to be with Him

We Should See Nothing as More Important than Being a Citizen of His Kingdom

When Anything Takes Precident in Our Lives Over the Kingdom, We are Not Choosing Jesus…

We are Choosing the World

And No One can Have 2 Masters

If You Have Chosen Him, Follow Him

Making Jesus Your Master and King Doesn’t Just Come with the Title of “Christian”

It Comes with Responsibilities and a Life Change

When Jesus’ Early Disciples Chose Him, They Truly Followed Him in All Things

We are Expected to:

Live with Him

Make Everyday about Jesus

Learn from Him by Watching and Listening to Him

Don’t Just Study Your Bible, Study Jesus

Learn Who He Truly is and Try to Copy that

Take On His Values and Priorities as Your Own

Be Passionate about the Things He is Passionate About

Follow His Example and Serve the Way He Came to Serve

To Be a Disciple Means to be a Learner and a Follower

Are You Truly Learning from and Following Jesus?

Or are You Just Wearing a False Title?