THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
Matthew 4:12-25
Lord Use Me Until You Use Me UP
V:12. " When Jesus heard that John had been put in
prison, he returned to Galilee . "
A. The Lord plans and decides our ministries according to
His
divine plan.
1. The ministry of
John the Baptist was foretold 700 years before his birth
Isa 40:3.
2. His mission was
restated again 400 years before his birth.
Mal 3:1
B. God decides the length of our ministry.
1. John the
Baptist knew the end of his ministry, He declared himself to
forerunner of
Jesus;
John 3:30:
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
2. Jesus heard
that John the Baptist, his cousin was in prison.
3. There is no
mention of Jesus visiting with John in prison.
4. Except for the
His baptism, there is no mention of Jesus
having any
direct contact with John.
5. Just because the pastor does not mention your
name, does not mean
your work for
Jesus is not noticed or appreciated.
Matthew 11:11 " I tell you the truth: Among those
born of women there has not
risen anyone
greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of
heaven is
greater than he."
6. We have no
right to believe that anything we do for Christ deserve any applause
from man.
SEPERATED FROM HIS PAST
V:13-14. " Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in
Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to
fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
A. A minister must have his own space to do God's Work.
1. Jesus left Nazareth
2. He did not need
the micro management of his family members.
3. There is no
indications that Jesus brothers and sisters supported
him in the ministry while He was alive.
4. In fact there
is indications that His brothers and sisters thought He
was crazy.
Mark 3:21
"When His
family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said,
"He is out of his mind."
B. Jesus did not need the distraction of His Family.
1. We do not hear
about Joseph during Jesus ministry, so I assume
he was dead.
2. You would have
thought Mary would have shared the message from
the Lord about
Jesus with her other children.
3. It is apparent that she did not tell her other
children that Jesus was the
conceived in
her by the Holy Spirit.
4. It would seem
fitting to me for Mary to tell them that
Jesus was God in the flesh.
C. There is history and prophecy in the names, Zebulun and
Naphtali.
1. Zebulun was
the tenth son of Jacob by Leah.
2. Naphtali was
six son of Jacob by Bilhah the maid of Rachel
3. 1000 years
earlier, during the building of the
temple in Jerusalem Tyre
Ceder trees
and gold. Solomon gave the king of Tyre
in Zebulun and
Naphtali in return, The land became populated
with a mixed
group of Persians, Phoenicians and Greeks. It became
known as the Land
of Cabul
JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
V-15-16. "Land
of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, along the Jordan
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."
A. This land had once been abandon by the Israelites.
1. In the Land
of Good For Nothing
Ministry with
four disciples.
2. Jesus, first brought
the Gospel to the Synagogue in Nazareth
town, but when they heard His message
they tried to kill Him by casting
Him down a
hill headlong. Luke 4:29-20.
3. He moved His
home base to Capernaum
Place.
B. Jesus could have started His ministry among the rich and
educated.
1. But He chose
the poor, uneducated and sinful to began the preaching
Good News.
2. Capernaum Sea Of Galilee .
3. This was a
people in the shadow of death.
4. Jesus became
the light that was receive by poor ignorant Gentiles.
THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH
V:17-20. From that
time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
near."
18 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.
19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will
make you fishers of men."
20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
A. At the time of Jesus the sea of Galilee had became a
place of commercial fishing
1. The livelihood
of village people became dependant in part on the sea of
a. The land
around the sea became fertile ground for farming and raising
animals.
2. What was once
considered "Good For Nothing" became fertile ground
for the
preaching of the Gospel.
3. The people
living in the area uneducated and struggling to survive
maintained
their reputation as "Good For Nothing". John 1:46
B. It seem odd to me that fishermen would drop their nets and follow
someone at His
command.
1. The fist two
disciples of Jesus were first disciples of John the Baptist
(John 1:35-39).
2. John the Baptist
planted the seed of repentance and Jesus came watering.
3. John's
commission while still in womb of his mother was to be
forerunner for
Jesus.
AN URGENT CALL TO FOLLOW JESUS
V:21-22. " 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,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and
followed him.
A. There will always be evidence that your are doing your
job.
1. John the
Baptist got the attention of leaders of Israel
and wide and
the Roman Government.
2. People heard
the message of repentance and came in crowds to be baptized.
B. John understood the scope of his preaching which was to
get the
people prepared
to be baptized with the Holy Spirit by Jesus the Messiah.
1. John the Baptist
also understood that those who followed him would
leave him and
follow Jesus.
2. It was by
divine design that the first disciples
of Jesus were fishermen,
because Jesus
was the greatest fisher of men.
3. The work of a
fisherman is never done. He is either fishing or
or getting his
equipment ready for fishing.
4. As disciples of
Jesus our job to be ready to proclaim the Gospel to
those we come
in contact with.
JESUS, OUR PERSONAL DOCTOR
V:23. " Jesus went throughout Galilee ,
teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing
every disease and sickness among the people. "
A. Jesus started His ministry in the Church, the Jewish
synagogues.
1. Those who knew
God the Father were introduced to God the Son through
the teaching
of the Word with power and authority.
2. There is no
mention of the Jewish Church hierarchy, which included the Chief
Priest having
the ability to heal diseases or cast out demons.
a. This shows
a disconnect of Jewish synagogues with God Himself.
b. Instead of
being intercessors of the people to God, they became intercessors
for
themselves to the Roman government.
c. They had
ceased to be Priest of God for the people.
d. Their
priesthood became political positions for power and prestige.
B. As a result, there
had not been a prophet of God for 400 years.
1. Malachi, God
last prophet before John the Baptist
included the
message of honoring God with tithes and
offering.
2. Through the
Priests, tithes and offering had become corrupt
with
them enriching themselves with temple
offering.
3. We cease to be
ministers of Jesus, when our mission become
selfish.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME IN GOD'S HOUSE
V:24. " News about him spread all over Syria, and
people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering
severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and
he healed them. "
A. Many people were drawn to Jesus because of the love He
showed through healing.
1. God is no
respecter of persons.
2. He took the
Gospel to the synagogue in His own town
and was rejected.
3. He turn to the
Gentiles who received him gladly.
4. The educated
and the well trained in scripture blinded by their knowledge
of scripture and could not see the
Messiah in front of them.
5. The poor and
the uneducated got the benefit of Jesus miracles.
B. Many came and received the Gospel but others came for miracles only.
1. All who came
received the convicting power of the Word.
2. When the word is buried in our mind. it will
in time take root in
our hearts.
THE GLOBAL CHURCH, COME AS YOU ARE
V:25 Large crowds from Galilee , the Decapolis ,
Jerusalem Judea
and the region across
the Jordan
A. The Church is made of all nations and nationalities.
1. No race of
people is excluded.
2. The poor and
the rich alike are invited into Church of Jesus Christ.
3. There is no
charge for physical or spiritual healing.
4. The Greatest
gift, salvation is free to all who
believe in Jesus Christ.
B. Jesus stands at the door of our heart, waiting for us to
let Him in.
1. The benefit of
a relationship with Jesus is being under His care.
2. He came that
we might have peace, joy and love.
THANK GOD FOR HIS CHURCH
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia
Baptist Church
For more lesson follow me on facebook and visit my blogs:
revmmitchell.com and goodnewsmevmitc.blogspot.com
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