Matthew Chapter 4:12-25 “Being a Disciple of Jesus & Reflecting His Ministry”

INTRODUCTION INTO STUDY In the second half of Matthew chapter 4 (verses 12-25) we’re able to read of Jesus beginning His ministry, some of the disciples being called to follow Him, and Jesus ministering to the great crowds. As we read this section we’re going to focus on the way Christ goes about His ministry and what it means to be His disciple (or follower) SCRIPTURE READING & OBSERVATIONS Read Matthew Ch. 4:12-25 >> verses 12-16 Jesus was not just another prophet. He was a prophecy come true. If you were to believe the Old Testament, and then believe Jesus was an actual figure who walked this earth - it would be hard to argue that He wasn’t the Messiah. One question this stirs up for us to ask ourselves is, “are we fulfilling what the Scripture teaches about us as followers of God?” Christ fulfilled what was foretold about Him fully cementing the fact that He was the Messiah. Are we fulfilling the laws and commands the Scripture has laid out for us as believers? Are we bearing the fruit that we are to be known by? Well, if Christ fulfilled what was said about Him, then let’s fulfill what is said about us as His followers. verse 17 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” John The Baptist preached this as well when he was “preparing the way” for Christ. Now here’s Christ preaching the same word. Why have we gotten away from this? Why are we not telling others this exact word whenever given the chance in a sermon, Bible study, conversation about our beliefs, etc.? Let’s let others know that if they repent, their sins can be wiped away (Acts 3:19)! What an amazing gift this is, and something we so rarely experience in this life - complete forgiveness. We’ve all made mistakes in our past we wish could disappear, but our friends, families, and enemies will never forget them. However, with the all powerful creator, all of these iniquities will be wiped away and forgotten when we simply repent. He won’t only forgive us, but He will even look at us as being holy (Colossians 1:22)! For some of us, we can’t imagine ever being looked at as pure, or clean ever again, let alone holy. A God willing to do this for us is oh so deserving of praise. verse 18-19 It’s amazing how true this statement is: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Isn’t it amazing the number of people who begin to show up in your life when you’re following Christ? The incredibly deep and powerful conversations you can have with individuals you hardly know at all? Whether people want to reject it or not, there is an incredibly wide net cast by Christianity. Some may struggle their way out and never reach the boat, but everyone makes contact at some point, or they are at least incredibly aware of it. verses 20-22 What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ? It means He comes first. What does it mean to be a true follower of God? It means He is the top of the pyramid and everything else just falls underneath Him. As Christians we need to be willing to drop everything for God and the calling He has put on us, even our profession and well being. Just think if Simon and Andrew, or James and John had ignored Christ’s calling? They could have missed out on being a part of the most incredible mankind-altering story in history. What could we be missing out on right now? verses 23-25 What does Jesus do in His ministry that we can imitate here? 1. He taught to those who were willing to hear - Jesus went to the synagogues to teach, not the street corner. By going to a synagogue to preach, He was preaching to those who were willing to hear and who were looking to learn. Why is this so important? Doesn’t this cut down on the chance of wasting valuable ministry time (Matthews 7:6)? You know what? You can know everything there is to know about making a fire, and you can spend as much time as you want trying to make water turn into fire, but it’s not going to happen. You need the right supplies! 2. He gave to those in need (specifically in need of healing) - Isn’t there something so meaningful when someone gives to us something we’re in need of? Maybe it’s a meal when we forgot our money at home, or maybe it’s an encouraging word when we’re down - if we needed it, we value it. We don’t have to be healers to still bless others by providing them what they are in need of! Now, is there anything we cherish more than health on this earth? We desperately desire that not only we, but our friends and families remain healthy. I’ve yet to meet anyone who has Jesus’s ability to heal. However, can you imagine the blessing we can offer when helping others with their medical bills? Can you imagine if churches came together to begin covering these expenses for individuals throughout their nearby communities? Can you imagine a community that was filled with Christian physicians, supported by the church, offering up their abilities free of cost to those in desperate need of them? What would our church bodies look like today if we began pushing our resources to bless local hospitals, those struggling with medicals bills, and so on? Our congregations would be full of people who were ready to worship and learn more about this loving God whom through us gave and/or fought for their health and lives. 3. Ministry can travel - a lot of us seem to believe that we need to be stationary to minister. Christ sure shows that this is not the case. Especially in today’s world with the endless ways we can stay interconnected, we can easily go from place to place preaching the good word and blessing local communities. Don’t be afraid to follow a calling of going from place to place. It may not be the norm, but remember, Christianity calls us to be anything but the norm of this world! TAKEAWAYS In this section it seems there are 3 clear concepts we can takeaway and apply in our personal walks and ministries: 1. We need to be what Scripture says we’re to be - Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of His coming, so much so, you can easily understand Him and His ministry just from reading the Old Testament. Let’s fulfill what is said about us as His followers. Let’s live as Christ did (John 13:15), including teaching His message of repentance, and emulate what the Scripture instructs us by:

• Growing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

• Wearing the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18)

• Being doers of the word (James 1:22)

2. We need to follow God’s calling above everything else - This ties directly in with “be who the Scripture says you’re to be.” Still, a deeper understanding of this is to know as Christians we need to reject our own desires, and follow God’s first, no matter how hard that may be for us (Luke 9:23-24). When it comes to God’s calling on us, we need to change our sight from the things this world tells us we need to what God has shown us we’re to be (Romans 12:2). 3. Bless others & preach to those who have come to hear - Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus explaining the Scriptures, debating theology, and so on with those who have come to hear Him and with those who are considered of religious authority. What else does He do? He blesses those in need by satisfying their needs. When we’re able, let’s bless those in desperate need by helping satisfy those needs. Let’s remember that Jesus often gave to those with medical needs specifically. If Christ did it and it is often reported throughout the Gospels, then there must be a meaningful reason for it! Maybe Christ healed those with ailments because as some of us have experienced, when we have a medical need, we often lose all control of the situation, which leads us to feelings of total desperation. To meet individuals in this true desperation can have a powerful impact. DAILY APPLICATION + INTO THE WORLD If we call ourselves followers of God, and believers in Christ, let’s be the people the Scripture describe us as. Let’s look at all opportunities and paths of life through a scope of aligning ourselves with who God has called us to be, with a willingness to drop everything for Him while staying in line with the Scripture. Let’s pour out the Gospel to all who are willing to hear, and let’s bless those who are in need as often as we can to reflect the love of God. Let’s go out and be fishers of men with a bait and net of grace, love, and a promise of healing, forgiveness, and everlasting life!

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