Jesus' Ministry Begins

We continue in our progress through Matthew 4 and out series Communications of the King; picking up with where we left of last week in Matthew 4:12 beginning with Jesus's transition from temptation in the wilderness to the start of His public ministry in Galilee. We refresh on what we saw last week from Jesus' victory over temptation, emphasizing reliance on the Holy Spirit and God's Word.

We look at the implications of Jesus’ choice to begin His ministry in Galilee instead of Jerusalem, highlighting His preference to reach out to those seeking a savior rather than conforming to existing religious hierarchies. We look at the historical context, the significance of repentance, the process of Jesus calling His first disciples, and how Jesus' actions were countercultural for the religious establishment of the day as well as for the religious establishment today. Jesus' example should guide contemporary Christian living.

Key points include Jesus' decision to focus on God's plan over career advancement, the calling of the first disciples, the significant need for repentance, and the importance of personal transformation in service to others. We closed with an exploration of Jesus' inclusive ministry, emphasizing teaching, preaching, and healing. All of this continues to emphasis the need for the daily transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our life, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus, and relying on the Word of God to be the primary tool God uses in the transformative work in our life.