Matthew 4:12-25 - Matthew's outline of the teaching, preaching, healing Jesus

 

I'm not that great at taking "selfies."  This was my maiden voyage into town, about 5 miles from the church, on my single speed bike at the elevation of about 8500 feet.  I was doing a little huffing and puffing and so thankful for the downhills that God provided.  Here is a pic of Mt. Craig just prior to entering into town.  Mt. Craig is in the center and Shadow Mountain is to the right and foreground.  The body of water is Shadow Mountain Lake.


Matthew keeps adding to his explanation of who Jesus is.  He claims in 1:1 that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of David and the son of Abraham.  His name means, "The God who saves."  They will call Him Emmanuel which means "God is with us."  The prophets will call Him a Nazarene, one who is despised.  John the Baptist calls Him the Judge, the ultimate Harvester bringing His wheat into His barn and taking the chaff to the fire.  God calls Him "beloved" at His baptism because He is His Son.  Now Matthew introduces what Jesus' 3 fold ministry would be.  Jesus would teach and Jesus would preach and Jesus would heal.

One of these 3 would get more press (healing) but it would serve to bring the people in to hear Jesus' teaching and preaching.  He would preach as John the Baptist did to "repent for the kingdom of heaven is a hand" and He would teach as He sits down on the hillside and delivers to His disciples the Sermon on the Mount.  All 3 of these are essentials to show Matthew's Jewish audience that Jesus truly is the Messiah.  

Looking back is what Matthew is helping his Jewish audience do, referring many times to passages in the Old Testament, to look presently and forward at how these relate to the Messiah standing before them.  I call it connecting the dots.  God has been at work in my life in so many ways and sometimes I need to look back to start connecting the dots of why I am where I am right now.  The message hasn't changed, Jesus.  The methods somewhat but not the method of discipleship (coming up alongside of others to walk with them toward God).  The motive hasn't changed, love.  Out of love Matthew is telling them the message of Jesus through the method of discipleship.  

I am amazed at how I am pulling from my previous church body experiences to share Jesus with this church body at Stillwater.  The 3 m's of Waushara and the 3 circles of Weymouth and the heart, hand and head of Machias and the list goes on.  Each is used by God to help me to share Him with others and encourage the gathered to do the same.  Here is a picture of looking back on a hike Stephanie and I took recently.  The little lake in the distance (Grand Lake) is where we started.



Looking back at times as we keep moving forward is a good thing to keep grounded to the mission that is ever before us.

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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