Jesus knew that those who would follow Him would have a hard time during their lives. He knew how the Jews of old times had treated the prophets that God sent to warn them of their sins.
So, He probably wasn't surprised that Herod had imprisoned John.
Matthew 4:12, 31-32- Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
Jesus had a ministry that hadn't been seen in Israel for a long time. John the Baptist was the first messenger from God to the Jews in about 400 years! And, now there was Jesus who preached the message of God with power.
But, Jesus could do things that John never could.
Matthew 4:33-34- And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.
Did you know that devils know who Jesus is? They do! They knew that He was the Messiah!
Matthew 4:35-37- And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
Jesus commanded the devils to leave that poor man, and they obeyed Him. Never before in the Bible had anyone been able to make a devil leave the person they were inhabiting. But, Jesus had power from God that no other man possessed.
Matthew 4:38-39- And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
Jesus was able to heal Peter's mother-in-law by simply telling the sickness to go away.
Matthew 4:40-41- Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.
Part of Jesus ministry was casting the devils out of their victims, part of His ministry was healing those who were diseased, and part of his ministry was preaching.
Mark 1:40-42- And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
Jesus often healed those who had such diseases that made people run away. This man with leprosy had been forced to live away from friends and family because of this dreaded disease. But, just one touch from Jesus and he was given his health and his life back! This is what it means to be compassionate.
Luke 12:14-16- And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.
Often times, Jesus would have to leave the hustle and bustle of His ministry to spend time with the Lord. He knew how important it was for the human body to rest. He know how important it was for the spirit of man to spend time with God.
After spending time in prayer, He was back at the ministry showing people how God wanted them to live.
Luke 6:20-23, 27-28- And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Jesus told them the disciples that troubles would come. But, instead of fighting and being mean to people, Jesus told them to be kind, and compassionate, and that God would reward them for this behavior.
This was certainly strange to hear! Who ever thought about being nice to their enemies?
Luke 6:31-33, 35-36- And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
God has mercy on those who are wicked. He allows evil people to continue living so that they may have a chance to hear the gospel and get saved. If we are going to be like Jesus, we need to be kind to those who aren't kind to us.
Jesus went to many places to tell others the words of God. Some times he walked, some times he rode an animal, and some times he sailed.
Luke 8:22- Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth.
Jesus and his disciples were taking a boat across a large sea.
Luke 8:23-But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy.
You must remember that at least 4 of these disciples were fishermen. They were use to sailing on the sea. They had been in storms before. So, for them to feel that they were in jeopardy meant that this was a frighteningly bad storm!
Luke 8:24- And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
All Jesus had to do was speak... and just like the devils had to leave their victims, just like diseases were wiped from the bodies of the sick, even nature immediately obeyed!
The disciples were in awe. Never before had anyone spoken to a hurricane type tempest and it completely ceased!
Luke 8:25- And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Jesus wondered where their faith was. Did they realize that He was the Son of God? He was the Creator of the entire world!
Luke 4:16- And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
Jesus went back to his home town. The place where he grew up. The city where he had spent time with Joseph learning to be a carpenter.
Matthew 13:54-56- And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
The people of the town couldn't understand how Jesus had all this power. They had watched Him grow up. They knew his brothers and sisters. They could probably tell you every problem his family went through.
Luke 4:22-24- And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Jesus knew that they were thinking back on his time in their city. They weren't going to listen to the little boy they watched grow into a man. They wouldn't accept that He was the Messiah.
Luke 4:25-27- But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
Jesus told them about two different times in their history where a great prophet had to help a Gentile because the people who knew them wouldn't listen.
Remember, the Jews hated the Gentiles. And, this didn't make them happy!
Luke 4:28-29- And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
These people that He grew up around tried to kill Him. But, it wasn't time for Jesus to die.
Luke 4:30; Mark 6:5-6- But he passing through the midst of them went his way, And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Isn't it sad that people can hinder the work of God. I'm sure Jesus wanted to do so much more for this town, and for these people. But, they just wouldn't believe.
This wouldn't be the last time Jesus came across unbelieving people in His ministry. It was going to happen again.
