In the Footsteps of Jesus #4

Image(s) courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org

Scripture: Matthew 4:12-25

¹²When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. ¹³Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— ¹⁴to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
¹⁵"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, along the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles—
¹⁶the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned."

¹⁷From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

The Calling of the First Disciples

¹⁸As 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." ²⁰At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹Going 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, ²²and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Heals the Sick

²³Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴News 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. ²⁵Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[b] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

"Home Missions"

One of the first things that struck me about my visit to Israel was how small a country it is, barely 70 miles across and 210 miles long. Yet this tiny strip of land has impacted human history in a way none other ever has or ever will. Here is the very cradle of our faith.

But what was even more surprising to me is that most of Jesus' minstry encompassed only a tiny fraction of this small nation. Our guide reminded us that most of the teaching and preaching of Jesus took place in Galilee. And of that region most of the sites we find mentioned in the Gospels are less than three miles apart! Imagine that...nearly 80% of Jesus' minstry was spent in His own backyard. Yet how trememdous was the impact of that ministry. Indeed, from that little arc of land around the Sea of Galilee, the entire world was changed forever.

What does this say to you and me? It tells me that I don't need to go overseas to impact the world for Christ. I can have an influence in my own neighborhood, with those closest to me. The greatest mission we can do is "home missions." We need to be reaching out to our family and friends with the Good News. Mission is wherever you find yourself today.

Question: In what ways can I impact those closest to me?

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to see the need in my neighborhood, In Jesus's name. Amen.