As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Matthew 4: 12-17
After his 40 days of temptation in the wilderness we now read that Jesus hears of John the Baptist's imprisonment and travels to Galilee.
After visiting Nazareth (in Galilee) he moved on to Capernaum where he stayed, thus fulfilling the prophecy for the people of that region that they would see a great light.
This time marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry, bringing the same message as John, 'Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'.
I was struck with these few words in verse 12, 'John was cast into prison'.
As Jesus begins his public ministry John is thrown into prison and finishes his.
My Bible notes on Luke 3:1 suggest that John started preaching around 28 years after Jesus was born - John himself only being a few months older. Luke 3:23 then tells us that Jesus was about 30 years old when he started his ministry. So, John was only really preaching for a couple of years before he was abruptly stopped.
We might wonder why this was so - could he and Jesus not have made 'more of an impact working together'? Could they not have reached more people? And John - he was in the prime of his life - how sad and unnecessary it might seem that he soon lost his life.
And then what struck me further was, that when Jesus heard - he left! He didn't use his miraculous powers to go and free John, or even try human reasoning. 'He departed into Galilee' (verse 12).
But how this speaks to us today of God's sovereign plan for your life and mine.
John's work - his purpose in life - was foretold in the Old Testament.
Isaiah (40:3) and Malachi (3:1) speak of the messenger in the wilderness that was to come and prepare the way for the Lord.
An angel confirmed to John's father before he was conceived that John was 'to make ready a people prepared for the Lord' (Luke 1:17), and John quoted the prophecy as he began his ministry in Matthew 3:1-3.
We read in Matthew 3 of it coming to pass as Jerusalem, all Judea and all the region round about went to John, repenting and being baptized. As Paul later tells us in Acts 19:4, John was preaching to the people to repent of their sins before God and believe on Jesus, who was coming after him.
What application this has for us today, that when somebody's work or life is seemingly cut short, that it is all in God's plan. Perhaps the work he has given them to do is finished.
But how it also encourages us in our lives, that when persecution or other trouble seems to block our path, God can raise up another to continue the work.
How this - as we later read - must have tried poor John. How strange it must have seemed to him. How it tested his trust in God, that all his 'times' were in God's hands. How helpless he must have felt, with those prison chains and doors shut against him - and Jesus had departed.
How are we when events turn against us?
Do we feel helplessly overwhelmed by the forces gathering against us?
Perhaps this is a time to reflect on our Lord as he quietly submitted to his Father's plan. As we read in Isaiah 53:7, 'He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth'.
Jesus had left John in prison because his work was drawing to a close, and it was all according to his Father's will. This does not mean to say that Jesus didn't know of John's suffering, his doubts and feeling forsaken. It doesn't mean Jesus didn't care and feel pained that he needed to leave John behind and press on.
As we have to go through things in this life, things which perhaps we inwardly kick against, resisting, frustrated and angry, what help we need to trust that the Lord is in control of it all, and to submit to his plan.
Maybe we are so fearful of what we have to endure that we lose sight of the fact that he has promised to never leave our souls - that he understands what it is like to endure terrible suffering.
Maybe we feel so rebellious that we don't even want the reassurance of these promises, because we just don't want to endure this thing - we want it out of our life.
What submission we need! What prayer that he will turn us again to trust him!
Well, as we continue in this passage we read of Jesus being persecuted too.
Although verse 13 just says, Jesus 'leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Caperneum' Luke tells us that after giving his first public sermon in his hometown of Nazareth, the people were so incensed that they threw him out of the city and tried to throw him off the top of a hill to kill him!
What a start to his ministry!
Can you imagine how we would be if we started a ministry in the Lord's name - whether as a minister, or in some service to others and we were straight way rejected, abused, harassed and everything done to stop us?!
And not only that - Jesus was preaching to those who knew him - those who humanly speaking he might have considered friends or acquaintances. Wouldn't we be tempted to just give up, or think we weren't meant to be doing it?
How this calls us to know that the path we are taking is following the Lord, and is a path that he has called us into.
How might we know this?
Think of the communion the Lord Jesus had with his Heavenly Father - he knew at age 12 years that he was the Son of God, and that he had been given a work to do....of course, being God he always knew this, but we wonder at what age his human nature would have comprehended this. Being sinless he must have had perfect communion with his Father as soon as his brain was old enough to think...but this is a mystery that is too great to perfectly grasp!
But, the point is that Jesus often drew aside, left the crowds, got up early, so that he could speak - or pray - with his Father. We also remember the time that three of the disciples witnessed Jesus being transfigured and having conversation with Moses and Elijah about his forthcoming death (Luke 9:31).
Being a perfect man (because he is the Son of God) Jesus illustrated in his human nature the perfect communion - or relationship - with God that we would have, if we were not fallen sinners, but it gives us an example to strive and pray for:
- to be 'praying without ceasing', constantly listening and watching for our Father's voice and direction in our lives - and then whatever happens we might be comforted in knowing that it is God's will - God has a plan.
Enjoyed this post?
Subscribe for weekly content
Comments
Post a Comment