The Ministry of Jesus

The Ministry of Jesus
Source: GoodNews
The Gospel of Mark is the second
book of the New Testament, the forty-first book of the Bible, and
contains sixteen chapters. The Author of the book is Mark and it was
written to all believers, however, the first intended audience was to
the Romans to whom Jesus is represented as just a servant. The purpose
of the book was to present the ministry of Jesus, stressing His role as a
servant and the Son of man. What we are to learn from the book is that
we should seek to minister to or serve others rather than to be
ministered to. The purpose for all four Gospels was to appeal to both
Jew and Gentile and to show that we are all to receive and minister the
Gospel to everyone. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” - Mark 16:15.

Mark
was a cousin to Barnabas, who is also known as John (not John the
Baptist), and the son of Mary, a pious woman of Jerusalem, at whose
house the apostles and first Christians assembled. Although
in the book of Mark Jesus is recognized as just a servant of God, His
Divinity is clearly beyond all doubt. Unlike the other Gospels, Mark
begins with Jesus getting baptized by John the Baptist. “The
beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is
written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance
for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of
Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river
of Jordan, confessing their sins....And it came to pass in those days,
that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in
Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens
opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a
voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.” - Mark 1:1-5,9-11.

Jesus did not actually begin His
ministry until He was about thirty years old, after He got baptized by
John the Baptist. John was actually a type of cousin to Jesus, his
mother was Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary, whom carried Jesus. He had been
teaching people about repentance and baptizing them in a sense to
cleanse away all the sin, now, Jesus has come to be baptized by him. So,
why was Jesus baptized? Jesus was baptized for several reasons: 1.
Since He was sinless and came to earth to give His life for sinners, He
took upon Him all their sins. Getting baptized foretold what baptism
represented, His death, burial, and resurrection. “Buried
with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” - Colossians 2:12.

2. He was publicly declaring His commitment to God and the beginning of His ministry, which we are to follow, “For
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also
to the Greek.” - Romans 1:16.

3. He was setting an example for us to follow. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:” - I Peter 2:21.

Jesus came here to show us how God wants us to live, He had the same
flesh that we do, was faced with temptations, He got tired, hungry, and
thirsty as well. He wanted to show people here in the flesh that they
too can enjoy life and still live a righteous life in the will of God,
but the most important reason of all for Jesus to come here was to save
or heal those who were sick. “And
it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans
and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there
were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw
him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How
is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus
heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the
physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance.”- Mark 2:15-17.

Sin is like a disease, the guilt and shame it carries alone will cause
physical and mental illness to occur, just like a physician is needed
to help heal the body, Jesus, our great physician, is needed to heal the
sin sick soul. Sin Jesus had people surrounding Him 24/7 to be healed
it was time that He enlisted some help, so, He ordained twelve men to
help. “And he ordained twelve, that
they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: And Simon
he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of
James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and
James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, And
Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.” - Mark 3:14-19.

Did you ever notice that Jesus chose people from all walks of life?
Jesus wanted to show the Jews, Romans, and everyone else that it is not a
specific religion or race that saves us, it is our belief in Him. “For
the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same
Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans
10:11-13. Why would Jesus choose someone who He knew would betray Him?
He wanted to show us two things: 1. Not everyone that claims to be a
Christian is one. “Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing
shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them.” - Acts 20:28-30.

2. It is not by works that we are saved, but only through our faith in Him that are we saved. “Knowing
that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” -Galatians 2:16.

Today, all whom have been saved are enlisted to help Jesus because
there are many Judas Iscariot's out there keeping the lost from knowing
and accepting the truth. Jesus said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;”
-Matthew 9:38. We are but few, but we are blessed because we are
sinners saved by grace. Praise God! Now, let's tell others so they too
can have a least an opportunity to decide for themselves.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you