Part 3: Jesus’ Life and Ministry

Instead of giving us details of Jesus’ early life, God led the Gospel writers to provide only a few essential events as His ministry to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) began.
“After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.’
So he got up, took the child and His mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth.” (Matthew 2:19-23)

So instead of growing up in exile in Egypt, Jesus was called out, as Hosea 11:1 predicted. He grew up and spent much of His life in a small town in Israel called Nazareth. When He turned 30, He started his public ministry after John the Baptist, His cousin, had been proclaiming his coming. John spoke truth to Israel and baptized people in the Jordan River.
So John baptized Jesus. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and He saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.'” (Matthew 3:16-18)

After his baptism, Jesus began to gather disciples to teach — people who would follow Him and later begin the Christian church.
“As 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. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:18-20)

Jesus soon had gathered 12 disciples who were the inner group of His followers, but His ministry was not limited to them. Thousands of people would gather to listen to His teaching as He traveled throughout Israel.
Not only did he teach, but he also performed miracles. He healed the sick, and on three occasions He raised people from the dead. Attracted by His miracles, people tried to make Him an earthly king, but He told them that His Kingdom is not of this world, and it was not yet time for it to come. He is meant to be King of Kings, to reign for all eternity in our hearts. Someday Jesus will return to earth and establish His Kingdom which is better than any earthly one, in that it be completely righteous, it will contain no suffering and will never end.