Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness among the people.
Matthew 4:23 NET
This verse serves as a summary statement of Jesus’ life between his baptism and crucifixion. Jesus did not restrict his ministry to Galilee, though. He traveled throughout the surrounding regions. And he taught, preached, and healed the sick everywhere he went.
Jesus taught in formal settings like synagogues and informal settings like mountainsides (Matt. 5-7). But wherever he went, he shared the good news of the kingdom with those he encountered.
Jesus also had compassion for the people who gathered around him. Many of them suffered from disease and illness, and he healed them. Others suffered from demon possession, and he freed them, casting out the demons. Some were hungry, and he fed them.
Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He took on humanity and went to the cross as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. On the third day, he defeated death and came out of his grave. And now, through him, we can have life eternal life.
But we should never forget the three years he taught and cared for the hurting people he encountered. He demonstrated his love and concern for them, and for us. And Jesus set an example that, as his disciples, we should follow.
You might not be a dynamic speaker. And you may be unable to heal the sick and cast out demons. But you can share the good news of the kingdom with others. And you can minister to the hurting people you encounter. You can be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world that is desperately in need of him. Will you follow Jesus’ example?
