JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD
John the Baptist has been baptizing in the River Jordan with water of repentance calling for repentance from sin, make straight the way of the Lord. John proclaims he is not the Messiah but one will come after him who will baptize with water and Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. John’s baptism does not forgive sins but the one who will come after him will.
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God,* who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me. John 29-30
“ After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son,* with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17
JESUS READS THE PROPHECY OF THE MESSIAH
LUKE 4:16-21 THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME
“Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went, according to his custom, into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
JESUS MIRACLE WORKER
The miracles of Jesus show Jesus is not only powerful in word but also deed. They fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah and others about the Messiah and His Divinity. Also they demonstrate in a physical way Jesus’ love and compassion for those suffering the effects of sin in this world. Miracles at the intercession of Jesus still occur today, look for them!
JESUS’ FIRST MIRACLE AT CANA
“There was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.”… Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine…. the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” JOHN 2:1-11
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.”
ONLY GOD CAN MAKE NATURE OBEY
JESUS REBUKES THE SEA
MARK 4:35-41
In this passage we see not only Jesus’ human nature clearly. Jesus was worn out and sleeping soundly and not awaken by the storm but by his disciples. Then his divinity and glory showed forth as the winds and sea became calm. Jesus can calm our storms too if we ask him.
“On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
JESUS HEALER
JESUS CURES EVERY DISEASE AND ILLNESS
“And as Jesus walked along, two blind men followed (him), crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” …the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him. Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” And their eyes were opened….a demoniac who could not speak was brought to him, and when the demon was driven out the mute person spoke…Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness”. MATTHEW 9:27-38
JESUS RAISES PEOPLE FROM THE DEAD
“Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain…As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow…When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother….and they glorified God, exclaiming ….”God has visited his people.” This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and to all the surrounding region.” LUKE 7:11-23
JESUS TEACHER
Jesus taught on land and from boats, in synagogues, in towns and villages, everywhere he went He taught the love the Father had for his people. He taught us how to pray, follow the commandments, who to follow, who to avoid. He told us who ever sees Him sees the Father. Jesus not only came to save us but to draw us more intimately into relationship with the Father. He elaborated on the love of God and love of neighbor in the sermons on the mount and in the plain. He taught the meaning of righteousness and blessedness and what it means to live in the kingdom of God.
MATTHEW 5:1-12 THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted… Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy…. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God…..
In the Bread of Life discourse, John 6:48, Jesus foretells the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus will not leave us orphans but be with us in the tabernacles of the world to the end of time At every Mass the Real Presence of Jesus is celebrated and offered once more to the Father in our name.
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
….I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died; …I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world….Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you….. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.”JOHN 6:48-59
WHO DO PEOPLE SAY I AM?
MATTHEW 16:13-20
At Caesarea Phillipi, before heading to Jerusalem and the fulfillment of His mission, He asked his apostles if they understood yet who He is and what He is about to do. Inspired by the Spirit, Peter speaks for the others and says, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
JESUS PREVIEWS HIS PASSION, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me..” Luke 9:22
Jesus always had a way to build up his apostles after sharing what might be called “tough love” so before going to Jerusalem Jesus shares a special glimpse of “glory” on Mount Tabor, trying to assure them and us that in the end there will be a spectacular pay off if we just persevere along the Way!
THE TRANSFIGURATION
Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white… And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, … While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them…Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” LUKE 9:28-36
CONCLUSION
Jesus “did not cling to His divinity but emptied himself for us…. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
In CHAPTER FIVE of THE STORY OF SALVATION I will take up Jesus’ Passion and Death