耶穌開始事奉
馬太福音四章17至25節
17從那時候，耶穌就傳起道來，說：天國近了，你們應當悔改！
18耶穌在加利利海邊行走，看見弟兄二人，就是那稱呼彼得的西門和他兄弟安得烈，在海裡撒網；他們本是打魚的。
19耶穌對他們說：來跟從我，我要叫你們得人如得魚一樣。
20他們就立刻捨了網，跟從了他。
21從那裡往前走，又看見弟兄二人，就是西庇太的兒子雅各和他兄弟約翰，同他們的父親西庇太在船上補網，耶穌就招呼他們，
22他們立刻捨了船，別了父親，跟從了耶穌。
23耶穌走遍加利利，在各會堂裡教訓人，傳天國的福音，醫治百姓各樣的病症。
24他的名聲就傳遍了敘利亞。那裡的人把一切害病的，就是害各樣疾病、各樣疼痛的和被鬼附的、癲癇的、癱瘓的，都帶了來，耶穌就治好了他們。
25當下，有許多人從加利利、低加波利、耶路撒冷、猶太、約但河外來跟著他。
信息分享
耶穌基督所傳講的信息，與施洗約翰所傳講的一樣(三章1至2節)。我們今天要傳的也是同一個信息。可惜，我們並沒有好好履行責任，向人傳講悔改之道。當然，人們可能會因著神的愛，或懼怕下地獄而相信神；但有些時候，他們卻要首先認識到自己是個罪人，和為罪痛悔，才會接受神的救恩。
耶穌去到任何地方都向人傳道，讓人明白神的話語和神的心意。在這方面，誰能比神的兒子親自去傳講神的旨意來得更稱職呢？耶穌經常對人說，是父差派祂來的。祂在首次公開講道中，便表明是神膏立祂去向窮人和有需要的人傳講福音(路四16-18)。
然而，耶穌知道當祂回到天上之後，需要有人來接續祂的事奉。因此，祂在地上工作的期間，便揀選一些人來跟從祂，藉著與祂一同生活和聽祂的教導，來預備承擔將來的使命。
耶穌沒有呼召那些顯赫的名人，反之，祂只是呼召諸如漁夫這類的平凡人。今天，耶穌同樣呼召專心順服祂的人來承擔祂的使命。
耶穌首先在祂成長的地方──加利利──開始事奉。據知在耶穌的時代，加利利的人口眾多，有超過200個村莊。而且差不多每條村莊都設有會堂，是村中老少聆聽神話語的地方。因此，在宗教領袖公然反對祂之前，這些會堂便為祂提供了方便，讓祂可以向眾人傳講天國的信息。
耶穌走遍各地，傳揚福音，又展示祂的醫治大能，治好各種疾病，所以祂的名聲很快便傳開。然而，耶穌最大的盼望，是醫治人的靈魂。這心願至今不變，我們可以做些甚麼，以致能達成祂的心願呢？
JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY
Matthew 4:17-25
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them,
22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.
24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.
25 Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.
Message
His message was the same as that of John the Baptist (see chapter 3:1, 2). It remains the same today. We do not preach the need of repentance as we should. Men and women can be drawn by the love of God or by fear of hell. But sometime they must realise their condition as sinners and express sorrow for their sin.
Jesus preached wherever he went. Preaching is making known God's message and God's Word. Who could do that better than the Son of God himself? He often said God had sent him. His first public statement was that God had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor and needy (Luke 4:16-18).
However Jesus needed men who would carryon his ministry after he had gone back to heaven. He wanted them to be with him all through his time on earth so they would learn from him and from being with him night and day.
He did not call popular, important men, but ordinary fishermen and others. He still needs those who will give him their undivided obedience and attention.
Jesus began his ministry in the area where he had been brought up-Galilee. It is said that in the time of Jesus, Galilee was thickly populated and contained over 200 villages.
Probably in every village there was a synagogue, which was the teaching centre for young and old. Jesus found an open door for his message in these synagogues before the rulers started to turn against him.
News of his ministry spread through the whole land. He met the need of all who came. He showed his power by healing all kinds of illness. But his great desire was to heal people's souls. That is still his greatest longing today. How can we help him fulfil this desire?