The gospel ministry of Jesus Christ, who came according to the prophecies of the Bible, was not easy. As Isaiah prophesied that for both houses of Israel God would be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall (Isa 8:13–15), Jesus came as a humble man whom people could not easily recognize and suffered all kinds of persecution and humiliation. Only a few disciples received Jesus as a precious cornerstone for the foundation of salvation. Despite the hardships, Jesus devoted Himself to the salvation of mankind until the end. The work of Jesus recorded in the Bible show Christ’s great love and teachings that are necessary for our salvation.
Beginning of Jesus’ Gospel Ministry
Jesus began His gospel ministry after He was baptized by John the Baptist (Mk 1:1–9). When Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea and Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee, John baptized many people with a baptism of repentance and preached about Christ who would come after him (Lk 3:1–6). When Jesus came to him to receive baptism, John testified that Jesus was the Christ whom the people had been waiting for.
After Jesus was baptized, He went into the desert and prayed while fasting for forty days. Immediately after, He was confronted by temptations from the devil to eat bread, test the power of God, and gain the riches and splendor of this world. Jesus defeated the devil’s temptations with the word of God. He said, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God,” “Do not put the Lord your God to the test,” “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only” (Mt 4:1–11). Since then, He began to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, shouting, “Repent.”
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” Mt 4:12–17
Jesus’ Gospel Work
Diligently Preached the Gospel
Jesus made the fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John who were on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, His disciples. After that, He traveled throughout Galilee with them to cure the sick and reached out His hand of salvation to the poor (Mt 4:23–25).
Many people crowded around Jesus, after hearing the news about Him. Jesus taught them eight blessings that Christians can have and how to go to Heaven (Mt 5–6). He also awakened them to the true blessings of being called sons of God and going to the eternal Kingdom of Heaven, even though they would be persecuted on earth. He taught them to watch out for false prophets, not to practice lawlessness but to do the will of God to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 7:15–23). Because Christ gave this teaching on a mountainside, it is called the “Sermon on the Mount.”
Jesus’ teachings were different from the religious teachings of the Jews in those days. More people were amazed with Jesus’ fervent preaching, His gracious teachings, and power. As a result, more people came to sincerely follow and believe in Him.
Suffered Persecution
The more people paid attention to the words of Jesus, the more severely people slandered Him. The Pharisees accused Jesus of desecrating the Sabbath and driving out demons by the power of demons. The Nazarenes tried to throw Jesus down the cliff, and some Jews even picked up stones to stone him. They did not stop rejecting and persecuting Jesus because they looked at Him from a physical point of view.
“I and the Father are one.” Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jn 10:30–33
Established the New Covenant
Despite the persecution and hardships, Jesus kept preaching the gospel. Jesus set the example of keeping the feasts according to the law of Christ, not the law of Moses in the Old Testament. Every Sabbath, Jesus kept worship and reasoned in the synagogue, instead of offering animal sacrifices (Lk 4:16–19). On the Feast of Tabernacles, He preached and granted living water, the Holy Spirit, to those who believed in Him (Jn 7:2, 37–39).
Jesus kept His last Passover with His disciples with the holy bread and wine. He said that the Passover bread and wine are His flesh and blood, and promised the forgiveness of sins and eternal life to those who eat the bread and drink the wine (Mt 26:19, 26–28; Jn 6:53–54). Jesus called the Passover the New Covenant established through His blood (Lk 22:20). The next day, Jesus fulfilled the New Covenant by shedding His blood on the cross. Through this, God completely changed the law of Moses, which condemns sinners, to the law of Christ, which saves them.
Teachings of Jesus
Jesus devoted Himself to preaching the gospel of the Kingdom during His three-year ministry. His teachings are like a lamp that shows the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Those who obey the teachings of Jesus and keep the truth of the New Covenant can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Spiritual World and Heaven
During the days of Jesus, most Jews thought that God’s blessing was a long life, wealth, and honor on the earth; however, the blessings Jesus talked about were different from their thoughts. Jesus spoke about the spiritual world to those people who only believed in physical blessings. Jesus revealed the existence of the soul that transcends physical death, and made known the spiritual home, heaven. He also warned about God’s judgment after death, and taught that we must seek spiritual blessings (i.e., heavenly rewards) and not physical ones (Mt 10:28; Lk 16:19–24).
Relationship Between God and Believers
In the Old Testament, some verses describe God as Father, but in most cases, God is referred to as Lord or King. The relationship between God and the Israelites was strongly perceived as that between superior and subordinates—master and servants or king and his people. Jesus, however, said that God is “our Father” who is in heaven. Those who disapproved of Jesus calling God “Father” slandered Him, saying that He exalted Himself to be equal with God; however, Jesus made known to His disciples that God is our spiritual Father throughout His gospel ministry (Mt 6:9; 23:9; Jn 17:1–2; 21:17). He taught that believers are God’s children.
Gentleness and Humility
Jesus practiced and emphasized the importance of being gentle and humble (Mt 11:29). Religious leaders of the time took it for granted to be served by the people; however, Jesus humbled Himself even though He is the Most High God (Php 2:5–8). He even gave the same teaching of salvation to tax collectors and sinners, whom the Jews despised. He also taught that whoever humbles himself like little children will enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 18:1–4).