Real Hope: Jesus' Life & MinistrySample

Journeying with Purpose

Imagine for a moment that the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry are a series of polaroid snapshots pegged to a line suspended just above your head. The gaps between each miracle, parable and prayer are the distances Jesus walked with His disciples around Galilee and Judea. What might we learn about the Son of God’s dedication to His earthly mission through His walking? What insights are hidden from view as we skip forward to His next stop, but miss His next steps? Consider the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem (roughly 112 kilometres) that Jesus undertook multiple times during His ministry, including that final trip to His crucifixion. His willingness to endure the physical demands of walking great distances demonstrates His deep commitment to ministering to people where they need it most. Jesus’ mobile ministry was contrary to the prevailing view that students should travel to the temple for advanced theological education. Jesus transformed town squares, mountainsides, rivers and open farmland into places of relationship, wisdom and learning.

In Jesus’ travels, we see Him embodying His father’s heart in seeking out the lost, not merely bellowing instruction or condemnation from the church steps. Jesus traversed cultural and social boundaries, seeking out Samaritans, Gentiles and Jews. His ministry reached across rural and urban areas, the marginalised and the influential, the rich and the poor, the sick and the spiritually hungry. And there is also great encouragement in Jesus’ understanding of our own weariness in life. He walked in our shoes and experienced the limitations and hardships of the human body. How comforting it is to look between the snapshots of Jesus’ ministry to see His dusty feet stepping out ahead of us today.

Written by DWAYNE JEFFRIES