Humility, A Good Place to Start

This morning I am reading from Matthew, having once again felt called to study the beginning of His time of ministry.  Yesterday I spent some time reflecting on the logistics of His ministry, moving to Capernaum, and primarily focusing His early ministry in the region of Galilee.  Here are a few verses that caused me to look deeper -

Matthew 4:13,17-25 NIV:

[13] "Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali--- "

[17] "From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

[18] "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. [19] “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” [20] At once they left their nets and followed him."

[21] "Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, [22] and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him."

[23] "Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. [24] News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. [25] Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him."

First thought - Jesus left Nazareth, and went to live in Capernaum, which was located on the Sea of Galilee.  People were more densely populated around the sea, and travel across the sea was relatively rapid.  Capernaum had a population of 1500 or so.  Nazareth was in the hills to the southwest.  Galilee was considered out of the way, and the focus of the Romans and the Jews was not on Capernaum.

Secondly, Peter and Andrew, James and John were likely known to Jesus, as it is pretty clear that James and John were related to Him.  I have conjectured that HE had spent time visiting His cousins, and that because of this He also knew Peter and Andrew, as they were also fishermen, working from the same village.  I find it very interesting that Jesus started with family and friends as His core team.  Peter, James and John were his three closest associates.

It is clear to me that none of this was by accident, and Jesus clearly had a plan and was guided by the Holy Spirit.  He could have tried to start ministry in Jerusalem, but instead was content to start in Galilee in Capernaum.

He immediately started to proclaim His core message and demonstrate the validity of His message through signs and wonders and healings.  Word spread quickly, for this was new and effective.  Word of mouth is very quick to spread real news when it occurs.  Jesus went to the local Synagogues and preached there.  Not only did He preach, but He ministered with authority and power.  This was the real difference.  People had heard plenty of teaching and discussion, but being from the outer areas, they probably weren't used to real authority.  Matthew actually records the fact that people were amazed at His teaching  - Matthew 7:28-29 NIV: "When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, [29] because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."

Jesus was clearly ministering out of a place of intimacy and relationship with the Father.  When He spoke, He spoke from experience.  When He spoke, He spoke what the Father told Him to speak, so He was speaking with the Father's authority.  What a difference that makes, speaking the message the Father gives you, versus speaking from your own opinion.

Early on in His ministry Jesus teaches the Sermon on the Mount, which some people call the Constitution of the Kingdom of God.  He was providing a clear delineation of His teaching from what they had heard before.  This was new, hear-felt and with authority.  He was releasing new revelation, and the people's hearts were stirred!  Jesus begins the sermon on the Mount with what we called the beatitudes, or blessings.  In this first listing He is laying the groundwork for the character traits and focus He desires in His followers. He is also literally blessing those He is teaching, for we do know that His words accomplished what they were meant to accomplish (Is 55:10-11).

Here is how he starts His teaching - Matthew 5:3 NIV: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

That is certainly an interesting line to start one's teaching.  Let us remember his audience were people from Galilee, which was considered the poor and uneducated areas  compared to Judah.  It could be compared with being out in the sticks, or deep country here in the US.  There were not many cities of significance, the highly educated and ruling class tended to live elsewhere.  These were simple folk, working people, farmers, shepherds, fisherman, townsfolk, not city-folk.  Yet this is where Jesus began His ministry, and those to whom He directed His teaching and revelation.

I was reading Mathew Henry's commentary and thought he added some good perspective on Jesus' opening line, as follows:

"Now, (1.) This poverty in spirit is put first among the Christian graces. The philosophers did not reckon humility among their moral virtues, but Christ puts it first. Self-denial is the first lesson to be learned in his school, and poverty of spirit entitled to the first beatitude. The foundation of all other graces is laid in humility. Those who would build high must begin low; and it is an excellent preparative for the entrance of gospel-grace into the soul; it fits the soil to receive the seed. Those who are weary and heavy laden, are the poor in spirit, and they shall find rest with Christ.

      (2.) They are blessed. Now they are so, in this world. God looks graciously upon them. They are his little ones, and have their angels. To them he gives more grace; they live the most comfortable lives, and are easy to themselves and all about them, and nothing comes amiss to them; while high spirits are always uneasy.

      (3.) Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of grace is composed of such; they only are fit to be members of Christ's church, which is called the congregation of the poor (Psalms 74:19); the kingdom of glory is prepared for them. Those who thus humble themselves, and comply with God when he humbles them, shall be thus exalted. The great, high spirits go away with the glory of the kingdoms of the earth; but the humble, mild, and yielding souls obtain the glory of the kingdom of heaven. We are ready to think concerning those who are rich, and do good with their riches, that, no doubt, theirs is the kingdom of heaven; for they can thus lay up in store a good security for the time to come; but what shall the poor do, who have not wherewithal to do good? Why, the same happiness is promised to those who are contentedly poor, as to those who are usefully rich. If I am not able to spend cheerfully for his sake, if I can but want cheerfully for his sake, even that shall be recompensed. And do not we serve a good master then?"

( http://classic.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/view.cgi?book=mt&chapter=5&verse=3#Mt5_3)

In summary, God does things in ways that are surprising.  He begins His ministry in the deep country regions, focusing on the working class, not the ruling class.  He ministers out of authority and intimacy, and the people are amazed.  His ministry is accompanied by signs and wonders, healings and deliverance and people immediately recognize that this is radically different from what they have seen and heard previously.  Finally as the chief foundation stone of ministry He lays humility!  That had to be completely unexpected even though it was a characteristic of the Messiah according to prophecy (See Isaiah 42:1-3; Isaiah 53:1-3; Isaiah 61:1-3).  We just have a hard time believing that God came to earth and chose to reveal Himself in humility and to people who were not deemed important!  Could it be that God sees these people as just as valuable as the self-proclaimed "important" people?

I am encouraged today to look for the opportunities to represent Jesus in the same way He revealed himself.  I am encouraged to embrace humility, for it is foundation of His ministry! If humility is where He started then it is a good place for me to start too.  In addition, I am encouraged to see the value in those around me, those of humble means and hard-working.  I am encouraged to believe that the Lord absolutely knows what He is doing, and if I follow Him, He will lead me to fulfillment of my purpose and calling.  I am also encouraged to continue to press in to see His authority and power evident in and through me, for that was the proof of His witness.

Amen Lord!