Luke 8:1 “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,”
This verse reveals much of the ministry of Jesus while He was on earth. There are three things that stand out.
- He wanted everyone to hear
Jesus’ ministry was not limited to a small area. He went to the sheep of Israel and gave them the Gospel. He visited every town and village – the big and the small places. We don’t want to forget that He and the disciples had to cover all this distance by walking.
- He chose the best method
The method Jesus chose to get the message out was preaching. It still is the best method, although there are many other methods that may also be used. People are more touched by a personal contact than any other means.
It is also important to know that His message was considered “glad tidings” (good news). Christ put the emphasis on how God loved people and that He wanted to save them from Hell. We must never forget that although God is love, He also hates sin and will judge it if it is not forgiven through Christ.
- He prepared for the future
The Bible says: “and the twelve were with him.” That means they saw what He did, how He did it, and the attitude He did it with. They saw everything He did – His teaching, His miracles, His humanness and His Divinity. God planned it that way because they were to carry the work on the same way that Jesus did it.
They also knew that He did not do His own will but was subject completely to the Father’s will. Because of it, Jesus accomplished more in three years than most people could accomplish in a lifetime.
Jesus was always on the go. The only thing He depended on was the power of God – the same we must also depend on if we are to do God’s work. What are you depending on – and is He getting the glory? Are we seeking to imitate Jesus pattern of ministry?