As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As...

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Allow just one more word on Jesus’ first, and perhaps most enduring, sermon. Notice that it is essentially the same message as that preached by John the Baptist. And keep in mind that John’s...

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” From temptation to proclamation. It’s an interesting move. Actually, there are two events that happen just prior to the commencement of Jesus’ mission and the announcement of the coming kingdom....

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:  “Land of Zebulun, land of...

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered,...

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Okay, so I was all ready to write about how Jesus is led into the wilderness for temptation only after his baptism. And that matters. And I was prepared to describe the character of the devil’s temptation....