Formation: Doing what Jesus Did

Today, we wrap up our series on formation by Doing what Jesus did. This is the end goal of formation. Not only to be with Jesus and become like Jesus but to actually do what he did.

Matthew 4:12–17 (NLT)
12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali,
beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River,
in Galilee where so many Gentiles live,
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light.
And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow,
a light has shined.”
17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Jesus comes to bring freedom and salvation.

Jesus comes preaching a simple yet powerful message.

“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Repent - metanoeō - to have a change of self (heart and mind) that abandons former dispositions and results in a new self, new behavior, and regret over former behavior and dispositions.

Matthew 4:18–22 (ESV)
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus Invitation: Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

I will make you: The change in our lives happens through what God does in us
Fishers of men: For centuries, Greek and Roman philosophers had used it to describe the work of the man who seeks to “catch” others by teaching and persuasion.

Matthew 4:23–25 (NLT)
23 Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 24 News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. 25 Large crowds followed him wherever he went—people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River.

The ministry of Jesus:

Teaching and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom.
Healing the sick and those oppressed by demons.

The point of being an apprentice of Jesus, of following him, wasn’t simply to learn more of his teaching but to eventually do what he did. In fact, this is what Jesus had in mind.

John 14:12 (NLT)
12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.

So how do we do this practically?

Making space for the Gospel.
Preaching the Gospel
Demonstrating the Gospel.

My hope and prayer is that through this formation series, you’ve seen how we have a call to be formed into the image of Christ. This formation is good for you. It leads to life, to peace, to deeper communion with God. But ultimately, it is for the good of those around us and for the Glory of God. Our formation should lead us to kingdom work, to be the hands and feet of Jesus. It leads us to do what Jesus DID.