Dispensation Bible Study #10

Approaching Grace- Christ’s First Year of Ministry - Early Judean Period

Jesus’ Public Ministry lasted about 3 1/2 years. The first year is referred to the year of obscurity, because He was only beginning to be known throughout Israel. The second year (which really lasted 14 months) is called the year of popularity, and the third year is referred to as the year of opposition. We will spend the next lessons outlining each individual year of Christ’s Ministry.

John 1:23-27 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

Under Moses’ law a priest must be 30 years of age before entering into full-time ministry. Remember Elisabeth’s son, John? He being 6 months older than Jesus began his public ministry first. He immediately began to preach and baptize many, telling them to repent, the Christ (or Messiah) was almost here! Even though he preached in the wilderness, John drew great crowds and won many converts. He is referred to by Bible scholars as John the Baptist. John made it clear, however, that he was not the Messiah just the forerunner. Then 6 months after John’s ministry had begun, the Messiah showed up...

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Matt 3:13-17 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John was amazed that the Messiah was asking to be baptized of him! Why was Jesus baptized? There are several reasons: 1. It validated John’s ministry 2. It was an example to us that we should be baptized 3. It proved God’s method of baptism (notice Jesus went out of the water, which meant he was completely down into the water not standing on the bank getting sprinkled) 4. It provided opportunity for Jesus to be introduced to the crowds as approved by God.

Matt 4:1-11 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Jesus prepared for His ministry by being baptized and then going on a 40 day fast. While in a physically weakened state after His fast, Satan appeared and tempted Jesus. Jesus gave us a great lesson on resisting temptation by quoting scripture each time! The Word of God is all we need to stand against the devil! It is important to study God’s Word!

John 1:35-45 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone. 43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Jesus’s first two disciples were actually two of John’s disciples: Andrew and John. Andrew became the first soul winner by bringing his brother Simon to meet Jesus. When Jesus met Simon, he immediately changed his name to Cephas or Peter which means a stone or rock. Why? Because Peter would become the Rock that Jesus would build His church upon! John also went and brought his brother James to Jesus. The next day, Jesus found Philip and he in turn brought his brother Nathaneal. While these men did not yet forsake family and jobs to follow Jesus, these three sets of brothers would become the core group of Jesus’ disciples, and were often with Jesus in His first year of ministry.

John 2:1-11 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: 2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. 3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. 4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. 5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. 6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. 7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

The next day, Jesus and his disciples attended a wedding. Here Jesus performed His first miracle by turning water into wine. The first miracle proved once again to his mother that He was indeed the Messiah, lifted the faith of His newly-appointed disciples, and started His reputation as a miracle worker.

John 2:13-16 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

Jesus became so upset at the money changer’s businesses being set up in the temple, that he drove them out! As the disciples and templegoers looked on with astonishment, some questioned by whose authority had he cleansed the temple. Then the disciples remembered an ancient prophecy that foretold of the event.

John 2:17-22 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? 19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? 21 But he spake of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Jesus and His disciples were in Jerusalem celebrating the annual feast of the Passover. John 2:23 tells us He did many other miracles that were not recorded while in Jerusalem. While He was in Jerusalem a Pharisee named Nicodemus came to ask Jesus some questions about what He was teaching. Although Jesus was under the Law dispensation, He was fulfilling the law and about to alter what was required of man. Their conversation is very important for us to understand the dispensation of Grace.

John 3:1-7 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Nicodemus knew the law better than most men in Israel, and realized that Jesus was the Messiah. Even though Nicodemus began by being vague, Jesus quickly responded by answering the questions of his heart. Jesus told him that to see the kingdom of God, a man must be born again! Born again? Birth is the opposite of death. No previous dispensation had provided the quickening back to life of man’s spirit that had died in the garden of Eden. In Grace, man was going to be born again: not a second physical birth but a spiritual birth! Nicodemus was still thinking of the natural birth, so Jesus explained further. The spiritual birth would be one birth consisting of two parts, the water and the Spirit.

John 3:8-12 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

Jesus reveals even more about the second birth! The Spirit is like the wind, we cannot see the spirit but we can see the effects of the wind, particularly the sound of the wind. How do we know the wind is there? We can hear it’s sound! So the new birth was going to involve a sound as proof! Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus that he is not understanding because he is still thinking in the natural. Jesus’ favorite method of teaching was to use a familiar earthly story to explain a spiritual concept. The coming second birth would be very similar to the first one, Blood and Water would be present, and when life came forth, there would be a sound as proof of that life! Jesus and His disciples continued to win converts and baptize people in Judea when suddenly, Jesus decided to go into Samaria. Remember the Samaritans were the race of people that resulted when outsiders mixed with the remnant of Jews after the Assyrian conquest. Samaritans were despised by Israel, and most Jewish people traveled to Gallilee by way of Perea as not to travel through Samaria. Jesus, however, freely entered into the avoided country.

John 4:5-11 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Jesus sent his disciples away to buy food, and a Samaritan woman came out to the well where Jesus was resting. Notice the woman was alone, and came when the well was not too crowded. Her response to Jesus’ wanting a drink, was very defensive as no doubt she had been ridiculed by Jews before. Jesus was once again speaking of the spiritual by using a natural analogy. When she did not think spiritual, Jesus continues...

John 4:13-19 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. 19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

The woman was still thinking of quenching her natural thirst, but Jesus continued by pointing out the woman’s spiritual need. Before being born of the spirit, we all have a thirst for something more. People try to quench this thirst through many things: money, power, drugs, alcohol, relationships, and hobbies are just a few. This woman had been trying to fill her void with relationships. After giving up on 5 husbands, she was now just living with a man. When born of the water and of the spirit, we no longer have the dead spirit of Adam, but now have everlasting life which fills our void!

John 4:20-26 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Jesus did not give her eternal life, he only spoke of it! He did give her hope, however, and revealed unto her and his disciples who he really was! Messiah, the Christ, was here and He was paving the way for new life! The Jews taught that one had to go to Jerusalem and worship, but Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the hour was almost here where location would have nothing to do with being able to worship! The only requirements were going to be to worship God in spirit and in truth. Grace was almost here!

John 4:35-38 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Jesus was teaching his disciples a principle of soul winning! One person “soweth,” and another “reapeth,” but they rejoice together. Jesus was sowing (or planting) the seeds of the new birth experience that would be had in grace. Even though these people were not born again at this time, the disciples would reap them later in the dispensation of Grace!

John 4:39-43 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. 43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

Jesus taught two more days with the Samaritans and taught them on the coming kingdom of God! After preaching to Samaria, Jesus then departed on into Galilee where He began the second year of His ministry! Jesus was quickly becoming famous because of the miracles that He had performed, and His popularity began to rise! The Messiah was here, coming with the promise of a better way!