And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.
Jesus was sent to proclaim the kingdom of God in other cities and towns, and would not confine His ministry to one place or remain in Capernaum even when welcomed, sought, urged and begged to stay. He came to draw people to Himself as their Saviour and turn their minds from an earthly kingdom to spiritual things, not merely to attract attention as a wonder-worker, to heal physical disease, or to pursue worldly success, and seeking crowds and worldly success would have hindered that work. His preaching and healing belonged to one ministry as the great Medical Missionary and restorer, with healing of the body preparing the way for restoration of the soul, so remaining where He had labored would have kept others from receiving His teaching, healing, deliverance and works of mercy. His example teaches that the gospel message is not to be confined to a few places but to be carried from place to place, proclaimed widely, and taken to all the world and into new fields. His followers are to go to places that have not yet heard the truths He came to present, and after proclaiming the truth in one place, to leave its people to build on what they have learned and go elsewhere to warn others. They are to carry on the combined ministry of preaching with healing, support the advance of the work wherever opportunities open, serve and bless others rather than find fault, and do the works of Christ instead of remaining in a do-nothing position.
Sent to Preach Elsewhere
Jesus was sent to preach the kingdom of God in other cities and towns, and would not confine His ministry to one place or remain in Capernaum. Though the people of Capernaum welcomed Him, sought Him after His healing of the sick, urged Him to stay, and begged Him to remain with them, He refused to stay where He had labored and left to carry His message elsewhere. Demands to keep Him in one town could not hinder that work, because remaining there would keep others from receiving His teaching and works of mercy. His example shows the gospel message was to be carried beyond a few places to all the world.
His mission was to draw people to Himself as their Saviour and turn their minds from an earthly kingdom to spiritual things. The people wanted Him to establish an earthly rule and reign, but He directed them toward spiritual realities. His mission was not merely to attract attention as a wonder-worker or healer, nor merely to heal physical disease and physical illness. He would not remain simply because His work had drawn a crowd, for pursuing worldly success and seeking crowds would have hindered His work and could interfere with leading people to Him as Saviour.
His preaching and His work of restoring the sick belonged to the same ministry, as the great Medical Missionary and restorer who went from place to place healing the sick brought to Him. Healing of the body prepared the way for restoration of the soul. His city-to-city preaching and healing joined proclamation of the gospel with healing, deliverance, and works of mercy for the people. To have remained where He had labored would have kept others from receiving that teaching, healing, deliverance, and mercy.
Pattern for Followers Today
Christ did not confine His ministry to one place, for being sent to preach the kingdom of God meant going on to preach in other cities also. His example teaches that the gospel message is not to be shut up to a few places but is to be carried from place to place and proclaimed widely. It is to be carried beyond a few centers to all the world, into new fields throughout the world, with its advance supported wherever opportunities open.
When people in one city urged Him to stay, He went on to places that had not yet heard the truths He came to present. After proclaiming the truth in one place He left its people to build on what they had learned and received, and went elsewhere to warn others. His followers are to follow this same method and pattern, carrying the message from place to place and, once the truth has been proclaimed in one place, moving on to warn those who have not heard it.
His work joined preaching the gospel with healing the sick, going from city to city and town to town as the great Medical Missionary and restorer, and His people are called to carry that combined ministry of preaching with healing to others. They are to carry the work into new fields and support its advance wherever opportunities open. They are to serve and bless others rather than find fault, and to do the works of Christ instead of sitting in a do-nothing position while expecting to enter the courts of the Lord.
Jesus was sent to proclaim the kingdom of God in other cities and towns, and would not confine His ministry to one place or remain in Capernaum even when welcomed, sought, urged and begged to stay. He came to draw people to Himself as their Saviour and turn their minds from an earthly kingdom to spiritual things, not merely to attract attention as a wonder-worker, to heal physical disease, or to pursue worldly success, and seeking crowds and worldly success would have hindered that work. His preaching and healing belonged to one ministry as the great Medical Missionary and restorer, with healing of the body preparing the way for restoration of the soul, so remaining where He had labored would have kept others from receiving His teaching, healing, deliverance and works of mercy. His example teaches that the gospel message is not to be confined to a few places but to be carried from place to place, proclaimed widely, and taken to all the world and into new fields. His followers are to go to places that have not yet heard the truths He came to present, and after proclaiming the truth in one place, to leave its people to build on what they have learned and go elsewhere to warn others. They are to carry on the combined ministry of preaching with healing, support the advance of the work wherever opportunities open, serve and bless others rather than find fault, and do the works of Christ instead of remaining in a do-nothing position.
Sent to Preach Elsewhere
Jesus was sent to preach the kingdom of God in other cities and towns, and would not confine His ministry to one place or remain in Capernaum. Though the people of Capernaum welcomed Him, sought Him after His healing of the sick, urged Him to stay, and begged Him to remain with them, He refused to stay where He had labored and left to carry His message elsewhere. Demands to keep Him in one town could not hinder that work, because remaining there would keep others from receiving His teaching and works of mercy. His example shows the gospel message was to be carried beyond a few places to all the world.
His mission was to draw people to Himself as their Saviour and turn their minds from an earthly kingdom to spiritual things. The people wanted Him to establish an earthly rule and reign, but He directed them toward spiritual realities. His mission was not merely to attract attention as a wonder-worker or healer, nor merely to heal physical disease and physical illness. He would not remain simply because His work had drawn a crowd, for pursuing worldly success and seeking crowds would have hindered His work and could interfere with leading people to Him as Saviour.
His preaching and His work of restoring the sick belonged to the same ministry, as the great Medical Missionary and restorer who went from place to place healing the sick brought to Him. Healing of the body prepared the way for restoration of the soul. His city-to-city preaching and healing joined proclamation of the gospel with healing, deliverance, and works of mercy for the people. To have remained where He had labored would have kept others from receiving that teaching, healing, deliverance, and mercy.
Pattern for Followers Today
Christ did not confine His ministry to one place, for being sent to preach the kingdom of God meant going on to preach in other cities also. His example teaches that the gospel message is not to be shut up to a few places but is to be carried from place to place and proclaimed widely. It is to be carried beyond a few centers to all the world, into new fields throughout the world, with its advance supported wherever opportunities open.
When people in one city urged Him to stay, He went on to places that had not yet heard the truths He came to present. After proclaiming the truth in one place He left its people to build on what they had learned and received, and went elsewhere to warn others. His followers are to follow this same method and pattern, carrying the message from place to place and, once the truth has been proclaimed in one place, moving on to warn those who have not heard it.
His work joined preaching the gospel with healing the sick, going from city to city and town to town as the great Medical Missionary and restorer, and His people are called to carry that combined ministry of preaching with healing to others. They are to carry the work into new fields and support its advance wherever opportunities open. They are to serve and bless others rather than find fault, and to do the works of Christ instead of sitting in a do-nothing position while expecting to enter the courts of the Lord.