Do you remember the acronym WWJD, popularized in the 1990’s by a youth group leader in Michigan to help the youth of the church remember the phrase “What Would Jesus Do”?
Throughout the book of Matthew we get to experience some of what Jesus did do (WJDD) as he began his ministry, we see how He surrounded himself with a group of men (the 12 disciples) which today we might call a ministry team. Beginning in chapter four of Matthew we see Jesus beginning to call his first disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John. I might ask why these men? What training or experience do they have in aligning them-selves with the ministry of Jesus?
I don’t think it’s any accident that shortly after Jesus calls these men that we encounter in scripture the Sermon on the Mount. “and he began to teach them”. (Mt.5:2) Jesus has started the training and teaching process with the disciples giving them the solid foundation of His love and direction for a life in ministry and for Christian living. The disciples were his intended audience and the crowds that gathered around him also benefited from his teachings. We can only imagine what it might have been like to hear Jesus speak these words of instruction, Matthew chapter 7:28 tells us that the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he taught with such authority.
So what have we seen so far? We have seen Jesus recruit leaders, we have seen him begin to train and teach those leaders and as we continue reading deeper into Matthew we will understand more about what Jesus did do.
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