**The Beginning of the Good News: The Calling of the First Disciples**
In the days when the Roman Empire stretched its iron hand over the land of Judea, and the people of Israel longed for the promised Messiah, a voice arose in the wilderness. It was the voice of John the Baptist, a man clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His appearance was rugged, his demeanor fierce, and his message urgent. He stood by the Jordan River, calling out to all who would listen, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Crowds flocked to him from Jerusalem, Judea, and the surrounding regions, confessing their sins and being baptized in the river as a sign of their repentance.
John’s voice thundered like the roar of a lion, yet his words were filled with hope. He spoke of one who would come after him, one whose sandals he was unworthy to untie. “I baptize you with water,” he declared, “but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” The people listened in awe, their hearts stirred by the promise of a greater deliverance.
And then, one day, as the sun rose over the Jordan, a man from Nazareth in Galilee approached the river. His name was Jesus. He was unassuming in appearance, yet there was a quiet authority about him that drew the eyes of all who saw him. He stepped into the water and asked John to baptize him. John hesitated, knowing that this man was unlike any other. “I need to be baptized by you,” John protested, “and yet you come to me?” But Jesus replied, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” And so, John consented.
As Jesus emerged from the water, the heavens were torn open, and the Spirit of God descended like a dove, alighting upon him. A voice from heaven thundered, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” The moment was charged with divine power, and those who witnessed it were filled with awe. The Messiah had come.
Immediately, the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, where he spent forty days surrounded by wild animals and tempted by Satan. Angels attended him, and he emerged victorious, ready to begin his ministry. News of John’s arrest by Herod Antipas spread like wildfire, and Jesus knew the time had come to proclaim the good news of God. He returned to Galilee, his voice ringing out with authority: “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
One day, as Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, casting their nets into the water. They were fishermen, their hands calloused from years of labor, their faces weathered by the sun and wind. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” There was something in his voice—a power, a promise—that stirred their hearts. Without hesitation, they left their nets and followed him.
A little farther down the shore, Jesus saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee, mending their nets in their boat. They were hardworking men, their lives defined by the rhythms of the sea. Jesus called to them, and they too left their father and the hired men in the boat, following him without question. These four men would become his closest companions, the foundation of a movement that would change the world.
Jesus and his new disciples went to Capernaum, a bustling town by the sea. On the Sabbath, they entered the synagogue, where Jesus began to teach. The people were astonished at his words, for he spoke with an authority unlike the scribes. His teaching was not a dry recitation of tradition but a living, breathing proclamation of truth. Suddenly, a man possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked the spirit, saying, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” The spirit convulsed the man and, with a shriek, left him. The people were amazed, whispering among themselves, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits, and they obey him.”
News of Jesus spread quickly throughout Galilee. After leaving the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew, where Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. Jesus took her by the hand, and the fever left her. She got up and began to serve them. That evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the whole town gathered at the door, bringing the sick and demon-possessed. Jesus healed many and drove out demons, but he would not let the demons speak, for they knew who he was.
Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus slipped away to a solitary place to pray. Simon and the others searched for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed, “Everyone is looking for you!” But Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” And so, he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons. Crowds followed him everywhere, drawn by his words and his power. The kingdom of God was breaking into the world, and Jesus was at the center of it all.
Thus began the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God, who came to proclaim good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and release for the oppressed. The world would never be the same.
