Jesus had a 40-day wilderness experience, summarized succinctly by Mark:

The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. (Mark 1.12, 13, ESV)

And then it’s off to work:

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1.14, 15, ESV)

Of course. Jesus came as a preacher, right? What else would he be doing? Mark tells us what else:

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (Mark 1.16 – 20, ESV)

Nearly the first thing Jesus does as he begins his ministry is to build a team. Not just a team, but a group of men, whom he will teach to do what he is doing: “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

My Navigator hero Skip Gray pointed out that it would be a cosmic tragedy if Jesus came, had a 3-year ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing, died on the cross for our sins, but didn’t leave behind anyone to carry on the work or explain what Jesus’ work was about.

We’ll remember as we follow Jesus through the gospel of Mark that he’s almost never alone. He has the men with him. Jesus describes his own ministry this way:

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do…I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. (John 17.4 – 8, NKJV)