Why didn't Jesus deal with Gentiles during His earthly ministry?
During His earthly ministry, Jesus could not be the true object of faith to a Gentile because He was operating on covenant ground. On that covenant ground, His dealings were with the Jew, not the Gentile, until His death, burial, and resurrection.
Les explains that Jesus' illustration of the kernel of wheat shows death must come before new life; unless we have been planted in the likeness of His death and buried with Him, there can be no new life. Up until His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus could not be the true object of faith to a Gentile. He was on covenant ground, and on covenant ground His dealings were only with the Jew. Les then points to Paul and Ephesians 2:11-12, saying those verses plainly show Jesus did not deal with Gentiles during His earthly ministry.