The Gospel of Mark 1:14-20
Sermon Recap
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry 1:14-15
The Call of the First Disciples 1:16-20
In the opening verses of the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptist is the messenger, sent by God to proclaim Jesus is coming from Nazareth of Galilee. He is then baptized in the Jordan by John. After this took place, John faded into the background.
At the very beginning of Jesus’ Ministry, he surprisingly went first to Galilee's northern villages and cities, and not to Jerusalem. In Galilee is where he spent time gathering His first followers. This tells us about the nature of God’s kingdom: it starts on the outside in, from the edges of power, not at the center but instead in the shadows.
Jesus first calls out to Simon (Peter) and Andrew saying “Follow Me.” He calls them to leave their fishing career to take on a new vocation of gathering people for His cause. Jesus takes the initiative and chooses His students (disciples) breaking from the earlier traditions of rabbi’s where students choose their teachers. Jesus’ command of “Follow Me” is open ended: having no time limits, going to uncertain places, and following wherever He would go.
How does following Jesus look? Here are three interaction points to notice in following Jesus as disciple:
What Jesus sees
Jesus saw something in his disciples. He called them to a new future, a new opportunity, something they would never have imagined, and far greater than themselves. The example of the Samaritan woman being called by Jesus, reveals that He saw her first. He knew her past was filled with pain yet He saw her as His disciple, she as her Prophet. It is in following Him, his disciples got to know Him.What Jesus asks
Jesus reprioritized their lives by calling them out of the artisan class as fishermen where they were financially stable, but also of little status and marginalized. They did have to sacrifice by losing money, leaving their families, and security. Following Jesus rises to the top above their previous work.What Jesus gives
Jesus gives Himself as the focus. Jesus gives His presence, and His company along the journey. He is the prize and we get to be together with Him!
Practices for Tonight
Select one or more of the following to use as a launch point for reflection, sharing and discussion:
How does noticing what Jesus sees, asks, or gives offer Good News to you? Which of these resonates with you? How might God be calling you to respond?
Take a moment to reflect on one of the statements below then share what you are noticing. What kind of response is being evoked in you? What might God be inviting you to reprioritize as a way of moving closer to Him in your life?
“Only as Jesus is followed can He be known”—Jonathan Edwards
Jesus said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Practice for the Week
Imagine the portion of the Silver Chair story where Jill full of thirst meets the Lion along the stream. While imagining, place yourself in the scene. Prayerfully ask the Lord what He wants you to notice about your relationship with Him. Are you holding back from Him calling you? Are you paralyzed in some way? How might you begin to step closer into the stream and the Lion?
Read this portion and follow the link to complete this beautiful reflection from the CS Lewis Institute:
“If you’re thirsty, you may drink.”
…For a second she stared here and there, wondering who had spoken. Then the voice said again, “If you are thirsty, come and drink.”…It was deeper, wilder, and stronger; a sort of heavy, golden voice. It did not make her any less frightened than she had been before, but it made her frightened in rather a different way.
“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I — could I — would you mind going away …”
Close your reflection time by offering the Lord a prayer of relationship with Him and thanksgiving.
