This past week we started a journey through the book of Mark. Mark is a fairly fast paced look at Jesus' ministry and life on this earth. Church history teaches us that Mark was a close friend/disciple of Peter, one of the 12 Apostles. This Gospel is a thought to be a telling of Peter's account to Mark of the Gospel of Jesus. Currently we are in Mark chapter 1 at our study for this week and I wanted to take a deeper look at something eye catching in this passage...
On Mark 1:15-20 we see the calling of Jesus' first four disciples. In this version, Mark isn't fairly clear on where Jesus is in relation to the boats his future followers are in. The beauty of having four Gospels is that one of the others may cover that detail! Like 5:1-3 actually does a awesome job of letting us know that Jesus would have been in the boats with two of them, Peter and Andrew, and that James and John would have been in a boat not to far off. Jesus was on a lake, using the water as a natural microphone to preach a crowd of people who were following him. Luke 5 also tells us that Jesus tells Peter, Simon at the time, to cast his nets to the side of the boat and in doing so the catch is so big the other boat had to help bringing it in! Jesus in that moment, was showing these men to trust Him. All four men, fall on their faces and honor Him. Then Jesus turned to them and said:
“Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for, people! ” (Mark 1:17 HCSB or similar to Luke 5:10b)
This is the part I want to actually hone in on. Mark tells us their response:
"Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." (Mark 1:18 HCSB about Peter and Andrew)
"Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him." (Mark 1:20 HCSB of James and John)
Jesus shows up, gets into their boats, teaches, shows His faithfulness, and asks them to follow. He basically comes along and says, "This is what God is doing through me, do you care to give up what your doing and follow me?" At that chance, they immediately take the opportunity! Some of you reading would say that this was an easy choice given the circumstances. I mean if Jesus strolled through your doorway right now, did something that awesome, an asked you to leave everything behind... Many think they would follow with no questions asked!
These men gave up everything they knew to follow Him! I don't know if everyone would be willing to do that! Here is why. Read how the passage describes the Sons of Zebedee response. It says that James and John follow and leave others behind. These people heard and saw the same thing, yet they stay behind! They had the same opportunity. These to young men left their own father and the family business behind! They gave everything away to follow Him.
So the question is this, what is holding you back in the boat today? What's keeping you inside everything you know, and not allowing you to step into trusting Him in the things you may not understand? What makes it easy to stay neutral in your faith rather than excelling to the next missionary moment of your life?
My challenge today is to find what makes you look like James' and John's father and coworkers; moreover give up what your doing and follow Christ in what God is doing through Him in your life!
What's keeping you inside the boat today?
Love you Beloved!
On Mark 1:15-20 we see the calling of Jesus' first four disciples. In this version, Mark isn't fairly clear on where Jesus is in relation to the boats his future followers are in. The beauty of having four Gospels is that one of the others may cover that detail! Like 5:1-3 actually does a awesome job of letting us know that Jesus would have been in the boats with two of them, Peter and Andrew, and that James and John would have been in a boat not to far off. Jesus was on a lake, using the water as a natural microphone to preach a crowd of people who were following him. Luke 5 also tells us that Jesus tells Peter, Simon at the time, to cast his nets to the side of the boat and in doing so the catch is so big the other boat had to help bringing it in! Jesus in that moment, was showing these men to trust Him. All four men, fall on their faces and honor Him. Then Jesus turned to them and said:
“Follow Me,” Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for, people! ” (Mark 1:17 HCSB or similar to Luke 5:10b)
This is the part I want to actually hone in on. Mark tells us their response:
"Immediately they left their nets and followed Him." (Mark 1:18 HCSB about Peter and Andrew)
"Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him." (Mark 1:20 HCSB of James and John)
Jesus shows up, gets into their boats, teaches, shows His faithfulness, and asks them to follow. He basically comes along and says, "This is what God is doing through me, do you care to give up what your doing and follow me?" At that chance, they immediately take the opportunity! Some of you reading would say that this was an easy choice given the circumstances. I mean if Jesus strolled through your doorway right now, did something that awesome, an asked you to leave everything behind... Many think they would follow with no questions asked!
These men gave up everything they knew to follow Him! I don't know if everyone would be willing to do that! Here is why. Read how the passage describes the Sons of Zebedee response. It says that James and John follow and leave others behind. These people heard and saw the same thing, yet they stay behind! They had the same opportunity. These to young men left their own father and the family business behind! They gave everything away to follow Him.
So the question is this, what is holding you back in the boat today? What's keeping you inside everything you know, and not allowing you to step into trusting Him in the things you may not understand? What makes it easy to stay neutral in your faith rather than excelling to the next missionary moment of your life?
My challenge today is to find what makes you look like James' and John's father and coworkers; moreover give up what your doing and follow Christ in what God is doing through Him in your life!
What's keeping you inside the boat today?
Love you Beloved!
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