Disciples And Miracles Series

Disciples and Miracles

Mark 1:16-45

Introduction

- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant” who acts, immediately

-- He is the ultimate servant; giving Himself clearly for all who will receive

-- Key verse: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

- Read Mark 1:16-45

∆ Point 1 – The First Disciples (16-20)

- Jesus is on a mission to call others to Himself

-- He forms a “ministry team” of those who’d be willing to GO (faithful men)

-- Ref 2 Tim 2:2

-- The purpose of the calling is for preaching and teaching of the Gospel

-- IMP: Jesus would be pouring into them and they would take the Gospel forward

- IMP APP: Jesus uses a teaching method of showing others the way (servant)

- The Sea of Galilee is a very popular gathering place in this time

-- Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1, “One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God.”)

-- Sea of Tiberieas (John 6:1, “Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias”)

- APP: Why the different names? Don’t we have different names for places?

-- Depending on where you were raised, the name might be something different

-- EX: You might say “burger joint” and someone else might say “greasy spoon”

- v17 is important because two things happen when Jesus calls you:

-- First: There is an offer to come FREELY and follow Christ

-- Second: What happens when you follow me (“I will send you out…”)

- The phrase “make you fishers of men” means “to gather of people for judgment”

-- Jeremiah 16:14-16, “Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers. Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,” declares the LORD, “and they will fish for them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks.”

- APP: Urgency in Jesus’ words: COME now, let’s move, we’ve got work to do

-- Result: They left “at once” (immediately) … when Jesus calls, men respond!

- The sons of Zebedee are James and John (v19-20)

-- James: Older brother of John; not the ½ brother of Jesus who wrote “James”

-- John: Wrote the Gospel of John, very young in age, disciple Jesus loved

- IMP: There is a cost for leaving to follow Christ in discipleship

-- Left their family, left their business, let their comfort zone

-- APP: When Jesus calls you to follow, it is all in … no “part time ministry”

∆ Point 2 – Driving out Spirits (21-28)

- Capernaum was a major city for Jesus’ ministry

-- He visited this city most likely as it was home of Peter, James, John, Andrew

-- Contrast: His hometown of Nazareth was like Marbury (small, rural)

- Do you see what he does when he goes into the city?

-- He waits for the Sabbath and then attends church, God’s house (important)

-- Being invited to teach was an honor for someone visiting the town

-- Jesus is recognized as being able to teach and is given opportunity

- v22 shows us the response; it’s probably why the elders allowed him to teach

-- Most teachers would give the meaning, and state the application (preaching)

-- Jesus offered something else: a personal narrative (opinion) of scripture

- IMP: Why? Because He was there when the events took place!

-- He didn’t use someone else’s opinion or commentary to back his teaching up

-- He spoke with authority from the beginning of time (teaching)

- And just like today, someone decides to come and ruin what God is doing

-- v24 A man possessed with an impure spirit (demonic) brings chaos

-- APP: First sign indicator that God is working: the devil tries to oppose it

- v24 uses the word “us”; meaning there are more than one spirit in him

-- The Spirit calls him by name assuming that he could be on the same level

-- It’s a matter of disrespect that they attempt to speak to Jesus like this