Introduction

Good morning, dear church family. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. What a joy it is to gather together in God's house, to lift our voices in praise and to open our hearts to His Word. We are here, not by accident, but by divine appointment. God has a message for each of us today, a message that will challenge us, encourage us, and inspire us to greater faithfulness in our walk with Him.

Our focus today is on the Gospel of Mark, specifically Mark 1:14-20. Let's read this passage together: "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!' As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.' At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.'"

Discovering the Divine Call

But what does it mean to discover this divine call? How do we know what God is calling us to do? And how do we respond to that call? These are important questions that we need to consider.

Firstly, discovering the divine call involves listening. We need to be attentive to the voice of God. We need to spend time in His Word, in prayer, in worship. We need to cultivate a relationship with Him, to know Him and to love Him. And as we do this, we will begin to hear His voice more clearly. We will begin to discern His call in our lives.

Secondly, discovering the divine call involves obedience. When Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John, they didn't hesitate. They didn't make excuses. They didn't say, "Maybe later." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. They were willing to leave everything behind, to abandon their old way of life, to follow Jesus. This is what obedience looks like. It's not just about doing what we want to do, but about doing what God wants us to do. It's about submitting our will to His will, our plans to His plans.

Thirdly, discovering the divine call involves sacrifice. Following Jesus requires sacrifice. It requires us to give up our comfort, our security, our plans, our dreams. It requires us to take up our cross and follow Him. But the good news is that the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices. As Jesus said, "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." When we sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom of God, we gain so much more in return.

Lastly, discovering the divine call involves transformation. When we follow Jesus, we are not the same. We are no longer defined by our past, by our mistakes, by our failures. We are defined by Christ, by His love, by His grace, by His mercy. We are defined by the divine call that He has placed on our lives.

Dedication to Discipleship

In the heart of our scripture passage, we find Jesus extending an invitation to Simon, Andrew, James, and John ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO