This week we celebrate the fact that we live in a great nation. I’m thankful for the freedoms that we enjoy – grateful to those who sacrificed so that we’d have them – and mindful that we can’t take any of that for granted. I’m thankful that we live in a land where we can freely learn about and speak about Jesus.
But you know what?
None of us would know much about Jesus at all if it weren't for the work of His personal students. They were hand-selected - men He knew He could teach and use, and He used them to turn the world upside down.
From the very beginning of their call He challenged them. Their call to follow Jesus is a challenge to us as well.
Let's get it clear that Jesus does not always demand that a person leave his vocation and follow Him in full-time professional service. In fact, following Jesus in the same way that these men did is impossible - He isn't here to follow!
But we all have a commission from our Lord, and we’re all supposed to be bringing people into the Church. What exactly does Jesus expect of a follower? We’re going to see that Jesus expects men to make His call to follow the highest priority in their lives - a priority that shows in the way we live and think.
Mark 1:14-20 (NIV)
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" 16 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. 17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Jesus calls…
I. Ordinary People Engaged in Ordinary Life
This is WHO He called.
Part of the picture that Mark helps us see here is the ordinariness of the men Jesus called to be His closest companions and His frontline movers and shakers.
4 of these guys are fishermen. They are on the shore, with their boats and nets, when he calls them to commit their lives to following Him. Nothing could have looked more common than fishermen, out working on the shores of Galilee.
For some reason, we tend to think that people who go on to do significant things are people who have significant backgrounds…whatever that means. You know – the guy who becomes president was born in a family that was always in politics. People who are celebrated and noted are typically people who had a head start because of their fortunate background.
But I guess Jesus’ concern isn’t about how celebrated or noted we are by societal standards, is it? Neither is the significance of the work He calls us to do the same as societal standards.
I’m convinced that the Lord wants us to realize that being an ordinary person is not only OK, it’s the norm in His Kingdom work.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Outstandingly ordinary. OK, that’s you.
“I’m just a homemaker; a blue collar guy; a student; a widowed lady; a guy who blew it and is making a comeback; I’m just a young person. I’m nobody.” So?!
There was a guy named Amos. He wasn’t born in a preacher’s home. He wasn’t able to speak at age 1 week. He wasn’t from the town where great prophets were all born. He worked with sheep and trees for a living. And God called Amos.
Amos 7:14-15 Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
Ill - 56 ordinary men - a mixture of native-born and foreign-born, some rich and many poor, farmers and mechanics, physicians and merchants, self-made and born ahead. 29 – less than half of them - were college graduates. Their average age was 42. Pretty ordinary, but as a group they became known as our nation’s founding fathers. Sure enough, democracy is based on the conviction that there are extra-ordinary possibilities in ordinary people, and the signers of the Dec. of Ind. are a vivid example of that.
So, please, don’t go out of your way today to explain how God doesn’t have anything special for you to do because you’re so ordinary! The Lord calls ordinary people who are engaged in ordinary life.
II. With His Words, His Authority, His Love
This is HOW He called.
Inviting someone to leave his living behind and follow was no small thing. It was a great privilege to be called by a Rabbi to become his follower, but it was also a major life change. I’d think that the invitation would have to be pretty convincing before I’d accept it.
And anyone who will take an honest look at Jesus will understand why His invitation really does give a reason to leave some things behind and follow Him. How Jesus called was a blend – a convincing combination of powerful words, obvious authority, and overwhelming love.
Reading Mark should teach us this: knowing Jesus means knowing what He did as well as what He taught. We know Jesus’ words more from John especially. Mark shows us the deeds of Jesus more than His teaching. Just like we can’t know as much about Jesus until we look into all 4 of the gospels, neither can we claim to know Jesus if all we focus on is just what He said or just what He did. Those go hand-in-hand. It’s when we put them all together that we get the full picture of Jesus.
Here’s how important that can be to our understanding.
This scene in Mk 1 isn’t the first time Jesus has talked to these fishermen. Otherwise, it looks like Jesus just is walking along on the shore, sees some guys, says “Follow Me,” and without any previous thought or reasoning, they drop everything then and there and follow Him.
It was, in fact, about a year earlier (Jn 1) that He first invited them to follow Him, and JB had encouraged them to go. There, at the Jordan River, where John was baptizing, Andrew and another start to follow Jesus. Then Andrew goes and tells His brother Simon, whom Jesus renames Peter. Philip also answers the call and goes to his friend Nathanael. For the next year, at least Andrew, James, John, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael follow Jesus around in His ministry. They witness the power of Jesus to heal, to cast out demons, and to work other miracles. That’s the story we understand when we put all 4 gospels together, and the background to the scene in Mk 1 we’re looking at here. For a year, Jesus prepared this men with His words and His deeds.
On this same occasion, Jesus had Simon put out into the water so that He could teach the crowds. Simon was in the boat as Jesus taught. Afterwards, He had Simon go back out and try fishing, even though he had been fishing all night right before. When they caught so many fish it began to sink 2 boats, Peter fell down in front of Jesus with the understanding that this was no ordinary man before him. And it’s there, in Lk 5:10 we find Jesus reassuring him with these words –
Luke 5:10b "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."
So, we should learn this about Jesus’ call:
He doesn’t want people who are just impressed with His words, and He doesn’t want people who are just impressed by His power, and He doesn’t want people who are just attracted by His love. It’s a package deal. Jesus, who welcomed the children into his arms and blessed them is also Jesus Who said “If any one wishes to come after Me, he must take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Jesus who said, “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest,” is the same Jesus Who overthrew the tables of the money changers in the temple and drove them out. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will do what I command.” He said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?”
We have 4 gospels to look at when we look at the life of Jesus, we have more about Jesus than just what He said or just what He did.
Lk says he set out to tell what Jesus began “to do and to teach.” (Acts 1:1)
John tells us that Jesus was “full of grace and truth.” 1:14
Here’s something I think Mk 1 is getting at: It seems like there are some people who want Jesus to be full of just grace or full of just truth. Sorry. It’s a package deal! We aren’t called to a Jesus Who just fits our prefabricated order of what we’re looking for. You can’t really look at Jesus and conclude that He’s safe or easy. He’s far too big to fit into your mold for Him. But take an honest look at Jesus and you’ll understand that He’s all He claims to be and more than you can possibly hope or imagine.
I’m not sure when or how you first heard about Jesus, but I am sure that He wants us to see the total package – His words, His power, His love – and get the fullest picture of Who He really is.
III. To an Incredible Journey
This is WHERE He called.
Ill - There’s a tombstone saying I first saw on a stone in the George Washington Carver family cemetery in Diamond, MO. “Friends and strangers, as you pass by, as you are now so once was I. As I am now, so you will be. Prepare for death to follow me.” The same piece appeared on a stone in England, and someone wrote on it: “To follow you I’ll not consent, until I know which way you went!”
It’s not enough just that we’re invited. We generally care about where we’re invited. Here Jesus approaches these fishermen, engaged in fishing, and says, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
He was inviting them…
1. To be a disciple
This wasn’t just an invitation to escape from the norm, although it certainly would be. It was an invitation to become a disciple.
That word, which later would be used of all who choose to follow Jesus, means to be a learner; to be disciplined by. It wasn’t a call to become a vagrant and wanderer. It was an invitation to be a follower of Jesus. From that time until the time Jesus ascended they were His students. They didn't try Jesus for a while and then go back to the old life. It was the defining moment of each one's life.
I see in many people an attempt to approach Jesus like they approach so many other things: dating; diets; hobbies; sports – all of them a one-shot experience that’s meant to last as long as it interests me. That’s not discipleship.
When Jesus gave His great commission in Mt 28 He said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..."
Realize, Christian, that now that you are following the Master you are a student - disciple - until He comes again. And we have been called to make disciples of all nations until He comes again.
Jesus was also inviting
2. To leave behind the old life
Ill – Tom Bailey recently told me about a time he was rowing in a boat and it wouldn’t move very well. He had a long way to go, and rather than smoothly gliding over the water, it just acted like it was dragging. He discovered, sure enough, it was dragging – an anchor! That would explain why it kept stopping in the water between strokes!
I imagine that Peter, Andrew, James, and John had to learn to travel light to follow Jesus. They couldn’t carry their boats and nets around. They’d have to leave that all behind. Did you notice the way Mark pictures it? – “and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.” Incredible journeys often require leaving some things behind that would get in the way of where we are going. We need to get free of the nets! Mark wants us to see that’s what these men did.
That seems to characterize Jesus’ call all through His ministry. Without apology He calls people to leave their previous life.
"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
In fact, when we get to ch 10, we encounter the story of rich young man who owned a lot – or rather, it owned him. Jesus saw that this man was hindered terribly by what he owned. “Still one thing you lack,” He said, and He told him to sell it all, give it away, and then follow Him.
I understand that we can’t follow Jesus around for 3 years as He travels from place to place in the Middle East today. Still, I can’t get past His words in
Luke 14:33 "any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be My disciple."
Do you realize that Jesus wants you to enter into this relationship with Him ready to give up everything for Him? I can’t tell you what specific thing in your life needs to be dropped and left behind. Maybe it’s fear, or excuses, or old habits, or materialism. Maybe you’ve been trying to follow Him around and you’re lugging some feature of your past life that really needs to be left behind.
Does Jesus look at you today, wanting to call you to service for Him and say "still one thing you lack"? What needs to be dropped?
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
We need to not be mastered by anything but rather to let God be Master of all! I’m not speaking about just giving everything up and joining a monastery. I am speaking about dedicating our resources, whatever they are, to the Lord; recognizing His ownership of our time, money, family, and even self. Jesus expects men to be willing to leave all that they have – someday you're going to anyway!
But it would be wrong to stop there! Jesus also calls men to a life that’s fuller. He doesn’t call us to give up life in order to lose it. He calls us to give up our lives in order to find what is really life in Him.
3. To MORE
This summer we’ve had one men’s trip to MN. That was designated a fishing trip, and we did a lot of fishing, and we caught a lot of fish, too. But, you know what? It wasn’t just to go fishing. It wasn’t just to eat. It was bigger than that. If we hadn’t caught anything, we still would have had a good experience being together. Friday night, overnight, another group of men and boys got together just south of here to camp. We were on the banks of the might Kishwaukee River, so, naturally, someone had to go see about the fish there too. Turns out they were all taking summer break, but that wasn’t the point of getting together. It was guys, getting together, sharing their lives.
If you think about it, fish really aren’t that personable. They don’t speak. They’re kind of smelly.
So, here you are, Simon Peter, and you’ve handled more than your share of slimy, smelly fish. I can imagine there were days that Peter stared off into space and wondered if there wasn’t supposed to be more to his days. Then here comes Jesus, Who invites him to learn to fish for men. Now, that sounds like something significant.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that giving up your life to Jesus somehow means a life that’s less! Peter went from supplying fish for peoples’ tables to preaching words that welcomed people into new life in Jesus forever! Do you suppose Peter knew he’d walk on water, watch a little girl raised from the dead, catch a fish with a coin in its mouth to pay a tax, watch Jesus crucified, and be one of the first at the empty tomb? Do you suppose he realized he’d stand before the Jewish Council and proclaim Jesus as Lord? Do you suppose he knew that he’d write 2 books of what would become the NT? Do you suppose he realized that one day he’d be willing to die for the sake of fishing for the souls of men? Peter didn’t give up his life and then fail to live. Peter answered Jesus’ call life that is life indeed.
Jesus is inviting people to MORE.
You good at fishing? I’ll teach you how to fish! I show you how to land people, not just a fish to sell them! I’ll show you how to catch someone so that they can live forever!
You like crowds? I’ll show you crowds! I’ll show you people who are seeking truth, who are like sheep without a shepherd, who will be changed forever!
You like learning? I’ll teach you truth, and when you learn it, it will free you! I’ll teach you about things that matter forever!
You like an interesting schedule? I’ll show you a schedule! In the next 2½ years I’ll turn your whole world upside down!
No one who really listens to Jesus thinks for a moment that following Him somehow means living life that’s less. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Who knows what incredible journey God has in store for some here today? The only way to know is to leave behind the old life, drop your nets, and follow Him.
Conclusion:
We have a few engineers here at CCC. I’m not one of them. I do know, though, that one thing engineers do is design backup systems. If something in the original system fails, then a backup can take over, and your sump pump will still work.
There is no backup system for the church. If we don't do our job, there isn't another way it will be done. There isn't a plan B or another chance. It's up to us.
This task of making disciples has been given to us…
