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Called to be disciples Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Mark 1:14-20 October 16th, 2011
Mark 1:14-20 ESV Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, (15) and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (16) Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. (17) And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men." (18) And immediately they left their nets and followed him. (19) And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. (20) And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
INTRODUCTION The calling of Israel in the OT or Saul of Tarsus in the book of Acts. Or – Testimony of A. W. Pink OBSERVATIONS and INTERPRETATIONS – What does the text say and mean? The Text: Verses 14-15: Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee after John is imprisoned. What does Jesus do? He begins by proclaiming the Kingdom of God – He tells people that the time is now for God’s Good News of the OT to happen, the kingdom is upon us – it is time to call people to a decision. Repent and believe the Gospel. Judgment is to come to those who do not repent. Verses 16-20: Jesus goes to the sea and calls four men to be his disciples – Peter (Simon), Andrew, James and John. These four fishermen leave their business and join Jesus after He calls them.
The Calling:
First we must see the Caller. There is a calling that marks this passage and what makes it significant is the one who makes the call.
He is God’s sent one who commands authority.
As a King on a mission, he is recruiting for His Kingdom. We must not miss the importance of the Caller. He is the Shepherd who calls His sheep and they come: John 10:11 ESV I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:16 ESV And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:27-28 ESV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. (28) I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
Second we see the calling of Jesus. In verses 16-20 we see the calling of four men to discipleship. Here is the statement of call that I want to look at closely: “FOLLOW ME, AND I WILL MAKE YOU BECOME FISHERS OF MEN.” In this call to these four we find the all-important call of the Gospel to everyone to be saved and follow Jesus. I want to look at four important dimensions regarding this calling: a. His calling was a call to respond to a conviction of who Jesus was. Jesus said – “Follow me and I…” This call was a call that implied that you recognize an authority in Jesus Christ. This call required a conviction of Jesus’ identity and authority. No questions asked – these men were convicted of the supremacy and uniqueness of Christ and they followed. John’s Gospel gives us an angle that we should harmonize with this account. It tells us that they already believed he was the Messiah. John 1:40-42 ESV One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. (41) He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ). (42) He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter).
b. His calling was a call to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus said – “Follow me…” Involved in this is a call to personal relationship. Here a rabbi is called a person to be his disciple. This was not the norm in the culture. Usually the disciple sought out the Rabbi. Jesus is saying that they must change their life and take up His own company. They would know Him and eat with Him and live with Him. He was calling them to a relationship with him based on the conviction of who He was. This required a commitment to a personal relationship.
c. His calling was a call to come as you are to receive what only Jesus can offer. Jesus said – “Follow me, and I will make you become…” Jesus calls them to come as they are. They are not students enrolled in the schools of temple. They are not OT lawyers or scribes. They are fishermen who catch fish and he tells them to come and He will give them what they need to be and do what they need to do. In fact, He will be for them what they need for themselves – they need the covering or washing of their sins and He will provide that for them. He also will equip them to the task that He calls them. This required a submission to His leading and equipping. d. His calling was a call to embrace a His all-encompassing mission. Jesus said – “I will make you fishers of men.” Here are men on another mission and Jesus changes it. He is a King who is recruiting for His Kingdom. He calls them to put off catching fish and put on a new mission – catching men for the Kingdom of God. He calls them to abandon all to embrace a new agenda and life. They were called to leave career and family: Luke 14:26 ESV "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.
Explanation: How do commands to the apostles apply to us today? Here we have the calling of four important apostles – Simon, Andrew, James and John. The twelve disciples were specially called by Jesus and they play a vital role in the Gospels. The twelve apostles were also called disciples and there is a good reason for that especially when we see the entire church (every believer) called a disciple in the book of Acts. The twelve disciples were important for two reasons: 1) They functioned as apostles who were the foundation of the church – they were used by Jesus to write the New Testament and they have an apostolic authority that is unique and not repeatable. They were a foundation. A good structure has only one foundation. There are unique commands given to the apostles that we know are just for them – “I will bring into memory what you heard so after I leave…”). So, let’s say they first function as Foundational apostles. 2) They also functioned as disciples who were representatives or examples of anyone who comes to faith in Christ. They functioned for Jesus as parts that represented the entire church (then and now). The were the 12 (representing the 12 tribes – the new church) who as representatives, show us an example of what God calls us to. Here we should see the commands of Jesus to them as commands to us as well – commands to all people at all times. So, let’s say they secondly function as Representative disciples. In this passage we see the first four of the twelve being called and this passage clearly is a passage that functions as a pattern for us today. Just as Jesus called the four in this passage, He calls us. Who were these four fishermen? Ordinary men – fishermen not scholars They were not trained for the task but they responded immediately and left all to follow Jesus.
APPLICATIONS – What does this text mean for me today and what should I do? Being a Christian is being a disciple. If you are saved it is because God called you to be a disciple. He first calls you to the Cross to have your sins forgiven and then He calls you to follow Him. Jesus is calling us – this passage should remind us of our call: If we are Christians or desire to be Christians: 1) We are called to respond to a conviction of who Jesus is. 2) We are called to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus. 3) We are called to come as we are humbly to receive what only He can offer. 4) We are called to come to embrace His mission. |
