Follow Me! (Mark 1:1-20)
Read Mark 1:1-20
When Jesus burst on the scene in the first century, he encountered a climate no less politically charged than what we find today.
The people of God were living under the tyrannical rule of Rome. Freedoms were fading, taxes were exorbitant, and oppression was everywhere. Revolution was in the air.
The Jewish response to this was fraught with division. Sadducees sought political power, but Pharisees preferred moral reform. Zealots promoted armed revolution, while Essenes chose to circle the wagons. Everyone wanted change, but no one could agree about what to do. (Sound familiar?)
It was into this volatile setting that Jesus began his ministry. He came “proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15).
During the weeks leading up to Easter, I invite you to join us as our community reads the Gospel of Mark together. Along the way, we will learn exactly what kind of king Jesus is, what kind of kingdom he came to establish, and what he expects out of his kingdom citizens.
As for that third part, we find our first clue in today's text: “Follow me,” he said to four fishermen by the sea. "And immediately they left their nets and followed him" (Mark 1:16-20). What an adventure that must have been!
When Jesus burst on the scene in the first century, he encountered a climate no less politically charged than what we find today.
The people of God were living under the tyrannical rule of Rome. Freedoms were fading, taxes were exorbitant, and oppression was everywhere. Revolution was in the air.
The Jewish response to this was fraught with division. Sadducees sought political power, but Pharisees preferred moral reform. Zealots promoted armed revolution, while Essenes chose to circle the wagons. Everyone wanted change, but no one could agree about what to do. (Sound familiar?)
It was into this volatile setting that Jesus began his ministry. He came “proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15).
During the weeks leading up to Easter, I invite you to join us as our community reads the Gospel of Mark together. Along the way, we will learn exactly what kind of king Jesus is, what kind of kingdom he came to establish, and what he expects out of his kingdom citizens.
As for that third part, we find our first clue in today's text: “Follow me,” he said to four fishermen by the sea. "And immediately they left their nets and followed him" (Mark 1:16-20). What an adventure that must have been!
Following Jesus was a daunting task. It meant living like Jesus lived, doing what Jesus did, and obeying what Jesus said. Along the way, they discovered that Jesus did not fit neatly into the categories of the various movements of his day. His was a very different kind of kingdom than they expected. They had a lot to learn -- and unlearn.
They had little notion of what they were getting into when Jesus called them. But they did the one thing Jesus asked: They left their nets and followed him.
"They left their nets." I wonder: what must we leave behind in order to follow Jesus? After all, Lent is a season of letting go in order to more fully follow him.
"And followed Jesus." As we endeavor to do the same in these divisive days, what does it mean for us to live like Jesus lived, to do what Jesus did, and to obey what Jesus said? We'll explore all of that as we "follow Jesus" in the Gospel of Mark.
Some of us are seasoned followers of Jesus. Others of us are just getting our feet wet. Most of us are somewhere in between. But all of us are given the same challenging invitation: "Leave your nets and follow me!" Let us seek to do that as we enter this beautiful season.
To keep us on track, let us commit to a daily trek through the Gospel of Mark between now and Easter. I’ll send a daily devotional to help us along the way. It's going to be a fun adventure!
Fellow-follower,
Pastor Steve
Some of us are seasoned followers of Jesus. Others of us are just getting our feet wet. Most of us are somewhere in between. But all of us are given the same challenging invitation: "Leave your nets and follow me!" Let us seek to do that as we enter this beautiful season.
To keep us on track, let us commit to a daily trek through the Gospel of Mark between now and Easter. I’ll send a daily devotional to help us along the way. It's going to be a fun adventure!
Fellow-follower,
Pastor Steve