Mark 1:12-20 All to Leave and Follow Thee

Recap: Tell me if this sounds familiar…1 Cor. 101 Corinthians 10:1–5 [1] For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.Israel was baptized in the red sea and immediately were in the wilderness…Where they received manna (bread), depended on the word of God, and encountered spiritual training to resist, grumbling against God, against the authority of God’s word & Moses as God’s mediator…They then go to Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments the moral law of God to show them how to live as God’s people, how a redeemed people are to live, ultimately this needed to be written on their hearts…Rescue from Sin & Death, Baptism through the red sea, trials & temptations in the wilderness, and a call to live as righteous lives as a kingdom of priests who follow & Worship God…. Israel however, with bellies full of God’s gracious provision, fails over and over again…What about our savior?READ: Mark 1:12-20Prayer of Illumination#1 Jesus overcomes the Trials (12-13)#2 The Gospel Preached is Primary (14-15)#3 Leave all behind & Follow Jesus (16-20)#1 Jesus overcomes the trials…temptations on our behalf.#1 [12] The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. [13] And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.a. Temptations as Sufferings/humility & Theological significance of his temptations is that he is doing it as our representative true Adam & true Israel. He is like the two generals saying, instead our armies clashing, let us do 1v1 combat to decide the battle.b. See my sermon for his use of SCRIPTURE against Satan.c. And here for Jesus’ triumph over all that satan could throw at him.d. Notice how brief it is compared to Matthew? So I will be brief compared to matthew.e. Spirit – Peace with God Douglas O’Donnell leads to a “shove” from the Spirit. God initiates this wilderness testing as he did with Israel & permitted with Adam & Eve.f. Two Events in the bible should come to minda. Adam & Evei. Result? Failureb. Israel & Wilderness wanderingsi. 40 Days. 40 years? But Failure.g. Tempted by Satan – answered in humility, WORD dependenth. The Wild Animals (Garden or Beasts of the Wild) & Angels (we wrestle not against flesh & blood but against spiritual forces.).Conclusion: Christ has overcome! so take comfort, when Satan accuses and tempts you, assailing your trust & reliance on your Faither Know that you have a Savior not like Adam. He fell not like Israel that grumble wilderness, but who stood fast, strong, courageous, abiding by every word that is written as he himself is the word so take heart Christ has sent his Spirit. Christ has overcome for you, and he is calling us as one who has conquered Satan, sin, and death to follow him as he preaches his first sermon, which is a call to repent and believe in him, and so enter into the kingdom of God.#2 The Gospel says, Repent & Believe (14-15)#2 [14] 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.”a. John’s Preparation ministry is done. John is arrested, there he will die…Jesus starts not with John parading him around to the crowds to give him a ministry boost, but with 40 days of wilderness, and soon after John is arrested and leading to death…a. The time is fulfilled in the fullness of time God sent forth his son….born of woman made under the law….Retracing the humble spiritual steps of Israel in our place.b. So how should he start his ministry, Somewhere that doesn’t even appear on Google maps, Galilee, A humble beginnings that slowly marches and spirals into Jerusalem and the cross with every passing year.b. Jesus begins a – proclaiming ministry – the gospel is a declaration of Good news that God kingdom has arrived in Christ Jesus. As we work through the gospel of Mark, we will see that it is a proclamation of good news of what Jesus would do in his life, death, resurrection, and in his ascension to heaven pour out the Spirit on the church.a. This helps us because it clarifies what Jesus was about, his miracles were proof of his identity, his healings were compassionate, driven by love, but ultimately they are designed to show EXTERNAL power and healing that reveals the ultimate INTERNAL need for forgiveness of sin, the need to repent and believe the good news of Jesus as our savior.(1) OC externalized the reality of sin so we could “see it” It is a PICTURE book for children…NC is simplerb. So the good news proclaimed is primary, it is central, it is what we do week in and week out we point to Jesus.c. And we point to full forgiveness of sins….the joy of life and freedom and forgiveness in Jesus. Did you stumble and fell this week? Are you aware of your sin and your need? Remember, if you are looking to Jesus, you are a member of the Kingdom of Jesus – your king has forgiven you because he is the lamb slain, the priest sprinkling cleansing blood on your heart, your conscience, and life, if you have repented and believed the good news of Jesus you are free from the guilt, shame, penalty, and power of sin. Look away from that sin and look to Christ.d. V. 15 again, Repent & Trust –(1) The gospel is not about 5 steps to a better life. It is about a savior who forgives sinners all of their sins, declares us just is if a never sinned before the Lord, and transformed to daily put off the old self on put on the new.(2) Remember the Pharisee & the Tax Collector, God have mercy on me a sinner.(3) The Christian life is one of daily repentance, and renewal in Christ. [PAUSE](4) Who can belong to the kingdom of God? A Certain language, people, kind of person. No EVERYONE from every tribe tongue & nation who bows the knee, I am lost, I am perishing. Save me.e. Remembering that Jesus always keeps proclamation central, “repent & believe is central” what errors does this help us reject???(1) The error that the gospel is activism1. Do not confuse the many good things produced by Jesus, as “The gospel” instead remember it may be the fruit of the gospel or sanctification. OR it may be an error. Be careful if someone call something a “gospel issue” you are allowed to ask, Is it though?(2) The gospel is primarily about miracles & healings, displays of power.1. Signs the spirit always pointed to Christ and what he was going to do. [Road Signs are not the destination](3) Jesus is about doing, not dogmatics1. No every word “man shall not live by bread alone but by every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.2. Jesus lived by the Word, the Truth, the teaching & doctrine of every word of the Father entrusted to him3. His miracles authenticate his compassion for lost and dying sinners but the solution is the gospel. They are the seal of his Prophetic Preaching.[transition] Now What Jesus begins to do is gather the 12 followers who will accompany him for the next 3yrs.#3 We leave all behind and Follow Jesus. (16-20) (This is the main point).[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 [my namesake] 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.Some Thoughts on Following JesusA. The Disciples in the gospel of Marko The Story§ Along the sea of galilee two brothers are fishing, Simon-Peter & Andrew…The less famous brother.· [Flesh out the humanity of them. Fisherman. Sons. Multi-generational homes. Mending nets. Devout]§ Is this the all-star CEO board? They’ll get dinged over and over again as Galileens, ruffians, uneducated, unqualified, but every country in the empire all the way to India credits the 12 apostles with bringing the gospel to them…§ Jesus could just as well has called shepherds, or carpenters, or any number of ordinary men.B. Jesus Speaks – “Follow, me and I will make you fishers of men.”o What does it mean to follow Jesus?o What does it mean to become fishers of men? [take in reverse order]§ Snatching out of the waters, dragging out from the nets of their preaching, rescued from perishing, saving from judgement waters. A complete change of life and location. Being born again. From Darkness to light.§ They did not become TED talkers or life coaches. They swept people from dead spiritual lives, to follow Jesus as they did.o What was their response?o IMMEDIATELY. IMMEDIATELY.§ [Authoritative Call] No fence sitting with Jesus.§ What did the for men immediately leave in order to follow: The four men Left: Jobs, Family, and Left Community.[repeat[oo When Jesus calls priorities changeC. What can we learn about discipleship for ourselves?o You follow Jesus [Jesus is your Savior & God]. He issues a sovereign and kingly call to follow. Follow. Believe. Trust.o If you are trusting in Jesus, what would you do if your family members stopped following Jesus? Stopped worshipping?§ They declared to you a drastic and unbiblical change in morality?§ They pressed you with a job that you know would hinder your relationship with Jesus, your ability to worship and fellowship with God’s people?D. Now I think there aren’t really any hints here that the disciples families are upset at them for following who may be the Messiah….We do,however, hear how Jesus’ family at one point try to bring him back home, to hit pause on his whole ministry… Not because they have left the faith, but they just don’t understand what Jesus is doing.E. The bible is pro family, the commandment to honor your father & mother remains…But v. 16-20 shows that if Man’s Chief End is to glorify & Enjoy God, then when the incarnate son of God says, arise, take up your cross and follow me, then your chief your primary, your highest calling, is to die to self be willing to leave all behind and follow him, to worship him, to learn from him above the world.o Jesus will become their teacher over the next three years.§ The Word of God’s Word his teaching, Over the World and its wisdom.§ [Trump Cards, in card games.]o They are now, disciples, followers…What difficulties do they and we encounter if we stand by Jesus & every word of the bible?o DO you think the disciples were tempted to when the scribes, the pharisees were questioning and attacking Jesus to say, well, well, well…Jesus says, the bible says, this, but the pharisees….they did a study and actually did God really say?…§ Think of that Jesus is going to face opposition…there is a turning point of the disciples dedication ‘you are the Christ in Chapter 8’ …But Jesus was opposed by Religious & Civil authorities during this time…· Should the disciples listen to Jesus? Or should they listen the religious & civil authorities of their day? We are raised to mistrust the pharisees but they were influential they were Hollywood, the New York Times, Harvard, and the Cultural authority of their day.· Jesus or the entire society I grew up in?· Jesus or being cancelled? Jesus or being called not a real Patriot if Twitter is having a weird day…o So when other voices say, follow ME not Jesus.§ We are bound by the voice of Jesus, the voice of Jesus for you is by the Spirit working in his word—Jesus is our shepherd--Follow---and know a disciple follows the whole teaching & counsel of their teacher….In this case Jesus is the Word made flesh he has ultimate calling authority.· To pick and choose some philosophy, morality, or spirituality combined with Jesus is to make a new God. Is Jesus God or not? He is either your chief end or an idol? There is not acceptable in between. That is why jesus immediately teaches us we must be willing to leave job, family, and community for him. [pause].§ So note anytime someone seeks to—stop or shame you for--you being a disciple of Jesus.§ And this can be done a sneaky way, many seek to carve up Jesus’ teaching into “red letter Christianity” they isolate Jesus from the rest of scripture, they twist part of Jesus’ words against himself.o No, the disciples as well as we are bound to not just the Sermon on the Mount, not just Jesus’ summarizing teachings throughout the gospels but to his view of scripture – “it is written” man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God.§ We follow Jesus as he speaks to us from Genesis to Revelation.§ We follow his teaching in every single facet of our life. Discipleship is not just a narrow Sunday morning thing…they left behind jobs, family, community, and sat at the feet of their savior.o Remember the temptations and Jesus’ view of scripture? We allow the word of God to shape us, our loves, our habits, our beliefs, our priorities for our marriages, families, work, human sexuality according to God’s good creation & nature, God’s word demands our generosity, time, our tongues to be wise, the very words & language we use, God’s word decides the people we forgive not your emotions or therapist…F. Jesus decides, The enemies we pray for, turning the other cheek,G. Not just the examples of Jesus that match the vibes and virtue of the dayH. But the whole word of God, the teachings of Jesus that will get your called whatever thought terminating insult of the day is out there.o You, if you are trusting Jesus, for forgiveness of sins, for new life, if you have died to self then you cannot in fear cling to your life’s autonomy apart from Christ.You are now attached to the name of Jesus is by faith he is your savior. The world hated Christ you must be willing for it to denigrate and hate you. Here are some of the name these new disciples will hear Jesus and Jesus’ followers called.I. The Pharisees said Jesus had a demon, that he was a drunkard, that he: This was the Pharisees’ direct response to Jesus casting out demons and healing the blind/mute. It dismissed His power as satanic rather than divine. Matthew 9:34J. They called him A drunkard and a glutton friend of tax collectors and sinners) (Matthew 11:19)K. They called him A blasphemer , triggered especially when He forgave sins or claimed divine authority, and showed mercy on the sabbath (moments where Jesus said, “I and the Father are one”).Or Mark 2:7 (“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”) A deceiver or impostor / one who leads people astray A Samaritan and demon-possessed This is a double whammy A racial slur religious condemnation of “demonic”They failed to interact with hisclaims and his miracles and his authority, they gave the insult. They NEVER contested the miracles or that his teachings were strangely full of authority and power. That he was a Prophet. They refused to deal with the weightiest of matters. Jesus was proclaimed the messiah, the Father’s voice from heaven, the OT prophesies attested to him…But Jesus doesn’t play for partial followers. He acted as the authoritative Son of God who came to save sinners.You cannot be a partial follower of Jesus if you only talk half of him…Arise take up your cross & Follow him!For follower of Jesus, you are baptized into his name, you have the sign of being set apart as holy and clean.You have a savior who suffered temptation, and humiliation in this world broken by sin and misery, you have the holy spirit, the renewing of your mind, the word of God which is living-active and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of your heart. So, you, from a firm foundation, from every holy, inerrant, and inspired word of God must say – I follow the Lord Jesus Christ.…..I dearly hope most your life you will be able to receive from others commendation, praise from unbelieving neighbors for the fruit of the spirit in your life…commendations for being like Jesus—loving and sacrificial, compassionate and humble, merciful and kind, truthful and forgiving. These qualities shape lives that draw others to the Savior. Yet…After his temptations, Satan didn’t have anything nice to say about Jesus….Because of the offense of his authority and for the pharisees the gospel, the offense of pointing out sin, the offense of saying they needed saving.I know naturally in my own flesh, I would love to be able to say, that I have my own life handled, and that nothing anyone else does would ever need an uncomfortable confrontation with truth…Yet What will the fate of these 12 apostles, these disciples be?· First, they will follow Jesus and not get for the longest time who he is.· Second, fleeing from Christ in his greatest moment of suffering in the garden of gethsemane and his trial & crucifixion· Third, Betrayal and apostasy by one of their number· Lastly, Being scared…hiding….But then being comforted. Seeing the resurrected Christ! Their faith restored, leaving all behind once more and going into all the world with…What? The Gospel…verse 14-16 right… 14] 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.”· And they received what? Yes, much joy and church families gathered and planted,· But they were beaten, reviled, and killed…· You live in a context where you are not going to be likely killed for your faith…Though in some cities today I’ve started to see people beaten for being identified as a Christian…· Yet our world today, often is quick-fire labels: bigot, phobic, intolerant, backwards, hateful, judgmental, narrow-minded, and oppressive.o Those are thought terminating slogans.§ They do not want you to remember you follow Jesus, a king who loved you and died for you.Remember the words of Polycarp, from the 2nd century facing death & ridicule “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”§ The world does not want you to remember that God is a good and wise creator who made us, who cares for us, who reveals in NATURE & his word how we should then live….Because that would mean pausing – and seeing the darkness of this world, the need of a Savior….§ If you currently are not sure you are a disciple of Jesus – I beg you the next time you feel that the world is not the way it is meant to be, when your heart, feels guilt and shame, and you want to throw up a shield of moral relativism, and cling to yourself as the final decider of who you are, who you are meant to follow, your heart, your life, your truth…§ Know, you are not your own savior and God, you have a savior, who created you, made you, who loves broken sinners, while they were his enemy§ Jesus would have you leave your very self-sufficient life self-ruled life behind, it does not work, it all falls apart, you are not GOD, you do not decide what is right, you need to flee the darkness, and follow the light of your savior.§ He is the only one that can free you from yourself.· He can free you from the bondage that satan has you in.· He passed the test he overcame the temptations, he overcame the darkness of this world…Satan lost!· Instead regard Jesus this way,1 Peter 3:15In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, [16] having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. [17] For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. (ESV)Will you in your hearts…leave and forsake all and Honor Christ as Holy?· In your heart there is only one throne. Sin must be repented of. The Lord Jesus placed on that throne, and you will have peace with God. You will never fail to have brothers and sisters in Christ,an eternal home, and Christ’s body the church, here on earth.Prayer“Jesus, I my cross have taken, All to leave and follow Thee; Destitute, despised, forsaken, Thou from hence my all shalt be. Perish, every fond ambition, All I’ve sought or hoped or known; Yet how rich is my condition— God and heaven are still my own!”Amen!Benediction This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamesensley.substack.com