2.2.7 1.8.2023 Mark 1.14-28 Jesus Begins Ministry.
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Entice: Many of us learn the basic story of Jesus in Sunday School. Familiar stories, lovingly told by kindly saints. If we were lucky these stories were abundantly illustrated with flannel-graph pictures and detailed maps. As we grow older, we find that story of Jesus is more complicated than those flannel-graph depictions and His expectations for discipleship more demanding.
Engage: In a sense, Mark’s story-telling style rips the scab off. He grabs the band-aid and says, “let’s say it and get all out there.” Have you had a preacher, Sunday school teacher, youth leader, or other mentor who was direct with you about the story of Jesus and the path of discipleship? I hope so. I’ve had people who were good examples and good teachers. We need both positive and corrective direction.
The whole thing, the whole Kingdom project of Jesus begins with His own clear message at the very beginning of His ministry.
Expand: Mark begins telling the tale of the complicated and important work of Jesus’ ministry with three quick (could it be any other way for Mark?) stories.
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.”
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.
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Here we have a summary of His whole work, gathering His first disciples, and the first display of His presence and power. Though we tend to focus on the “miraculous” those who first witnessed this work of Jesus attributed it all to the authoritative power of His message.
Excite: I do not ever want to minimize how difficult the Christian life can be. I also don’t want to oversimplify it. Both approaches produce crippled disciples who are either afraid to fail or unfocused. Once we grasp the nature of the call and how it is linked to and defined by Jesus’ own personal ministry then we can be truly equipped to faithfully follow and serve.
Explore:
Jesus’ message has always been a targeted call to respond to the Kingdom.
Jesus’ message has always been a targeted call to respond to the Kingdom.
Expand: Jesus inaugurates His ministry by issuing three calls to prospective disciples.
Body of Sermon: Jesus first issues a
1 A call to Faith.
1 A call to Faith.
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.”
The message of Jesus is a personal appeal embedded in community.
The message of Jesus is a personal appeal embedded in community.
It speaks to each of us individually, in the company of others. Most of us can recall our call to faith and the context in which it occurred. For most of us the circumstances of this call helps to define our Christian walk from that time forward.
This call to faith, beginning with Jesus’ own proclamation is, realistic and direct. It is not some abstract appeal to be a good or better person. Jesus proclaimed a specific message. We need to consider the…
1.1 Content of Jesus’ message.
1.1 Content of Jesus’ message.
The gospel of God
We need to consider the
1.2 Conditions of Jesus’ message.
1.2 Conditions of Jesus’ message.
1.2.1 The time is right
1.2.2 The Kingdom is near.
And we need to all hear the
1.3 Challenge of Jesus’ message.
1.3 Challenge of Jesus’ message.
1.3.1 Repent.
1.3.2 Believe.
Faith may be the first call we respond to, but it is not the only call. Next Jesus issues
2 A call to Discipleship.
2 A call to Discipleship.
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.
This call to discipleship consists of three distinctive elements first He bids us to
2.1 Follow.
2.1 Follow.
When we really follow Jesus we understand that we will need to
2.2 Forsake.
2.2 Forsake.
Boats, business, family, and employees. They heard the call and left it behind. When we submit in faithful following, forsaking our own wishes and desires we can participate in the ministry promise to
2.3 Fish.
2.3 Fish.
It can seem to be more complex than that. There are obstacles and difficulties along the way. Our initial call to discipleship is realized in simple steps of going after Him, giving up control of our lives, and going forth to bring His good news to others.
A last dimension to this call can be difficult in our culture but Jesus has demonstrated His right to issue…
3 A call to Obedience.
3 A call to Obedience.
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.
22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Jesus establishes His authority through
3.1 Teaching & Instructing.
3.1 Teaching & Instructing.
What He says, what He does is Based upon His personal authority.
Next, Jesus established His authority through
3.2 Divine Action.
3.2 Divine Action.
Demonstrating the obedient submission of destructive demonic powers yielded an
3.3 Expanding Reputation
3.3 Expanding Reputation
This combination of revolutionary message and universal authority was unlike anything in the experience of His first hearers.
Shut Down
What to do! What to do? Jesus was and is someone different than any other previous religious figure.
Even in a land
devoted to religious expression,
dominated by religious leaders,
and
defined by religious heroes
Jesus proclaims an unprecedented message which required a new response. Mark frames this story with a touch of irony couched in the responses of the observers asking pointed questions about Jesus’ authority. It is interesting how few seemed to make the logical leap
“The demons obey Him!
“The demons obey Him!
Perhaps, so should we!”
Perhaps, so should we!”
This is still an issue. Many who resist the idea that Jesus dealt with demons and healed the sick and performed other miracles do not object for the philosophic or naturalistic reasons that give them cover, but because they don’t wish to obey.
It is easier to
dismiss Jesus
if you
diminish Him.
This is not a new development but describes the whole history of proclaiming the Kingdom. It began with Jesus and is still at issue today.
Jesus calls us.
To be faithful.
To follow.
To obey.
The issue is generally not about who Jesus is, but about our reluctance to submit to the authority of His work and words. That is the issue before us 1.8.2023.