Jesus Calls His First Disciples

I. Introduction

You know there’s no better place to start than at the beginning....and there’s no better specific topic in the Bible to study than Jesus Himself....so that is exactly what we are going to do this week and for the many subsequent weeks hereafter.

This week, I’m going to begin a series on the life of Jesus....this is going to require some moving around throughout the Gospels a bit, but that is perfectly alright as long as we always establish context....which I will be sure to do each week. Now, as we came into the new year, we covered the birth of Jesus back around Christmastime, which is always appropriate. Then, we began with John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus.

Now this week, we are going to move ahead in Mark’s Gospel and we are going to discuss when Jesus called his very first disciples.

a. Scripture: Mark 1:16-20

I’m going to ask you to stand with me, if you are able, as we read from God’s Holy, Perfect, Sufficient and inerrant Word.

<Pray>

Thank you, and you may be seated.

II. Major Points

Jesus Calls ALL

Respond with Jesus as the Priority

III. Point #1: Jesus Calls ALL

Explanation

Jesus was already in Galillee and had been there for other things. A short time before this, He had encountered John the Baptist and had John the Baptist baptize Him. This was a very special spiritual experience and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and began His public ministry here on earth. Now Jesus is in Galilee and walking along the shoreline and he encounters a set of Brothers named Simon and Andrew. This is the same Simon that will be called Peter....They were fishermen. And, they were likely in their boats working hard.

Now understand, being a fisherman in those days was not like being a fisherman today. Today, people go out on expensive boats with expensive rigs and pull in hundred-pound tuna and halibut. In the North, they set traps for expensive lobster and king crab. It takes a rich man to finance these fishing excursions and most of the time, the owner is not the one doing the work even today. Fishing life has been glamorized by shows like deadliest Catch and Wicked Tuna....

But fishing was extremely hard work in Simon Peter’s dad. Nets were cast out into the water by hand…and when they were filled, they were pulled back into the boat by hand....today fishermen pull in nets with powerful engine-powered wenches. Don’t get me wrong, it is still hard work, especially fishing in the firdged Alaskan air as so many do....but then, it was totally man-powered back-breaking work from sun up until sundown. Though the fishing industry was lucrative…the average worker working on a fishing boat made very little in a day’s wages. Therefore the type of men who were fishermen were usually uneducated....they were rough men....prone to drink and fight. Their lives were rough....and they were considered simple people.

Illustration

I’m reminded of a man from the opposite experience that Jesus called. If he were to ever see or hear this sermon, I hope he wouldn’t mind me telling this story....but he was a Doctor of Chiropractic near Savannah, GA. Several years ago when Hannah and I lived near Claxton, I woke up one day with a pain in my neck so severe that I couldn’t turn my head to the right or to the left. It was excruciating. I had never been to a chiropractor before, but I was desperate. It was on a Monday or Tuesday....early in the week. I called a local chiropractor in Metter, but he had no openings....he said the earliest he could see me was a week later. I was extremely upset....every day I drove to work with tears in my eyes all the way to Metter. Finally, that following Saturday, I woke up and had absolutely had it. I posted something on facebook and an old friend reached out recommending a place that was open on Saturdays. I called my mama and she came and got me and drove me to Pooler to the place. When I walked in, they took me back to see a chiropractor named Dr. Craig Fennell. He was super gentle with me but after examining me, he informed me that the C4 vertebrae in my neck was severely out of place. He told me he could fix it very quickly with an adjustment, but only if I could handle the pain....I told him please, go for it. At that moment he twisted my neck and it popped so loud I bet they heard it in the parking lot.....immediately…and I mean IMMEDIATELY, my neck felt better. It was sore for a couple of days....but it was fixed. I was so grateful....later hannah had some back troubles and he fixed those....

Finally, we visited for a regular adjustment, and Dr. Fennell told me...”Vic I have to tell you something…I’m leaving.” I said what? Leaving Savannah? He said “no....leaving chiropractic for good”....I was shocked....He was so good…and had such a great bedside manner....and he fixed me and my wife when we were in severe pain....and I had no doubt he was making a handsome living....and he’s quitting! I was like “for what??? What could you possibly do that’s better than this, doc?” He said “I have accepted a position as an associate pastor at my church....”

Wow....

Ya’ll…getting through chiropractic school is no easy accomplishment....and this man went through all that and gave up that life....because he felt called....and today he is still an Associate Pastor at Community Bible Church in Savannah.

Application

Church, listen to me....it doesn’t matter if you are a sweaty old fisherman without a lick of education.....or a dirty old shepherd in the desert like the ones the angels revealed the birth of Christ to first.....or a great religious leader like Nicodemus.....or a great religious persecutor like Paul......or a well-educated doctor like Dr. Fennell....God has put a call on ALL of us. He doesn’t prefer the wealthy and educated....nor does he prefer the poor and uneducated....we all have a place at the table and we all have gifts intended to serve Him and spread the Gospel of Jesus.

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, he wasn’t finished....he continued to call more fisherman....he came upon James and John Zebedee and called them as well. I mean this couldn’t have looked good to other rabbis. Jewish teachers or Rabbis selected the best of the best to follow them and be their disciples. They picked the intellectuals and the conformists only....those that could be molded to be leaders just as they were…like carbon copies.

Here these men are....totally out of the mold....non-conformists. Revolutionaries.....common folks.

Listen folks....Jesus calls the tall, the small, the little, the big, the smart, the fool, the underachievers, and the workaholics all alike....He expects all of us to hear His call.....and to respond.

And you say “well not me”.....yes He’s calling YOU too…not just to salvation and to be saved from your sin but also to serve Him....

And how should we respond? That brings us to point number 2:

IV. Point #2: Respond with Jesus as the Priority

Explanation

Now it is important to remember that this was not the first time that Simon Peter and Andrew had met Jesus. They had spent time with him…so they knew who Jesus was. I think that some people are under the impression that we are expected to just follow Jesus blindly....and that’s not true. These boys weren’t blind. They had met Him…they knew about him.

In addition, they had been prepared. You see Andrew as well as James and John Zebedee had been followers of John the Baptist. This much is certain…and though it doesn’t say so, since his brother had been, Simon Peter MAY have been a disciple of John the Baptist as well. It doesn’t say....but the brothers were close and they worked together, so it is possible. Either way....these guys had spent a lot of time with John the Baptizer…and he had been preaching that Jesus was coming long before He came....so when He did come…and John Baptized Him…it officially anointed Jesus as the Savior....so they KNEW exactly who Jesus was.

So they believed....understand this. Even without the miracles…they knew Jesus. They believed....but Jesus didn’t look at them and say “believe”.....they believed. He looked at them and asked for more....he said “follow me.”

Illustration

I know that you all remember the trauma we all felt after September 11, 2001. We felt vulnerable....fearful. We had been trained to think that we were invincible here in the United States....that we were somehow untouchable. But…we found out, with resounding confirmation, that that simply wasn’t true. We bleed here in America too. The Enemy celebrated that day. Not just Al Qaeda and all the evil people of the world, but Satan Himself celebrated that day. For every tear we cried, he laughed. For every fear we had he cheered....and for every moment if dread, he celebrated. It was a confusing and scary time. We struggled to find out who were anymore...

But then something remarkable happened....instead of turning on each other and fighting about what to do…this country rallied together and picked up the pieces and moved on.

Did you know, that in the days that followed 9/11 181,510 Americans enlisted in the armed forces? An additional 72,908 joined the army reserves. In fact, records show that more people enlisted in the armed services in the year 2001 than any other year since then.

I know of men and women who put their college plans on hold as they joined the military to protect our country.

You see, our people responded by making the right things a priority.

Application

Church: We don’t respond to Jesus by just believing....you see, if you make Jesus THE priority in your life (notice “the,” not “a”) then He will be number 1. As Jesus began calling His disciples, he didn’t say “believe in me...” Instead he said “follow Me.” This requires action. Believing requires no action, but if you truly believe then your actions will follow your belief. The Bible speaks of it as “bearing fruit”....it means if you are connected to the vine (Jesus) your fruit will show that.

V. Conclusion

a. Let me ask you this morning: What does YOUR fruit look like? Has Jesus become your priority? What would you do if Jesus looked right at you and said “follow me.”......what would you do? You say “well preacher, if He was that direct, I reckon I would follow Him.”....well let tell you something: he definitely HAS directly called you.

If you want to be His, He doesn’t just want believers....He wants followers....that means worshippers…students....workers in the field....servants.....just like He called the Twelve to be....

So if you tell me He is your priority....make him that. Show Him....go BE His priority. Take up your cross daily…and follow Him

b. Let’s Pray