Who or what matters to you - Bible study

Who or What matters To You?

Bargains or Values: What are you shopping For?

Mark 1:14-20

When Jesus got ready to go out and invite people to follow him, he found 4 men who had already become acquainted with him and his ministry.  In this passage we are going to look at this morning as Jesus called them to follow him he was very clear right up front as to what his agenda for them was.

He said to them, I want you to follow me and when you follow me I’m going to turn you into something you’re not already.  What Jesus told them he was going to make them probably confused them more than anything else.  In fact he promised to make them something that they really weren’t interested in becoming.  What we’re going to find out is that Jesus’ agenda for them, is the same agenda for us today.  And just like it was for those first 4 guys it will be a little confusing, and actually a little intimidating for us as well.

But make no mistake about it, Jesus has a message for us today…I want you to follow me, and when you follow me I’m going to make you something you’re not already.

Jesus makes a Promise to the Disciples (Vs. 16)

·       Jesus saw them casting their net… They were doing what they were supposed to be doing.

-      Why do you think it was important to the Lord that he saw Peter and his brother doing what they were supposed to do?

-      In your opinion why do we struggle doing the things we should when we feel that no one is watching?

-      In all likelihood Peter and Andrew did not fully understand what it meant to become a fisher of men.  Can you name a time in your life you felt God wanting you to do something or be obedient to him when it didn’t make sense? 

-      What was it like doing something you in which you could not predict the outcome? 

Jesus tells them in Vs 17, I’m going to make you

-      What is the difference between transformation and reformation?

-      Which do you think would have more lasting results and why?

They accepted his offer

-      According to Vs. 18 what two actions did Peter and Andrew take?

-      The word forsake means to yield up, to leave, to separate from.  What currently in your life would you be willing to separate from in order to follow Jesus more closely?

-      The word follow means joint participation, walking side by side, to never be alone.  How does that definition differ from the opinion of most people about what it means to follow Jesus?

-      How does the meaning of following Jesus change the way we look at potential struggles with separating from things that could hinder our walk with Jesus?

Jesus fulfilled his Promise

-      Before this lesson did you consider how important it was to be a fisher of men?

-      What do you think it looks life in your life to be a fisher of men?

-      Out of all the things Jesus could do in our life, why do you think he chose to make us fishers of men?

Fishing Brings purpose and value to our lives

Life is about more than the Temporary

-      How would your prayer life change if you prayed about more than just what happens between birth and death?

-      Name some of the experiences, struggles, successes, and circumstances in your life that you think God might use in order for you to have an impact on someone’s faith?

On 8 separate occasions in Jesus Ministry the gospel writers specifically mention that Jesus felt compassion on the crowds.

Jesus cared about people and because people mattered to Jesus, they would matter to the disciples.  The same is true for us…because Jesus cares about the spiritual condition of people we should care.

Valuing People Is Difficult

They valued agenda’s more than people  Mk 5:31

-      Name some occasions in which you were more interested in completing a task or getting to a destination more than you were about meeting someone’s need.

-      How could you avoid making the same mistake this week?

They valued Convenience over people (Mrk 6:34)

-      Name several occasions in which you have excused yourself from meeting a need in someone’s life because it was inconvenient to do so.

-      If you were faced with the same situations this week how could you respond differently?

They Valued Pride over people Matthew 15:23

-      Name some of the irritating people in your life?  Name an occasion when you could have met a need and didn’t.

-      Name something you’ve learned from this lesson that could change your response to them this week.

They Valued significance over people

-      Name some times in your life that you have dismissed someone or an opportunity to meet a need in someone’s life as being insignificant.

-      Do you think that God can use what seems to be insignificant gestures on our part to be a significant blessing to others?

-      What are some seemingly insignificant ways in which we could make an impact or meet a need in a person’s life this week?

Are you willing to value people that seem insignificant, who are irritating, who pose an inconvenience,  or who are interruptions in your life?

Are you more concerned about your agenda, your convenience, your reputation, or your self-importance than you are about people?

Jesus has called us to follow him – and followers’ fish. 

Do you value people enough to fish?

Are you willing to let God take the mundane in your life and turn it into fish bait?

A Next Step:

Write out a prayer to the Lord asking him to take the things you’ve learned from this lesson and use you this week to be a fisher of men.  Be specific as you write it out.

Here’s some potential next steps for you to take this week:

Memorize Mark 1:17

Make a list of 3 people in your life that God wants you to fish for?

Pray each day that at some point this week God will use you in a person’s life to bring them one step closer to Jesus.

One Final Step:

This week as God begins to work through your life to impact others, send an email sharing what God is doing to: greg.doebler@crosspointjonesborough.org.