Will you follow Jesus?

Intro: At this point in the life of Jesus, about a year has past since the baptism, and His 40 days in the wilderness.

Somethings that happened covered in other gospels.

First miracle. Some of the disciples were there.

He had cleaned the Temple. (Some of the disciples were there)

Jesus had a conversation with Nicodemus.

JTB the Baptist had been arrested.

Home work

I. Proclaiming the Kingdom. VS 14-15

Mark 1:14 KJV 1900

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Galilee was the most northern part. Nazareth Jesus home town of a part of Galilee.

Jesus preaches of the Kingdom of God.

Jesus preaches of the Kingdom of God.

a. The Kingdom of God. Not going to spend a lot of time on this. There be plenty of time as we go through Mark. Plus, there is lot of studying to be done on this subject.

b. KOG in mentioned over 100 times 15 different books of the N.T.

c. If God said it one time it is important, if He said it over a 100 times in 15 books of the N.T, we need to pay attention to it.

d. A lot of times we think of the KOG as heaven, but it is much more than that.

Definition: Vance Pitman, Jax pastors conf.

“Gods sovereign activity in the world, resulting in people in right relationship with Himself”

“It is the big picture of what God is doing in the world”

Turn to . Jesus last 40 days on this earth, He spoke of the Kingdom of God.

Acts 1:3 KJV 1900

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Acts 28:30–31 KJV 1900

30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, 31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Acts 28:

a. The books of Acts starts with Jesus in His last days on this earth, KOG

b. The book of Acts ends with Paul, KOG.

c. Jesus and Paul were saying, Don’t forget the Kingdom of God.

John 3:3 KJV 1900

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:

d. What we are doing, Elab. Is part of the Kingdom of God.

Mark 1:15 KJV 1900

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

“The time is fulfilled”

The time, the appointed time is fulfilled.

a. The time that the Jews had been waiting on, the time that was spoken of throughout the O.T. Prophecy had been fulfilled, was even being fulfilled, and would continue to be fulfilled.

“The Kingdom of God is at hand”

For the Jews, the Messiah, and the Kingdom was a ruler on earth. Overthrow the Roman oppression.

a. Jesus would preach, the only why for the Kingdom of God was the cross.

“repent ye, and believe the gospel”

b. JTB had preached that. But now it was time for Jesus ministry, JTB had preached that too.

John 3:30 KJV 1900

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

c. Elab may have happened if John would continued to preach.

d.JTB preached the gospel, but Jesus was the gospel.

e. Jesus only be o earth for a short time. He would teach the men that would preach the gospel after He left.

f. It is up to us now to reach the lost with the gospel.

II. Workers of the Kingdom. VS 16-20

Mark 1:16 KJV 1900

16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

The Sea of Galilee 140 miles long, 23 miles wide north end, 80 miles wide south end

Jesus ready to call these men to full time service with Him. They had spent some time with Him, but were back fishing.

1. Jesus was ready to call these men to full time service with Him. They had spent some time with Him, but were back fishing.

a. Now it was time to get busy, it was time for them to make a full time commitment to follow Jesus. They had gotten their feet wet, now it was time to dive in.

commitment

b. Not everyone is called to do full time ministry as a job. But it may be time to do more. Time to be more of a follower.

2. He call His first 4. He called ordinary men, fishermen. Hard workers.

a. Abraham Lincoln “God prefers common people, that’s way He made so many of them”

b. God works with ordinary, common people, people who are willing to turn their lives and ambitions over to Jesus and allow Him to work through them.

“I can do all things through Christ....”

c. These men were going to see first hand the work if the Messiah.

d. As Jesus is walking by the shore line He see;s Simon, (Peter). Everyone saw Peter, or at least heard him.

e. He was the center of the crowd, always in action. 1st at bat. In the gospels we read more about Peter Andrew.

f. Andrew is known as Peters brother. But it was Andrew that bought Peter to Jesus.

g. It was Andrew that brought the little boys lunch to Jesus that Jesus fed the 5000 men plus women and children.

h. Andrew may have been looked over by some, but not by Jesus.

j. Andrew may not have as well known, and got as much recognition as Peter in the gospels, but Jesus took note of what he did.

g. Andrew may have been looked over by some, but not by Jesus.

k. It seems like when it comes to churches that do great things. It always the big churches that get the recognition.

l. The churches that send a mission team overseas get more recognition then the small church buys some cookies for a school.

j. The church that collects 1200’s of shoes boxes may have a story written about them, but not the church with 20 boxes, that was given by people who had to sacrifice to do so.

k. The small church may get overlooked by some, but if we are being faithful to Jesus, He knows, and that is what matter.

Mark 1:17 KJV 1900

17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

“Come after me” “Follow me”

Matthew 4:19 KJV 1900

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew

1. Just a few words, but that is all it took. JTB preached about the Messiah, they had spent some time with Him, but now it was about to get serious.

“I will make you to become fishers of men”

you yo become fishers of men”

“Follow me” Not some religious ways, not some trend of the day. Not your own opinion, but follow Jesus.

2. We are useless unless Jesus makes us something, you, me and PGBC.

a. When it comes to followers of Jesus, no one is self made. The only one that can make something out of our lives is Jesus.

3. When Jesus called them he spoke with words they could understand. “I will make you fishers of men”

a. Not I will make you pastors, bishops, deacons, apostles, but “fishers of men” labors for the harvest. Follower.

Mark 1:18 KJV 1900

18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

b.

“Straightway” Jesus follow me, and they followed Him.

a. Forsook, left their nets.

b. They turned away from their occupation, their business, their means of making a living. They wanted more in their lives then money and doing a job.

c. Pastor Bronson: He was pastor in Turkey for 8 years. He has spent the past 2 years in a turkey prison sentienced to 35 years. He was just released.

d. He was interviewed on the news. He was, why did you go to Turkey? Answer. Their very few Christians there.

e. He was asked: Was it worth it? His answer, Yes.

f. I’m not saying you have to pack up and leave everything to follow Jesus. But you still have to follow Jesus.

Mark 1:19–20 KJV 1900

19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

g.

James and John. The Sons of Zebedee. Jesus would call them “Sons of thunder” (later in Mark)

a. Zebedee was a good business man, he had hired servants. His sons has been talking about Jesus, I don’t think it was a surprise to see them follow Jesus.

a. James would be the first of the disciples to die a martyrs death.

b. John would be the last to die.

c. They were hard working men, (mending their nets) but now it was time to go.

Mark 1:20

Mark 1:20 KJV 1900

20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

Matthew 4:22 KJV 1900

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

Matthew

No hesitation. We don’t see any hesitation from Zebedee.

a. The first 4 are called, Jesus called fishermen to be a part of something great.

“The Kingdom of God is at hand”

b. He wanted followers he could teach. He wanted ordinary people.

c. That is what He wants from us. People who are willing to follow Him, people who are willing to learn. Just ordinary people.