Crowd or Crew

In this morning’s message from Mark 3, there are two clear groups of people: the Crowd and the Crew. The crowd is there to see and hear something amazing from Jesus. They want to be healed. They want free food. They are drawn by his popularity and the crowds. Then there are those who become part of the crew. They are the inner circle of friends called by Jesus to be his followers. As you hear God’s Word this morning I want you to be asking yourself the question: Am I still in the crowd or part of the crew?

We are continuing our sermon series from the Gospel of Mark titled The Crown & The Cross.

Jesus is presented as a man of decisive action with a clear message and mission, and the reader is called to actively response to the message.

Mark divides Jesus’ life into two parts: his identity as Messiah and King over all things in chapters 1-8a (the crown) and then we see His purpose in suffering and dying on the cross in chapters 8b-16.

Pray

READ Mark 3:7-12

Mark 3:7–12 ESV

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

Map

People were coming from everywhere to hear Jesus and hoping to be healed. There were many with physical illnesses and there were also those possessed by demons.

Back in Mark chapter 1, we read thousands of people came to hear John the Baptist from Judea and Jerusalem and now people are coming out from even farther and wider to hear Jesus. “A large crowd” possibly tens of thousands gathered from all over - not only from Galilee but from Judea (including Jerusalem), from Idumea 120 miles due south, from points east of the Jordan, and from Tyre and Sidon fifty miles to the north. People were traveling for days to see and hear Jesus.

This wasn't just a Jewish crowd there were many gentiles too. Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem were principally Jewish territories; Idumea and Transjordan were mixed Jewish-Gentile regions; and Tyre and Sidon were mostly Gentile regions. Like Isaiah’s portrayal of the Servant of the Lord, Mark’s description of Jesus’ wide circle of influence names him as a “light for the Gentiles” (Isa 49:6).

The Crowd

Jesus was being pressured by the huge volume of people so he told his disciples to have a boat ready just in case he needed to make a quick escape. This is like saying leave the motor running! He was physically in danger of being mobbed. The sick were trying to touch him and be healed and the demon possessed were falling at his feet screaming out “You are the Son of God.” There was an ancient belief that naming and stating the name of a spiritual being out loud made that spirit obey you. Of course we know the demons were powerless in the presence of Jesus and he ordered them to stop shouting. It’s also likely that he wanted his miracles and his message of the Gospel to proclaim his mission as Messiah and Son of God - not the screaming of evil spirits.

Do you ever feel pressured by the people around you? By the things they want you to do for them? By all the things you think you have to do? By the things you want to do but don’t seem able to accomplish? Jesus knows and understands your pressure. He cares about what you are doing and how you respond to the pressure? Are you choosing to glorify God? That doesn’t always mean giving everything what they ask for.

So under this enormous physical, emotional, and spiritual pressure, what does Jesus do?

READ

Mark 3:13–19 ESV

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus did three important things. If you are his disciple and want to learn from Him and live as he did they are three things that are important for you too.

1. He got away from it all

He went up to the mountain. He left the crowds. The people clamoring for him. The people who wanted something from him. Even though his mission included preaching and caring for the people, Jesus made time to be alone with God, His father. We will see that many times in the Gospels.

Do you make time to be alone with God? Without the TV on or music or other people. Just you and God. In doesn’t have to be hours, but it’s an important part of the Christian’s life. Listening to God involves reading His word. That’s how he talks to us. When life is a deafening roar around you, you need to get away to hear His quiet voice.

2. He prayed.

Luke 6:12 a parallel passage that tells of this same account, says “He went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.”

If you care about the people around you, you will spend time praying for them. You will spend time praying for God’s wisdom, strength, and courage to love them and serve them. One of our church core values is the power of prayer. We have a weekly prayer meeting. We pray together at growth groups. And we encourage everyone to spend time alone in prayer too. If you are a newer believer or if you are not sure what prayer is supposed to look like, come join us or pick up the brochure about prayer at the Welcome Center. There is also a weekly prayer sheet with specific people to pray for.

3. He shared the ministry.

Even though he was the Son of God, he needed to spend time alone with God and he needed to spend time in prayer with God. He also needed the fellowship and friendship of others. Jesus called twelve men to be his close friends, his disciples, so they could share in ministry with Jesus. He needed others to accomplish his mission. Pastor’s can easily become isolated by trying to be lone rangers and doing ministry all by themselves. That’s a sure way to become burned out and ineffective.

The passage Bradley read for us early in Ephesians 4:10-12 says the pastors and teachers are meant to equip the saints for the work of the ministry to build up the body of Christ. If you are part of this church, you should be doing some part of the work of the church. Period. Every member is like a part of the body doing its own task. Where are you serving? How are you sharing your spiritual gifts and talents? If you don’t know what to do or where to serve - please fill out the Share insert in your bulletin. TAKE IT OUT and FILL IT OUT!

Crew

Jesus “called to him those he wanted.” Jesus determines the call. Disciples do not decide to follow Jesus and do him a favor; rather, his call goes above our own wills or plans. The society into which he calls them is determined not by their preferences but by his call. Its members have nothing in common except his sovereign call, apart from that - the community cannot exist. As we noted at 1:16–20, the start of the church is already beginning in the call of apprentice followers - to form a new community around Jesus. That’s us the church! A crew called to work together serving the same Lord and Savior. A family to belong to.

The simple phrase “to be with him” in verse 14 has huge significance in the Gospel of Mark. Discipleship is a relationship before it is a task, a “who” before a “what.” If, as Gen 3:4–5 indicates, the essence of sin is substituting a false god for the true God, being with Jesus becomes the way of forsaking human idols and honoring the true God, thus recovering the image of God (Gen 1:26–27).

To be with Jesus is the most profound mystery of discipleship. From now on his person and his work shape the very existence of the Twelve. The second purpose of the call is to be “sent.” In Greek the verbal form of the word for “apostle” (apostolos) means “commissioned” or “sent with a specific purpose.” The emphasis in Mark is not on designating a special category of super-followers (the apostles) who are distinct from other followers (disciples). This is demonstrated by the word “apostle” occuring only once for certain in Mark 6:30, while the word “disciple/s” occurs forty-five times.

As Mark names the twelve Apostles, he gives us some of their more personal nick names too.

Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter). In all four listings of apostles, Peter is named first. Peter was anything but “rock-like” in the Gospels. But Peter became the rock of the church in Acts as his preaching won a multitude of converts to the new faith.

James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder). John was a follower of John the Baptist, the author of the Gospel that bears his name, three letters, and Revelation. He was called the “beloved disciple” in the Gospel of John. He is generally considered to have been a teenager when following Jesus.

John, James, and Peter formed the inner circle of apostles among the Twelve. Sons of Thunder may have been a description of the fiery temperaments of these men.

Andrew also had contact with the boy who had the five loaves of bread and two fish (John 6:8–9). Andrew was first a follower of John the Baptist, and he was Simon Peter’s brother.

Philip was also an early evangelist. He immediately told his friend Nathaniel about Jesus.

Bartholomew (Nathaniel) is not listed anywhere outside the Gospels. Because of his association with Philip, most scholars believe that Nathaniel and Bartholomew were the same person.

Matthew is the Levi we me in chapter 2. He was a tax collector - as we discussed before - a job hated by most people.

Thomas is called “the twin” or is known as “doubting Thomas” because of his questioning of the other apostles about the resurrection of Jesus. Thomas, though, is also the apostle who was willing to die with Jesus.

James son of Alphaeus. It is probable that this James is identical to “James, the younger” in Mark 15:40. His mother, Mary, was present at the cross, and she was one of the women who cared for Jesus’ needs.

Thaddaeus (Judas) is mentioned in Mark and Matthew, but he is not mentioned in other lists. Instead, “Judas, son of James,” or “Judas not Iscariot” is mentioned. These are probably the same man.

Simon the Zealot. The Zealots were religious extremists who desired the overthrow of Rome. They would use any means to accomplish this purpose. It was amazing that Simon the Zealot and Levi the tax collector were part of the same family as followers of Jesus because they were miles apart in their political convictions. As a tax collector, Levi was accustomed to Roman rule and in fact profited from it while the Zealots wanted nothing to do with the Romans and wanted to forcibly overthrow Rome.

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Iscariot, literally translated, means “man from Kerioth,” a town in Judah, although Stock believes that it derived from ish sakariot, meaning the man in charge of payments. This would fit Judas’s occupation as treasurer among the apostles (Stock, Method and Message, p. 125). He was the only apostle who was not from Galilee.

This group of twelve very different men became Jesus’ crew. They were not the most likely candidates. Probably not the ones we would choose to be pastors or deacons today. They were not highly educated, they were not highly cultured, they often argued and disagreed with each other. And they usually did not understand what Jesus said when He preached to the crowds. He needed to explain the parables and many of His lessons - breaking them down in simple and clear terms for them. But after praying and spending time with God the Father, Jesus knew these were the twelve men to spend time with and share in his ministry.

The calling of the twelve apostles represents the great need we have for companionship with other believers. There were many people crowding around Jesus, begging him to touch them, to heal them. The twelve apostles were the close friends whom Jesus could teach at a deeper level and, at times, even draw some measure of strength from them.

READ Mark 3:20-21

Mark 3:20–21 ESV

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Jesus’ family intrudes to round him up, not to rally around him. They are intent on silencing him, presumably to squelch any further unwanted attention from the populace or the authorities. They may be spurred by the noble but misguided desire to protect him from danger or, less nobly, to salvage the family reputation.

The story about Jesus’ physically born family redefines who makes up his real family. Jesus’ true family consists of those who respond positively to him rather than those who are physically related to him. This also suggests that being a part of Jesus’ family (being a disciple) may require adjusting or even severing relationships with an earthly family.

Summary

Jesus calls us. We don't choose him.

Disciples have to come to him - ready to make a commitment

Take Away

Are you part of the crowd or in the crew?

Desire for popular speakers

Want something - money, healing, etc.

Jesus is the only way to know God. He holds exclusive truth, forgiveness and salvation

Take Away

Are you committed to preach and serve others in Jesus’ name?

The crowds wanted something from Jesus, the crew were ready to serve represent and serve in Jesus name.

Benediction

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

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