The Gospel According To Mark (Part 7)

The Gospel According to Mark

(Part 7)

Good Morning and Welcome to Jesus Church

 Today we pick back up into the Life & Ministry of Jesus according to Mark

• A little review from where we’ve been so far
  • We know Mark is written from the perspective of Peter
  • Mark’s Gospel is very straight to the point… no fluff
  • Main idea of Jesus ministry is “repent, kingdom of God is here”
• And we left off with 2 weeks study on this Kingdom Jesus talks about
  • This Kingdom Jesus talks about can be very confusing
  • Because it’s here but its not yet
    • Meaning Jesus brought the kingdom with him
    • But until the king comes back… kingdom won’t be complete
    • When day comes – Anything not aligned w/ God will be gone

So today we pick up the actual story of Jesus starting his ministry

• Here is a map of the Northern region of Ancient Israel (MAP)
  • Right in the center is the Sea of Galilee (7 miles x 13 miles)
  • Filled with crisp clean water and tons of fish
  • They actually call them Peter Fish now (Pic 1 – Fish)
• Jesus grows up a few miles southwest in a town called NazaretH
  • Jesus’ town probably had a couple 100 people in it
  • Jesus was a TECHTON: Translate carpenter but more stone worker
    • Because there was little to no trees where he lived
    • Everything is made of basalt lava rock (Pic 2 – Manger)
• More like a construction worker than the pictures we usually see
  • Think of Jesus as STRONG, TOUGH, following it his dad’s family biz
  • And after 3 DECADES… think of that – God was on earth 30 years
    • And we didn’t have a clue
  • But after 3 decades Jesus comes preaching of the Kingdom of God
    • And that God has come near
    • What all time and history has been building to – finally here
    • The promise to defeat sin and find a solution to death came

1st thing Jesus does is calling His disciples

Because Jesus needs to build a nucleus that will establish the new Israel

• Now you’d think Jesus would go for the best of the best (Ivy League)
  • If you are gonna change the world… you need the fire power
  • The well trained – influential people of power
• And the obvious place to find these people was only 5 miles away
  • There was a magnificent city called Scythopolis (Pic 3)
  • It was known throughout Roman Empire – Military/Cultural Hub
    • Amphitheater there could seat 7000 people (Pic 4)
    • There was a University here… multiple temples (Pic 5)
• It was THEE place to be… But is this where Jesus calls the disciples
  • No – He goes to north part of Galilee called the triangle (MAP)
  • Bethsaida (fishing village of 600 people) 5 disciples
    • Peter/Andrew/James/John/Phillip

• • Chorazin (1500 people with well known synagogue)
  • Capernaum – which became Jesus home base (Pic 6)

• This triangle was a religious hotbed for Judaism
  • People came from all over to be a disciple of a famous rabbi
  • And this is where Jesus starts his ministry

Mark 1:16

And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

• Fishing might not seem a great profession – actually a great living
  • Historian Josephus writes there were 300 boats/16 ports
  • Everything was named after fishing (Magdaline – Fish Tower)
  • And fresh water fish was considered a delicacy
  • So it was shipped all over the Mediterranean and even the world
    • So Simon & Andrew have a great thing going

Mark 1:17

“Follow me” (can be translated – Come and be my disciple)

• Disciple: Talmeed (Heb) means follower, learner, student, apprentice
  • Jesus is saying come join me, follow me, learn from me
  • And…

… I will make you fishers of men

• Now that isn’t just a cliché or catchy bumper sticker
  • It was a saying used all over Greko world for “GREAT TEACHERS”
  • B/C you would capture peoples minds and draw them to you
  • Simon… Andrew follow me and the world will follow you
    • And this sounded way more fun than what they did

Mark 1:18 (Which is why right away it says…)

They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Mark 1:19

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee (find out later are kinda in business with Peter & Andrew), and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

• And this was a huge deal… business was passed down father – son
  • And that could be 100’s of years
  • And the business is mooning… hired servants/money/well off
  • Yet Jesus calls and they drop dad and follow Jesus into unknown

What would make these 4 guys drop everything to follow a stranger

• Imagine in your in assembly line at Amazon
  • Stranger walks in and bosses you around to follow him
  • And you put down your packing tape and walk out
• Or you’re at your construction sight
  • Jesus comes up and says follow me and you’ll construct people
  • Take off hard hat & reflective yellow vest and don’t even clock out
• What would make 4 grown men walk out on their livelihood/security

To understand I need to talk for 3 minutes on ancient Jewish education

• In Jesus day: There were 3 levels of education for Jews
  • 1: Beit Sepher – Grade school – Text was Torah
    • Memorize Gen-Deut: And this was all done by age 12
    • Most kids stopped (Female married by 13 / Male took trade)

• 2: Beit Talmud (house of learning) – School for elite men
  • Learn from Rabbi/Pharisee
  • Memorize the entire Old Testament by 14 years old
  • After that you would be done and join family business

• 3: Discipleship – This was the top .001% of kids
  • Search for a Rabbi and follow him around
  • He would start to grill you with question on what you know
  • If he thought you had it… at some point he would say
    • “Follow me”

• If that happened (rare) your goal as disciple was to do 3 things
  • First: Learn ur Rabbi’s “YOKE” – His teachings/interpretation
    • Remember when Jesus says take my Yoke on your shoulders
    • That’s what this is talking about

• • Second: Become like your Rabbi – Copy everything he did
    • Why does Peter get out on the water in the storm
    • His goal was to be just like his Rabbi
    • Peter was willing to drown to be like his Rabbi (commitment)

• • Third: Carry on your Rabbi’s work and teachings to the world
    • Once you were ready and trained
    • It was time for you to go and carry on the teaching
    • Go and make more disciples

What’s crazy about story – None of 4 are best of best

 We know because they were at home fishing with dad

• Meaning they for sure didn’t make the school cut after round 1
  • So these were just middle of the road people
  • Jesus comes to them and says “follow me”
  • That would have blown peoples minds – Rabbis didn’t asked that
• But Jesus looks at these 4… He says “I believe in you”
  • Have you ever had someone that’s just in your corner
  • Believes so much in you – Gives you all confidence in the world

Remember interning at a church in Olypmia, Wa right after highschool

• Very intense discipleship program
  • I was supposed to speak at this outreach event
  • Beyond nervous… really first time speaking at something like that
  • Pastor walked by me and asked if I was ready
    • And he stopped me and said “I believe I you”
    • “… wouldn’t have asked you to do this if I didn’t”
• But maybe you haven’t had that experience… had the opposite
  • Maybe you’ve been called a failure your whole life
  • Maybe you’ve never been good enough for your dad

But reality is your God who created – He believes in you

• Amazing movie: Count of Monte Christo
  • Scene where the Count loses his faith in God (while in prison)
  • Says “I don’t believe in God anymore”
  • And his friend looks and says – Ya but God still believes in you
    • And that’s the turning point to his life
• Don’t misunderstand… Isn’t a quick self-help boost – You’re a winner
  • But what we know is true
    • Jesus believes in God’s call on your life
    • Jesus believes you have been created by God with purpose
    • Jesus believes w/ S. you are capable of powerful things
      • To the point that he believes you can become like Him
• Line in John’s Gospel: You did not choose me – I chose you
  • And called you that you should go and bare good fruit
  • In God’s upside down kingdom he does not play by our rules
  • He seeks out the average… and he believes in every one of you

So what’s it mean – Be disciple of Jesus in world today

Don’t live then/in Galilee: What’s it mean to be disciple: Exact same thing

Our job is to live out 3 things

• 1: To learn Jesus (yoke) or teachings… read the Bible… study it!!!
  • It’s reading what Jesus read – You can do that
  • Why… because he is your teacher
• 2: To become like ur Rabbi… learn how he thinks…
  • How He see’s the world… Love’s those in the world… Shares
  • To live like Jesus lives – That is the goal

Dallas Willard

A disciple is anyone whose ultimate goal is to live as Jesus would live if he were in their place.

• • How would Jesus live out your situation
    • If he were a mortgage broker
    • If he were a teacher/boss/employee
    • If he were a Stay at home mom/dad
      • How would Jesus live in all my situation (great bracelet)

Eph. 5:1

Follow God’s example (imitators of God), as dearly loved children

• • If you are a parent… you know kids learn by copying (good/bad)
    • And you think about that annoying thing your kid does… you
    • You can tell Joey’s my son… talks/thinks/laughs like me
    • People should be able to tell you follow Jesus how you live
  • That happens when you are around other Jesus people
    • You read the stories of Jesus and his teachings
    • And you will start & interact like the one you follow
  • It happens in prayer – Allowing God’s spirit do his work in you
    • We need the spirit to do any of this
    • Look at disciples before/after the spirit in Acts 2

• 3: Carry on Jesus work in the world
  • Jesus said: I will send you out to fish for other people
    • Send – Mission… you are on mission to where God sends you
  • That’s why Jesus said “GO and make disciples of all nations teaching them what I have taught you”

And in 2000 years the invitation of Jesus has not changed

• Come follow me… be my disciple and imitate me with your whole life
  • Because there are 2 groups of people in Marks Gospel
    • You have crowds – 10×1000 people across Israel
      • They Believe Jesus is from God
      • They show up regularly

• • You have disciples – considerably less (more than 12)

• And this distinction between Crowd/Disciple is intentional by Mark
  • Through it he asks the question: Where are you
  • Are you crowd or a disciple – Think that every time you read Mark
    • Because the crowd people believe, show up, good people
    • But that’s not all God has for you… so much more