Thinking Biblically

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Tag: Kingdom of God

Children and the Kingdom of God – Mark 10:13-16

October 31, 2023 /

Sermon Text: Mark 10:13-16

Sermon Video

Outline

We should bring children to Jesus (13-14)

We should learn from children about the kingdom of God (15-16)

Summary

Perhaps in your life you’ve been told, “Stop acting like a child.” If someone tells you this, he or she probably believes that you are being selfish. But when it comes to the Kingdom of God, Jesus says that we must become like children. What does he mean? Look with me at Mark 10:13-16.

13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

In vv. 13-14, we see that we should bring children to Jesus. Verse 13 says, “And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them.” They probably means the children’s parents. Why were parents bringing their children to Jesus? The text says they were bringing children to him “that he might touch them.”

In biblical times, mortality rates for children were high. Often, people would seek out spiritual leaders to bless their children in hopes that the leader’s blessing would protect them and lead to a longer life.

For Jews, the practice of having a spiritual leader to bless their children was in keeping with a custom that dated all the way back to Genesis 48, when the patriarch Israel laid his hands upon the heads of Joseph’s children, Ephraim and Manasseh and blessed them (Genesis 48:14).

The word translated “children” could refer to any age between infancy and twelve ,but v. 16 suggests that these children were mostly small, since Jesus took them in his arms (also see Luke 18:15). So, people were bringing children, mostly very young children, for him to bless them.

At the end of v. 13 we’re told the disciples responded by rebuking the people bringing the children to Jesus. Why were the disciples rebuking them?

In Jesus’ day, children were usually viewed as a liability until they could contribute to society. In fact, the Romans would set up trash heaps by many homes where people could leave unwanted children. Often, people would pick up the children and raise them to be prostitutes, gladiators, or slaves.

Remember what Herod did when he heard that Jesus had been born: he had all male children two and under in Bethlehem slaughtered (Matt 2:16-18).

In America, we seem to have two extremes when it comes to children. Some people view children like the Romans. They think children are a nuisance that get in the way of how they want to live their lives. They give them to grandparents or other relatives or get an abortion. Maybe they keep their children but mistreat them.

On the other hand, some people make idols of their children. Children, rather than God, become the center of the home. The whole focus of the family turns to giving children their best lives through academics, sports, and recreation. Children are given whatever they want and are not appropriately disciplined.

As Christians, we should have a biblical view. We recognize that children are a gift from the Lord (Ps 127) and are to be raised in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4). While we cherish our children, we realize that first and foremost they belong to God.

Verse 14 tells us how Jesus responded to the behavior of the disciples – he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

This statement from Jesus must have surprised the disciples. Remember, children were considered insignificant and yet Jesus said:

  • “Let the children come to me”
  • “do not hinder them”
  • Then he added, “for to such belongs the kingdom of God.”

At this point the disciples are really scratching their heads.

The disciples must have been thinking, “Jesus, don’t you have a kingdom to establish? Why are you wasting time on insignificant children?” We know that the disciples were ready to reign with Jesus (see Mark 10:35-37). Thus, the disciples don’t have time for children who have no political power.

While at least some of the disciples were thirsting for political power, Jesus told them that the kingdom of God belongs to those such as children. Jesus was indignant that the disciples were turning children away. This is the only time in Gospels where Jesus was said to be indignant.

When Jesus says that “for to such belongs the kingdom of God,” Jesus is teaching the disciples that those who are seemingly insignificant (in this case, children) are not only allowed in God’s kingdom, but are encouraged to come.

While the world seeks power, prestige, fame, and wealth, Jesus welcomes the insignificant.

Three Beatitudes from Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:3-5)

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

The more you hurt on this earth, the less attachment you’ll have to it and the more you will long for the kingdom of heaven. Thus, Jesus says that if you’re poor in spirit, if you mourn, and if you are meek, then you are blessed because those traits lead you to make heaven your home instead of this world.

So, we should bring children to Jesus.

Will you seek to bring your children to Jesus?

  • Will you share the gospel with your children?
  • Will you read the Bible with them?
  • Will you be committed to a local church and faithful to bring them to worship?
  • Will you live for Christ in front of them?
  • Will you discipline your children (Prov 13:24)?
  • Will you pray for their salvation and that they would follow Jesus?

We should learn from children about the kingdom of God (15-16)

15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Jesus says that you must receive the kingdom of God like a child or you will not enter it!

What does Jesus mean? Jesus is teaching his disciples that there are qualities that children possess that one must possess in order to enter the kingdom of God.

Here are a few:

  • Children don’t have anything to offer. Like children, we don’t have anything to offer God (Acts 17:24-25).
  • Children receive what is offered to them. They don’t overthink things. Consider how crazy it is that people actually reject the offer of eternal life! Like children, we should receive God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, realizing we are completely dependent on God’s grace.
  • Children desire structure and authority. Like children, we should seek to live under God’s authority. We seek to glorify God with our lives and to seek his kingdom first.
  • Children are totally dependent. Like children depend on their parents, we should recognize that we are totally dependent on our heavenly Father to provide for our physical and spiritual needs.
  • Children have simple faith. Like children, we must believe all of what the Bible teaches without trying to rationalize our disobedience.

To enter the kingdom of God, we must acknowledge our inability to save ourselves. We have have nothing to offer our perfect God! We must humbly receive the grace of God offered to us through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Then, we submit to God’s authority and obey his word for the rest of our lives as we depend on him for our spiritual and material provision.

Matthew 18:3-4:

“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Conclusion

Who do you think is insignificant when it comes to God’s kingdom?

  • Those who are of a different political party than you?
  • Those who have a different ethnicity or skin color?
  • Those who do not share your economic status?

As Christians, we should recognize that every person is made in God’s image and that those in this world that are considered insignificant can access the kingdom of God through Christ. If there are people you think are insignificant, will you repent of that attitude and seek to bring them into the kingdom of God?

How are you trying to enter the kingdom of God? Are you seeking to enter by good works? Are you comparing yourself to others? Are you relying on your baptism or church membership?

If so, stop! Every single child in the world when it is born is completely helpless! And so it is with every person who is born again into the kingdom of God.

Look at v. 16.

16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

Jesus welcomed these children and blessed them. What a beautiful picture – Jesus embracing these children and blessing them.

We too can experience the same joy these children and their parents did that day. If we seek Jesus with the heart and attitude of a child, we can look forward to the day when he will embrace us in His arms and welcome us for all of eternity.

Disciples Advance the Kingdom – Mark 6:7-13

July 17, 2023 /

Sermon Video

We know that as disciples of Jesus we are to seek to advance the kingdom of God (Matt 6:9-10, 33). But how do we do that? So far in Mark, Jesus’ disciples have not had a lot of hands-on action. In today’s text, we see Jesus releasing his disciples for a time of ministry.

Last week, we saw Jesus rejected at Nazareth. The people of Nazareth took offense at Jesus, for they perceived him to be insignificant for God’s kingdom work. In today’s text, we see that Jesus’ disciples should expect rejection as well.

BIG IDEA: Even in the face of rejection or death, disciples of Jesus advance God’s kingdom through word and deed.

Sermon text: Mark 6:7-13

1. Disciples advance the kingdom under the authority of Jesus (v. 7)

7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

Jesus “gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” I’m going to talk about unclean spirits at the end, but for now I want to say that we go under the authority of Jesus (Matt 28:18). We are ambassadors for Jesus.

2 Cor 5:20

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Jesus was training these men for ministry and thus multiplying himself. In the same way that Jesus knew his earthly ministry would have an end, all our ministries will an end.

Knowing this, pastors should be raising up pastors (2 Tim 2:2). Mature men and women should be teaching the next generation how to live for Christ (Titus 2:1-10).

There are really four steps in discipling someone. For instance, consider Bible study.

  • You study your Bible; your disciple observes and asks questions.
  • You study your Bible; your disciple does as well.
  • Your disciple studies his Bible; you study as well.
  • Your disciple studies his Bible, you observe and give feedback.

2. Disciples advance the kingdom as a team (v. 7)

He sent out the twelve “two by two.”

Ministering as a pair was safer and wiser than going alone and it provided much needed fellowship.

Eccl 4:9-10

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

The law required two witnesses to verify a matter.

Deut 19:15

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

We need others in the church! God saves people to gather them.

3. Disciples advance the kingdom by committing to the mission (vv. 8-9)

8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

The disciples were to be totally committed to their mission, not tied down with worldly concerns. We’re told in the text what Jesus permitted them to bring and what he forbade them to bring.

They were to take a staff. A staff was used for protection against robbers and wild animals and for maintaining balance while walking on rough terrain.

They were not to bring a bag. They were not to ask for money. In New Testament times, some Gentile philosophers would live on the streets and beg for money. The approach of the disciples is in stark contrast to the prosperity preachers of our day who beg you to send them money and to send it often.

Jesus wanted the disciples to see that God would provide for them (Phil 4:19). There would be those who were receptive to the message who would give them a place to stay (v. 10).

The disciples were to only bring one tunic. In the ancient world, travelers would often sleep outside and the purpose of the second tunic was to protect them from the weather. Jesus was telling his apostles that the need not worry, for they would be sleeping indoors in receptive homes.[1]R.C. Sproul, Mark, 115.

This seems to be a direct application of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 6:25-34. The disciples were not to worry about what they would eat, drink, or wear, but to seek his kingdom first as they trust God to meet their needs (Matt 6:33).

In summary, the disciples were to travel as light as possible. The minimal provisions were meant to bring about maximum faith.[2]R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior, 135.

Interestingly, the four items Jesus told the 12 to take (belt, sandals, staff, tunic) are identical to what God told the Hebrews to take on their flight to Egypt (Exo 12:11).

Like the disciples, we are to travel lightly in this world. The more stuff we own, the more time we spend managing it. The more time we spend on our stuff the less time we have to advance the kingdom of God.

4. Disciples advance the kingdom despite rejection (10-11)

10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

If you have ever sought to share the message of Jesus, you know that the gospel will be received by some and rejected by others. This is exactly what we see in vv. 10-11.

As they ministered from place to place, they would encounter both hospitality and hostility.

As we minister for Jesus, we will encounter both hospitality and hostility.

In v. 10, Jesus tells the disciples to accept the hospitality that was offered and to stay there until they departed from the area. By doing this, the disciples would not dishonor the home by accepting more comfortable provisions.

What does Jesus mean when he tells the disciples to shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against those who reject the disciples (v. 11)?

In biblical times, proper hospitality included offering water for guests to wash their feet. Thus, the fact that the disciples have dust on their feet shows that they were rejected.

Additionally, sometimes pious Jews would shake the dust from their feet after passing through Gentile cities to show their separation from Gentile influences and practices. Basically, they were leaving the dirt behind as they entered a more holy place.

Jesus was telling his disciples that if they were faithful, there was no blood on their hands. Those who rejected the message made a choice to reject Jesus and the conscience of the disciple is clear. The removal of dust from the feet was an act that was meant to make those who rejected the message to reconsider their decision.

This command of Jesus should remind us as disciples to not be overly discouraged by rejection. We know that we will be rejected by the world (John 15:18).

John 15:18

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Our job is not to convert people, but to be faithful to Jesus and what he has called us to do, which is to share the gospel with the lost and to baptize and disciple the saved.

When Jesus told the disciples to shake the dust off their feet, he was making it clear that the listeners were responsible for how they responded to the gospel.

Those that reject us, and our message of the gospel have really rejected Jesus.

5. Disciples advance the kingdom by preaching repentance (12)

12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

When Jesus called the disciples, he told them that they would become fishers of men (Mark 1:17). In v. 12, Jesus told them to “proclaim that people should repent.”

That is what we are called to do as well. We are to proclaim the gospel, the message of the kingdom. We are to call people to repent of their sin—to repent from living their lives for self and apart from God’s authority. We call them to repent of trusting in their own righteousness and to embrace the righteousness of Christ. We call them to trust in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

If you’re here this morning and you have not trusted in Christ, then repent of your sinful way of living and embrace the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Our message is not simply “come to church” or “live your best life now.” Our message is the gospel of Jesus Christ!

6. Disciples advance the kingdom by meeting physical needs (13)

13 And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

In other words, we care about the whole person. We don’t just want to see someone saved. We want them to be made whole.

We want them to know Jesus and then we disciple them to follow Jesus. We have to disciple them in all of life so that they can be useful to Jesus. It is hard to advance the kingdom of God when you are worried about paying your bills. So, we may need to help people get their material, physical, and relational lives in order that they may spiritually advance the kingdom of God.

We see in v. 13 that the disciples “cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”

Oil (usually olive oil) was often used in biblical times as a medicine (cf. Luke 10:34), but here the anointing probably serves as a symbol of the presence, grace, and power of God. Anointing the sick is elsewhere prescribed only in Jam 5:14.

Do we as modern-day disciples of Jesus have power to cast out demons and heal the sick? There is a lot of debate on this topic. There are people on both sides of the debate but the main question that is tossed around is this: are miraculous spiritual gifts (tongues, healing, prophecy) still active today?

I for one, as your pastor have never cast out a demon or healed anyone. Nor do I know anyone personally that has claimed to have performed exorcisms or healings.

Of course, charismatics (those in Pentecostals and Assembly of God churches) would argue yes. Most Baptists would say that the miraculous gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing have ceased. I would put myself in this camp. I still believe that God can and does perform miracles, but I do not believe that anyone has the gift of tongues, prophecy, or healing and can summon them on command.

I don’t have time to exhaust the argument today, but the short version is that the primary purpose of signs and wonders was to give credibility to Jesus and his apostles (John 3:2). As you read Scripture, you’ll see that miracles are clustered at key points redemptive history (the Exodus, Jesus’ ministry, Pentecost). Now that the church has God’s authoritative words in the Scriptures (2 Tim 3:16-17), signs and wonders are no longer needed to build up the church.

Thus, there is no longer a need for apostles and prophets today since we have the apostles’ teaching written in God’s Word. Therefore, since there are no modern-day apostles or prophets, there are no people alive today who have God-given authority to perform miraculous gifts on command.[3]For more, see Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter by Thomas R. Schreiner.

I would argue that miracles are possible, but not normative. Remember, the primary reason that Jesus came was to preach the gospel (Mark 1:15, 38).

We want to see lives changed for eternity. We should be serving nonbelievers and sharing the gospel with them. Like these disciples, if we are ministering in the name of Jesus then we will see God at work.

If we as a church rarely see anyone come to faith to Christ, perhaps it is that we are not sowing broadly the seed of the gospel.

Friends, let’s follow Jesus’ instructions for advancing the kingdom of God!

  • Go in the authority of Jesus.
  • Minister with others.
  • Commit to the mission and trust him to provide for your needs.
  • Expect rejection but keep going.
  • Preach the gospel and call people to faith in Christ!
  • Care for the whole person.

Friends, the church is not a place to sit and learn about Jesus but a people who serve Jesus. As a church, we must raise up disciples who will advance the kingdom for the glory of King Jesus.

When a church loses this focus, and men quit leading, the church is on its way to death. I saw it in my last church and I am seeing it at my current church.

My church (and many others) have plenty of pew sitters and every once in a whilers. But what we really need is disciples who will advance the kingdom of God.

Who is going to help me to win this town for Christ? Who will lead their families?

Who are you this morning?

Are you like Jesus and pray and seek for God’s kingdom to come here on earth?

Are you a disciple who is advancing the kingdom or a religious person checking a religious box?

There is no one emptier than a Christian who is living for him or herself instead of Christ.

References

References
↑1 R.C. Sproul, Mark, 115.
↑2 R. Kent Hughes, Mark: Jesus, Servant and Savior, 135.
↑3 For more, see Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter by Thomas R. Schreiner.

True Disciples Follow Jesus – Mark 1:14-20

February 27, 2023 /

Unfortunately, there is no sermon video due to technical problems.

So far in Mark, we’ve looked at Mark’s introduction to Jesus. Mark introduced us to John the Baptist, who himself pointed to Jesus. Where John baptized with water, Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8).

Jesus was baptized by John. Jesus’ baptism was a kind of commissioning service. The Spirit descended on Jesus, a sign that the Spirit would empower Jesus during his ministry. The Father declared his approval of the Son.

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to do battle with Satan. While in the wilderness for 40 days, Jesus overcame Satan where those before him had failed. Jesus proved to be the new and better Adam – the true Son of God (see Rom 5:12-21).

In our text today, Mark tells us that John has been arrested (Mark 1:14). We know from Matthew 4:13 that Jesus is living in Capernaum.

Jesus’ Early Ministry – from the ESV Study Bible

Sermon Text: Mark 1:14-20

Mark 1:14-15

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

These verses are a summary of Jesus’ ministry. Verse 15 is the core message that Jesus preached during his earthly ministry; that the kingdom of God is at hand and to repent and believe in the gospel.

The kingdom of God is the new age that began when Jesus came. While the Jews were expecting a Messiah who would liberate them from the rule of the Romans, Jesus came as a preacher. Later in his ministry, Jesus would say that his kingdom was not of this world.

The kingdom of God represents God’s rule on earth. It was started when Jesus came, and it will be consummated when he returns. Jesus gave us a glimpse of what the kingdom of God looks like during his ministry. He healed the sick, delivered the demonized, and brought the dead back to life.

In the present dimension of God’s kingdom, we are called to repent of sin and believe in the person and work of Jesus. In the future dimension of God’s kingdom, we will live with Jesus in the New Creation after he comes again.[1]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark: From Text to Message, 145-46.

In my first sermon in Mark, I said that Mark wants us to know who Jesus is, why he came, and what that means for us. Today’s message focuses on who Jesus is and what that means for us.

Mark 1:16-20

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

I live in the southern part of the United States. If I was to talk to someone in my community that professed to be a Christian and ask them how they know that they are a Christian, I might get answers like this:

  • I have been baptized.
  • I am a member of a church.
  • I regularly attend church and faithfully give.
  • I believe in God.
  • I believe in Jesus.

Of course, all Christians should be able to affirm those statements. I will argue later that if belief merely constitutes intellectual assent (believing a fact to be true) then that does not constitute saving faith. In America, we usually use the words Christian or believer to describe a Christ follower. Those are okay words to use, but by far the most popular word in the New Testament to describe a follower of Christ is the word disciple.

In his book Spiritual Discipleship, J. Oswald Sanders notes that the New Testament knows nothing of a Christian that is not a disciple. The word disciple is used 269 times while the word Christian is only used three times, and the word believer only twice![2]J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship, 8.

What is a disciple? A disciple is a learner, follower, or apprentice. In our culture, we think of prospective doctors working a residency, a student teacher spending time with a veteran teacher, or an aspiring plumber working under a master plumber.

Something that is interesting about Jesus’ call to these first disciples is that he called them. In biblical times, it was normally the students that would choose a rabbi to follow. Instead, Jesus called his disciples. Notice that he does not call them to a vocation or a particular teaching. Rather, the disciples were called them to model themselves after Jesus himself. It should be noted that this was not the first time that these men had encountered Jesus (see John 1:35-51).

In today’s post, I want to talk about what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus. The bottom line is this: true disciples follow Jesus!

Disciples of Jesus recognize the true king (15)

The first mark of a disciple is that they recognize the true king. They recognize Jesus as the true Son of God. Sure, at this time these early disciples didn’t fully understand who Jesus was. But by the end of their time spent with him, they knew that Jesus was truly God in the flesh. A true disciple of Jesus must recognize him for who he is – the perfect Son of God who became a man in order to save his people (John 1:14; Matt 1:21).

Disciples of Jesus practice repentance (15)

What is repentance? Repentance is not just feeling bad or guilty about our behavior. Rather, repentance is a reorientation of worship from our idols to God. An idol is something you cannot be fulfilled without. It could be money, other’s opinions, security, comfort, children, sports, or many other things.

1 Thess 1:9

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

That’s what repentance looks like. Disciples turn from worshiping themselves and idols to worshiping God. God gives us a new heart, resulting in a transformed life. Paul Washer says it this way: when you become a Christian, you hate the sin you once loved and love the righteousness you once hated.

Disciples of Jesus believe the gospel (15)

What is belief or faith? Biblical faith is not just intellectual assent to facts. For example, there are many people that would affirm that Jesus is the Son of God and he has died for their sins. Biblical faith doesn’t just mean knowing something with your head. It means that you know it in your heart – so much so that you’re willing to build your life upon the words of Jesus (Matt 7:24-25).

By way of example, if I asked you to go skydiving with me, you can say all day long that you believe in parachutes. But the moment that you truly show your belief to be true is when you jump out of the plane! At that moment, you are trusting in that parachute to keep you alive. It’s the same with biblical faith. When Jesus says that we must believe in the gospel, he means that we are trusting in his life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:3-4) rather than our good works.

True faith will be evidenced by a continuing obedience to the words of Jesus (John 8:31-32; Jam 1:22; 1 John 2:3-6). Jesus doesn’t say that we should trust a prayer, a baptism, or church membership as evidence of true faith. Rather, true faith is evidenced by a life of obedience (Jam 2:14-17).

Disciples of Jesus are from every walk of life (16, 19)

Jesus was living in Capernaum (Matt 4:13). In verses 16 and 19, Jesus calls his first disciples. These disciples were fishermen. But Jesus also called a tax collector (Mark 2:13-14) and a zealot (Luke 6:15). Tax collectors were seen as traitors to their own people while zealots were Israelite patriots who resented the Romans. However, Jesus brings them together. You see, Jesus calls rich people and poor people to follow him. He calls the blue collar and the white collar. He calls people from cities and the hills. He calls black people, white people, Hispanics, and Asian people. He calls people from every tribe, nation, and tongue to follow him (Rev 5:9; 7:9).

Disciples of Jesus count the cost of following Jesus (14, 18, 20)

Disciples realize that they must count the cost to follow Christ. Jesus only began his ministry after John was arrested (v. 14). Simon and Andrew “left their nets and followed him” (v. 18). James and John “left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.” James and John left a profitable business (they had hired servants) that they stood to inherit from their father. And yet, these disciples recognized that following Jesus was ultimate.

This text and other texts such as Luke 9:57-62 and Luke 14:25-33 indicate that Christ demands that being his disciple is the primary commitment in one’s life. Following Christ is more important than our family and our vocations. This doesn’t mean that our families or jobs are unimportant. It means that we must be loyal to Christ even if our families reject us. We are to be loyal to Christ even if means that we are persecuted for our beliefs (for instance, read this article about Jack Phillips, a Colorado cake baker).

Several years ago there was a study done to see what Christians in America believed. The findings were summarized in a term called moralistic therapeutic deism. In short, most people believe that (1) God exists, (2) God wants me to be a good person, (3) God makes me feel good about myself, (4) God is not really involved in my life.

This is not biblical Christianity. Christianity is not something we just tack on to our lives. Jesus demands that we follow him with everything (Mark 8:34-36). We worship Him above all else. We are given a new identity (2 Cor 5:17). Jesus doesn’t just make us nice people. He makes us new people! We abandon our life without Jesus for a life with Jesus.[3]Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 146.

Jesus doesn’t just make us nice people. He makes us new people!

Disciples of Jesus make disciples (17)

From the beginning of his call, Jesus intended to mold his disciples for the mission. Notice, he says to his first disciples: “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Jesus called these men for a purpose – to follow him and to make more followers.

Jesus made this even more explicit in the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20). Jesus told his followers to go with the gospel, baptize those who respond, and teach them to obey him in all of life for the rest of life.

The message has not changed in 2000 years. We preach Christ and him crucified (1 Cor 2:1-2). When we fish, it kills the fish. When we fish for men, we are seeking to hook them with the gospel. We want to see people die to their sins and become alive to Christ and his mission.

This passage describes Christianity in a nutshell – King Jesus has come, and he demands that we turn from our sin and believe in him, and follow him. But it doesn’t stop there – we are also to help others know and follow King Jesus.

As you read this post, I want you to consider – are you living as a disciple of Jesus?

  • Have you recognized Jesus as your true king? Is he the lord of your life?
  • Do you practice repentance? Do you hate your sin?
  • Do you believe the gospel – not just with your mind but your heart?
  • Are you dying to yourself and following Jesus?
  • Are you seeking to make disciples and to fulfill the great commission? 

Being a Christian is not just attending a service and believing the right facts about God. Being a Christian means that I am a slave to Christ that seeks to honor him with my whole life (1 Cor 6:19-20).

References

References
↑1 Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark: From Text to Message, 145-46.
↑2 J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Discipleship, 8.
↑3 Robin Sydserff, Teaching Mark, 146.

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