Jesus the Team Builder

 

COLERAINE INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH

SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2025 pm – MR REUBEN LYONS

Mark 1 verses 1 to 20 Jesus the Team Builder

In the case of any story written you are going to have a cast of characters to create a captivating narrative.  In any story you need individuals that are relatable funny, flawed like you and I so that we can relate to them and understand what they are going through. In most stories you need a protagonist, the central hero of the story. Then on the other side you will have the antagonist, the villain of the story. Maybe you have a side kick, a confidant, a best friend, and the extra characters in the background to fill out the world.  Very rarely will we see a story with one or 2 characters because you need more characters to draw you in and keep you invested. So far in his gospel Mark has primarily introduced us to 2 men – John the Baptist and Jesus Christ the Servant king. But as the next stage of his redemptive plan takes place Jesus needs his followers, men to accompany him in faith and learn from his great teachings and miracles. That the hero of the gospel was now searching for his side kicks to help him in that battle against the enemy Satan. We see Jesus laying the  ground work for his earthly ministry which was now going to begin to unfold before our very eyes. The first step was to build his team of men, to walk with him, to follow him whole heartedly, men he could teach and prepare them for the ministry when he was no longer there. Jesus has passed by common fishermen, who were going about their daily task along the sea and docks.  This day was the beginning of these mens lives as they knew him as Jesus called on them to follow after him. He was not going after the religious leaders in synagogue.  Nor the educated individual.  His main concern was with his followers hearts. He wanted people a passion rather that those who pleased others. In the building of his team he wanted faith not fame. The same is extended to us.  The characteristics displayed by the disciples are the same we are to embody tonight. Not based on wealth, social standing, respect others gives to us. As Jesus is looking for those genuine desire to live for him, to serve him and give him glory. Jesus the team building, building his team of disciples.

1.      The call to follow verses 16 and 17

2.      The call to be devoted verses 18 to 20

3.      The call to be like Christ verses 16 to 20

The call to follow verses 16 and 17. This call from Jesus in verse 17, you can see it was straight forward but there are in it a few things to note and dwell upon. An invitation from Jesus – “follow me”. These aren’t the first words of interaction. These men had already encountered him before, were familiar with him, they acknowledged him as the promised Messiah. John 1 verse 35 to 42. Background into where we are now entering.  This is not the initial encounter and not the last as Jesus has now returned to them and invited them to follow him in service and devotion. They were chosen to follow and work alongside him. Often we can look to the disciples and see where they have gone wrong.  Of course they did, didn’t have the faith in Jesus they should have. But what a privilege they had to follow and walk alongside Jesus, to learn from the Messiah himself, to be equipped for service. It is reminder that Jesus doesn’t speak to us in an one and done manner. That we hear the call of God one day and then never again.  Maybe that does happen. As Jesus the Son of God he is not under any obligation or duty to speak into our lives more than once. How often he has passed us time and time again seeking after us, asking us to follow him whether in salvation or to follow after him, to give him more of your life, for Christian service at home or in the church or another avenue. Just as he told the disciples we need to heed and answer the call of God. They had received their call to Christian service. Never see anything like this. Today we first need to meet the servant king, know him and accept his gracious offer of salvation. Tonight is the time to follow him. We do not know the final time when Jesus will pass us by whether for salvation or woken up to reality of Christ in your life and how you have been disobeying and walking away from him. You need to get in line with his will and say “here am I Lord use me.” First we see the invitation given by Jesus. We see also there was a clear desire. Succeeding and following Christ’s opening words is really this phrase “Come and I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus is conveying the desire for these men, likewse always going to be clear of the desire for our lives. He does not want us to be confused He will often desire us to be committed and constant in the place of prayer. If we are then we will know his desire for our lives. He wants us to sure in his name.  He had a specific work for his soon to be disciples soon revealed to them. It was a specific and unique call to them. Same manner of call that we all hear from God today. His desire is for all to know him and serve him as fishers of men. He wants us to be a strong witness for him. Not up to everyone to be in full time ministry, involved in children’s outreach, in public speaking. The Lord has a plan for each of us. The great commission to go and fulfil.  He wants us to be a strong witness, that people need him in their lives, testifying what he has done in us, the miracle of salvation. Share that so people can never turn away, never been a Christian saved that the Lord didn’t want us to be a witness and share his glory to others. When was the last time you made a conscious effort to witness to someone else? We need to be active for the Lord, to share our testimony of Christ working in our life. We need to be active for the Lord and sharing his wonderful news. I don’t know where you are in your journey with Christ. God has a plan and a desire and a direction for your life. A purpose of work for you to go on and fulfil, that we are not living meandering through the days of life until we reach heaven. As Christians we are to be a busy people, an applied people. We have been saved and set apart to serve the Lord. The most dangerous place we can be in as Christians is comfortable because there we become lazy. We lack in so much in our Christian walk. We are not on the move and sharing the good news as we should be. God intends us to be serving him in some capacity.  It will be different for each and every individual as it was for the disciples.  We have been called to obey, follow him. Let us serve him and be active in our service.  The invitation and the desire on the heart of Jesus . The goal of this invitation. Through his words Jesus revealed to the disciples their lives will be now be an ongoing work in progress. Just because they were chosen by Jesus they were not the finished article.  They were chosen for a specific purpose, would not be the finished article.  They were a work in progress. On hearing and answering the call of Jesus this would be an important decision that they would make. These men what they now were going to endure and experience would mean challenging days and tasks as face a spiritual battle. There would be periods of great difficult and times when their faith would be tested. It was a journey and they would be far from the finished product. They needed to grow in their faith. It would take them a long time to be accomplished fishers of men. An investment was being made in these individual. The goal was clearly set before them in service. They need to be committed to their master and make an investment in him. The disciples needed determination to work patiently and consistently if they were to fulfil the desire Jesus had for them and to reach that goal. God had a purpose for them, a plan that would never be fulfilled overnight. The Lord has a great work for us to do but we are all works in progress. We must be willing to persevere even when the going gets difficult becoming what he wants us to be in his timing and will. God is changing us every day. I am not the same person I used to be. It is slow going but there is a knowing that some day perfect I will be. It is wonderful to know we are being changed by our Saviour. We are not the same people we used to be. It can be slow going with long arduous days. Wonderful to know that one day we will reach the goal of glorification.

The call to be devoted – verses 18 to 20. The devotion involved in following Jesus. They heard the call and were devoted to follow Christ. They were obedient and done the right thing. There was a clear choice to make. To chose to obey and follow. Not to go back to the old life on the boats. Can we say “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.” Following is often easier said than done. The disciples had no information about where this would take them other than they would become fishers of men. On the way God will reveal the plan and purpose he has for us. In Genesis Abraham was called to follow God unto a land he would reveal, Moses was called to take the journey back to Egypt. The path may not always be clear but if we are to experience victory in our service we must first learn to follow him. It will involve one step at a time. We can be assured he is in control and leads us in the path that is right and brings glory to his name. The devotion involved leaving behind all they knew. We need to note all they were leaving behind in their lives. They had worked hard, they had put in the arduous task of labouring. Earning at their trade gaining financial success, building up a good standing in the community. People knew they could be trusted and relied on if they needed time. In the space of one day left it all behind, not just success in work but their family, all to follow Christ. As the disciples were doing, we too are called to step out in faith and to serve the servant king. It was more important than silver and gold to these disciples, than anything they can grasp in life. I wonder in the hardest moments, when you know the Lord is calling to follow after him in a certain way are you saying “I cannot do it” or are you saying “just give me Jesus.” These men had forsaken everything to follow after him. Jesus was their whole life and all their priorities. If we are to follow after Jesus with great devotion, we need to be ready to leave everything to follow Christ. Are we willing if God calls us? These are hard hitting questions. It might not always impact our salary, where you live, our relationships. The Lord wants us to abandon everything of this world behind that stands between us and him. Luke 9 verse 23. Luke 14 verse 26. Luke 14 verse 33.  If there is anything standing before you and the Lord it has to be put to the side. The Lord must come first. When the Lord places on your heart certain matters we need to know that nothing can come between us and him. The disciples’ devotion involved a step of faith. It involved uncertainty. That is a word that has come into our vocabulary in recent years. Just as we are uncertain in life and in our work for God these disciples were feeling uncertain. Their work provided safety. Without it they were stepping in the future unknown. They didn’t doubt or recognise the power and ability of the master. They had no notion of what the step would mean. This call to follow him was for God. It would go on to impact the rest of their lives. Some impact on all the years following. We come to Christ for the gift of salvation by faith. We must follow him in service by faith. He might not ask us to serve outside our comfort zone but use us in ways never imagined but he will. This will take a step of faith. We need to follow the example of devotion of these disciples.

The call to be like Christ – verses 16 to 19. We are given a real insight on those who heed the call and follow after Christ. Verse 16 is really the casting out of the good news. As Jesus approached these men, they had already spent a long and arduous night fishing. Instead of giving up or being satisfied with what fish they had already gathered in, they continued to cast out their nets. Likewise we need to be persevering as we cast out the net of the good news of the gospel. Some of the family of God have been gifted as teachers, others gifted in sharing testimony, others gifted in hospitality, others in evangelism, through friendships and relationship, even going around doors.  Whatever God has blessed you with, you need to cast it like a net for God’s glory. Not to sit back and let others to do the work but rather to say “I am willing to go and cast the good news in how you have gifted me, in the talents you have provided.” Both James and John had received the call to step out in faith for the Saviour, to perform the task they were unfamiliar with.  The gifts and abilities they possessed will come in handy in the days ahead. They needed to be adaptable and open to change. Learning the ways of God every day through the Son of God. Today we must be willing to adapt as we walk by faith. God has gifted us in certain areas.  That is not a guarantee he will take us to new places and serve in new ways.  We must be willing to follow after him, to meet our needs when the times come. We need to be open to where our path leads, knowing when the time comes even if we don’t want to be there, God will equip us for the job. God will help us. He doesn’t call those who are equipped but rather he equips those who are called. If the Lord has brought you this far he will lead you through. The Lord will provide exactly what we need. Are we willing to take this step of faith and follow him, to adapt on this journey of faith so we will bring glory to him? Every believer has a work to carry out. Jesus has called us all to a life of service. We must need to heed the call. If you never met with Jesus, had your life transformed through the work of the cross Jesus is calling you to accept him tonight. If you have heard the call now is the time to respond to his call to his service. Jesus the Servant King wants to build his team and he is still building his team today. The same call is spread out to us today.