Have you ever felt completely alone and misunderstood? It means a lot to be connected, to be known by others. As humans, it’s one of our basic needs—to be known, to be understood. It gives us a sense of self-worth and identity. It helps us feel connected to one another.

I have been studying the Book of Mark for almost a year now and I recently came across some interesting observations in Mark 3. I’d like to share a few with you.

Jesus knew what it was like to feel alone~ Two times in Mark 3, Jesus’ own family misunderstands and ridicules him. These are the people who knew him best, who were around him from birth. Yet, they think he’s crazy. They think he’s leading people astray. Not only does his family think he’s gone mad but the religious leaders of the day think he’s lost his mind as well. In fact, they think Satan is working through him. The two groups of people who should have understood Jesus best…don’t. There are times in life when God’s call on our lives will lead others to think we’re crazy. There are times in life when we share what God is doing or what we believe he’s going to do will lead others to think we’ve lost it. Following Jesus with everything that we are may lead others to think we’ve gone mad. Take heart. Jesus knew what it was like to feel misunderstood and alone and yet he endured, he stayed the course, he kept pursing the Father’s will no matter what the cost would be. We need this kind of determination.

Jesus surrounds himself with other ‘mad’ people~ More and more I’m learning in life and ministry the need for surrounding myself with like-minded people. Now, let’s be honest the Disciples didn’t always get it. They didn’t always understand what Jesus was doing. But here’s one character trait they did have (except for Judas Iscariot), they were willing. Not the most gifted dudes, not the most persuasive, just willingness. Surround yourself with like-minded people, people who are willing to be used for the glory of God and the good of others. People who are willing to spend their lives advancing the Gospel. One way to combat ministry loneliness and misunderstanding is surround yourself with other ‘mad’ people.

Jesus redefines family~ Towards the end of Mark 3, Peter paints an interesting picture. Jesus’ birth family is on the outside looking in, while Jesus’ spiritual family is on the inside looking out. In the 1^st century family was everything, in most cultures it’s still important. His family is calling for him to come outside to them, probably in order to take him home because he’s sick, he’s mad. Jesus says, my true family are those people who know and do the will of God. There are people across the globe who count the cost of losing earthy families to obtain a Spiritual family. People who are disowned by their loved ones because they have picked up their cross to follow Jesus. Know that Jesus welcomes people into his family. Know that if you’re a Believer, you’re never alone. Christ is always with you through the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Church, the Bride of Christ.

Jesus does the will of God~ Jesus never asks us to do something that he didn’t do himself. We could take a lesson in this kind of leadership. Being and doing the will of God, kept Jesus on track. It kept him on course. But it also kept him ‘filled’ up. Jesus was constantly pouring himself out. That’s why we see in Mark at least 3 times (although there were countless other times) when Jesus gets time alone with the Father. The ministry is pressing. The crowd wants more signs and wonders. The disciples aren’t getting it. The Pharisees and Scribes are trying to destroy him. His family thinks he’s crazy. He’s tired, he’s hungry, he doesn’t have a place to even lay his head. Yet, Jesus continues to do the will of God. If you and I want to live out the will of God for our lives it is absolutely imperative to spend time alone with the Father. This was the fuel that kept Jesus on track. It’s the fuel that keeps all of us on track. It’s relationship with God.

So if you’re filling alone, if you don’t know the Father’s will, if you feel misunderstood and abandon. If those closest to you think you’re crazy. Spend time in the secret with the Father, surround yourself with other ‘mad’ people and realize you’re never alone. Christ has promised to never leave nor forsake us and as Believers we are knit together as the Church. Live out the will of God regardless what others think or want you to do.

This is one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture. For me, it’s because we all want to know what God requires, what he wants. The Prophet Micah tells us that God requires us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. The context of Micah can provide us with some additional insight. Most scholars think that Micah was written during a time of economic prosperity but extreme spiritual decay. So while, a number of Jews were enjoying wealth, power and affluence there was still a large portion of widows, orphans and others who were scarcely making it. The problem was because of spiritual decay the wealthy Jews were not taking care of the ‘least of these’, even though that the Law required them to do so.

As a result, Micah is reminding the Jewish people what Yahweh requires of them…not just what he wants or hopes but what he requires of them. The Lord God wants his people to live out justice and to spread His glory by showing loving kindness to those who are in desperate need. But just in case, they began to feel pride rising up in their hearts because of all the good they were doing, Micah then reminds them to walk humbly before God. In other words, we don’t do justice or practice loving kindness to make much of ourselves but instead to display the majesty of God to the marginalized. This verse not only gives us one aspect of what our calling as the Church is but also shows how we are to live out this calling—in humility. Jesus reminds us of this principle in Matthew 6:1-4, where he talks about not sounding trumpets when we do good…walk humbly with God.

Over the next few months our church is going to be involved in doing justice and spreading loving kindness to those in need. I’m so excited about the opportunities God is giving us to be a blessing to our community. But I also want to remind us that we are not doing these things in order to bring glory to ourselves but to make much of Jesus by spreading His majesty to our community. So we pray along with the Psalmist, ‘Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!’ (Psalm 115:1)

I want to take this moment to remind you of the opportunities we have coming up at Grace Church.

April 29^th we are having an information meeting after church about our neighbor grocery distribution ministry that launches May 26^th.

May 7^th the Women of Grace are volunteering at the Infant Crisis Center from 9-11am. Meet at the church at 8:45am.

May 12^th the kids of Grace Church are making Samaritan Sacks to pass out to those less fortunate. These sacks are full of goodies that our church gives to people in need. They are decorated by our kids and filled with some snacks, water and hygiene items.

Again, I’m so excited for our church to live out justice, to spread loving kindness in our community and to walk humbly before our God. As always, you all are welcome to partner with us as we seek to serve the City for the glory of God and the good of the City!

What’s interesting is that James and John want to be great. They want to be respected. They want to be powerful and celebrated in the eyes of God. But in this moment, they want to be acknowledged in the eyes of men, especially the other disciples. In all actuality, they think they deserve this recognition. The disciples may have had pure intentions but pure intentions can still lead to dangerous pride. You see the disciples thought that Jesus was about to set up Israel’s Kingdom once and for all. They thought, the moment had come when Jesus was finally going to ride into Jerusalem on war-horse. Instead, he rode in on a colt…not quite the same. James and John thought that power and authority was going to come from war and violence. They thought that power and recognition was going to come from taking instead of giving. They had been walking with Jesus for 3 years now and they still miss the point. Jesus did set up the Kingdom of God through death but it was his death. It was laying down his life for others. It was giving not taking.

We live in a society full of people who want to be great and who will do anything to make this happen. We slander, we gossip, we back-bite, we lie, cheat and steal all because we want to be recognized and admired by our peers. It doesn’t matter what profession we’re talking about: Business industry, teaching, health care, stay at home moms we all struggle with wanting to be recognized by others. Our hope is that their admiration for us means they accept and approve of us, that they like us. People in ministry are even susceptible to this. I’m susceptible to this. On the surface, we explain that we’re trying to make much of Jesus through our blogs, books, conferences and resources. Unfortunately, I know what’s in the heart of men…I know my own heart. And although, we say we’re seeking to bring glory to God (as if he needs help being more glorious!) deep down if we’re honest most of us are just like James and John. Perhaps not all the time but in moments of weakness we can crave the praise of men. I mean let’s be honest who doesn’t enjoy when our tweets are retweeted and our facebook posts our liked. The problem is that we miss the point, just like the disciples missed the point. And the moment that we don’t think we’re predisposed to this kind of attitude and heart, we let Satan have a foothold in our lives and in our ministry. If two of Jesus’ inner three fell to this kind of pride then we should know we can too.

In Mark 10:45, Jesus says that he is the Son of Man and that he came to serve and give his life for others. You see James and John missed the point. If they truly wanted to be great they must serve, they must lay down their lives for others. If they truly wanted to be great they needed to give and not take. Friends, if you want to be great—serve. Don’t make much of yourself. Don’t seek to make yourself look better than what you are. This was the heart of John the Baptist when he said, ‘He must increase and I must decrease’. (John 3:30)

So, what’s the take home? Should we give up writing blogs and tweeting? No, I don’t think that’s the solution because we would find other ways to be validated by man. I think they better solution is taking up a life of humility, service and prayer. When our lives are truly about pleasing God, when it’s truly about making much of Jesus, we won’t care what others think, we won’t care if others recognize us. Try to make a habit of praying, ‘God if this is about making much of me, please shut the door. God if this is about me seeking the praise of man please make it fail. My heart’s desire is to make much of you.’ In short, do what you’re called to do, go where Jesus is leading and don’t worry about the praise of man. Be faithful, the Lord sees what’s done in secret (Matthew 6:1-4). He knows who we are and what we do in the secret is the best indicator of where our hearts are. In other words, if we’re only serving in the public realm and we have no secret place then we may be missing the point. Remember, if you want to be great—make much of Jesus—serve others.

CONTEXT
Jesus is preaching to a packed house in Capernaum. Luke 5, tells us that the crowd is made up of Pharisees and Teachers of the Law. From Mark’s perspective this is one of the first times (if not the first) Jesus interacts with the Pharisees and Scribes. Already in Mark, Jesus had been causing a stir by his teaching, healing and casting out demons. The religious leaders of the day wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Mark sets the scene in this way.

Mark 2:3-5 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Remember. Luke tells us that the house is packed with Scribes and Pharisees. These were the most religious folks of the day. However, their study session with Jesus is interrupted by a paralyzed man and his friends. Can you imagine their disgust at the situation? You see, the religious folks didn’t have a whole lot of compassion for the sick and lame. In most cases, they saw their handicap or disease as a direct result of sin, either theirs or the parents. Further, the Pharisees were afraid that if they got too close to people like this paralyzed man that they would become ceremonially unclean. So they tried to keep their distance from such people. Now, their time with this new Rabbi had been interrupted by such a man, along with his four friends.

Mark tells us in 2:4 that they could not get near Jesus because of the crowd. The Greek word translated ‘because’ also means ‘on account of’. It’s a given that the four men and their paralyzed friend could not enter the house because of it being overcrowded. Yet, I think there is something else going on. Given the audience Jesus is preaching to and their legalistic views of the sick and diseased, I think Mark is showing us that the religious leaders are in essence keeping these men from entering the home, from seeing Jesus. The men could not enter the house on account of the crowd or because of the crowd. Meaning the crowd would not make room for them and would not let them in. You would think, they would want Jesus to heal this man so that God would be glorified. Instead, they keep the men out and want to continue their study session. Why would they do this?

The religious leaders thought what would Jesus want with people like this? We don’t want anything to do with them. So, why would he? Didn’t he come for us? Plus, the Scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus all for themselves. Instead of making room for the four friends and the paralyzed man they isolated them. Religious folks are good at this. Unfortunately, the Church can be good at this. The men could not get near Jesus on account of the crowd. At times, we’re just as bad as the Scribes and Pharisees. We want people to clean themselves up before coming to Jesus. We want people to believe, look and act just like us and if they don’t then we place barriers between us and them but more significantly we try and place barriers between them and Jesus. Yet, the amazing thing about this story in Mark 2, is that the four men don’t take no for an answer. They say, ‘if you won’t let us near Jesus we’ll knock a hole in the roof.’ I love these guys! They won’t let anything or anyone get in the way of getting their friend to Jesus. I wonder. What would it look like for us to have that much passion and determination to bring people to Jesus?

I often think of Jesus in this moment. What was he thinking? Obviously Jesus knew exactly what was going on. He knew that there was a man who needed to be near him and there were friends trying to make this happen. He would have known that there were others trying to keep these men from him. He knew they would have no part in bringing the man to him. And I have to think it brought a smile to his heart when he heard the shovels and saw the dirt falling down into the house. Then, looking around and seeing the Pharisees react to having their Sunday best covered by mud and dust. Jesus loved this. The four friend’s relentless determination to get their friend to Jesus surely brought a smile to his face because they reminded him of himself. Relentless. Jesus is looking for people like these four men, people who will do anything to bring others to Christ. We have to remember, the process of leading others to Christ is dirty. It’s messy. It’s not always fun. It’s not always easy. And sometimes it takes digging a hole in the roof. It takes knocking down some walls.

Interestingly enough, when Jesus first meets the paralyzed man he doesn’t say congratulations you’re healed! The text says that he saw their faith and said you’re forgiven. Jesus deals with the inside before the outside. It shouldn’t surprise us that the Pharisees didn’t like this.

Mark 2:6-12 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he said to the paralytic– 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

The final section of this story is layered with some profound Theological insights. I would like to make a few observations.

The first is that Jesus knows the crowds heart. The religious leaders doubt Jesus’ identity as well as his mission. The scribes are correct that only God can forgive sins. However, they don’t understand that when Jesus forgives the man’s sin, he is equating himself with God. He is saying, I am the Son of God, living and dwelling among men, and I can forgive sins. He wants them to acknowledge his true identity as the Son of God and the Son of Man. He can forgive sin (inward transformation) and he can also heal the man (outward transformation).

The second observation I’d like to make is Jesus calling himself the Son of Man. Here, he is alluding to Daniel 7. Daniel 7:13-14 states, 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Jesus is saying this Scripture is being fulfilled in your hearing. I’m the one who the Ancient of Days (the Father) has handed the keys of the Kingdom of God to. I have dominion and power over all things, over all people, over everything—even you the religious leaders. Jesus has authority and power over sin, darkness and sickness. By stating the man is forgiven and healed, Jesus is showcasing the arrival of a new Kingdom, which will never be defeated, a Kingdom where right relationship and restoration is possible and available through Jesus.

Finally, although Jesus is the King of the Kingdom of God, he will ultimately give his life for others in order that forgiveness and reconciliation is secured. I’ve always found it interesting that in the 1st century peace (Shalom) was established by war, by bloodshed, especially in Rome. Yet, the Emperor (King) usually didn’t have to participate in this. He would send his army, his soldiers to make peace through war. So, in order to establish peace the King sent others to die for him and the Kingdom. But with the Gospel, the King goes to die in the place of his people. He doesn’t send them to establish peace by their bloodshed. It’s at the cross, Jesus established peace by his own bloodshed. So what’s the take home?

The Take Home
~Christians can either be like the four friends and lead others closer to Jesus or be like the religious leaders and lead people further away
~Like the Pharisees, Christians can put up walls in their lives to keep people from them and Christ
~How far will we go to bring others to Christ?
~Jesus deals with the inward problem of sin first
~Jesus is fully God and has authority over sin, sickness and darkness
~The Kingdom of God is alive and active. It is here now. Right relationships, forgiveness, healing and restoration are possible and available now. Yet, the Kingdom will not be fully realized until Christ returns and defeats Satan once and for all. There will be some pain and brokenness in this world. But at the moment Christ returns, there will be no more sin, sickness or darkness, no more tears or sorrows because Satan will be defeated once and for all. As Paul says, ‘What we see in part now, we will see fully’. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

I wanted to take a moment to give an update about one of the ministry opportunities coming up at Grace Church. On March 4th at 6:30pm, we are launching Sunday Night Connect. The purpose of Sunday Night Connect (SNC) is to connect people to God, His Word and one another. This will be a great time of worship, Bible Study and conversation. The first study will consist of going through the Book of Galatians. This Book has much to say to the Church today. I know that we will be encouraged and challenged through this study. I’m praying that God will use our time together in a mighty way.

If you’re new to Grace Church or if you’ve been around for years, SNC will be an amazing time to CONNECT to God, His Word, and one another. I hope to see you this Sunday night at 6:30pm. Please note that childcare will be provided. Additionally, the older children of Grace Church will be studying the Fruits of the Spirit during this time.

I’m excited to open God’s Word together! See you there!

Further, if God does will or desire something to happen then because He is all-powerful and all-knowing that which He wills and desires will happen. It’s our responsibility to respond rightly to the direction He is leading us. There are several reasons why it’s hard for us to discern what God is calling us to. Some of these include, sin, brokenness, lack of community and discipleship, subjective wants and feelings, pressure from the world and others, all of these things and many more can hinder our ability to know with assurance what God’s purpose for our lives is. One thing is for sure, God wants to be known and because God wants to be known, we are free to know Him through His Spirit and through His Word.

I would like to give us a framework for determining what God’s will is for our lives. The following are some practical tips for seeking God’s will.

1. Does it glorify God? God will never ask us or lead us to do something that doesn’t ultimately bring honor and praise to Himself. So, when faced with a situation, ask will this decision bring glory to God. Does it honor Him? Does it make much of Jesus—or me?

2. Has God confirmed this desire/want in Scripture? Let me be clear, I’m not talking about us first having a desire or feeling and then searching through Scripture to confirm it. In a sense, that’s treating Scripture like a magic eight ball. I’m saying that in your personal time with the Lord is God confirming in Scripture what He has laid on your heart. Is he confirming it through the preaching and teaching of others? Does want we think, line up with what the Bible reveals about God, mankind and the world? In short, our thinking doesn’t inform the Scripture, the Scripture informs our thinking.

3. Have I consistently prayed about it? I’m not talking about praying once and then making a decision. Before making a decision I need to be saturating myself in prayer. We need set aside specific times and moments to earnestly seek God through prayer. Ask him, ‘What do you want me to do? What will bring glory to yourself?’ If the decision affects more than just you, we need to be gathering together regularly with ALL of those it will affect. Ask God for wisdom and discernment, He promises that He will give it to us.

4. Have I fasted? Fasting is a spiritual discipline that had been forgotten in some circles of the Church. Recently, it has become a vital discipline in the life of some churches. Richard Foster has said that, ‘More than any other Discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us.’ Fasting is a powerful way to rid one’s self of the flesh, which is what we need when seeking God.  Fast in such a way that it will cost you something. Meaning, give up something that will force you to continually go to the throne of Grace. This could be food, technology, or a particular activity. Fasting, along with prayer, drives us to the foot of the Cross.

5. Be patient. We live in an instant gratifying world. At times, we’re not willing to actually wait on the Lord. Be still before Him, wait for Him to speak. Don’t make a rushed decision. When we do make hurried decisions it’s easier for our own selfish ambitions to master us. Patience is not passive. It is an active pursuit of waiting on the Lord to speak and act. God’s time is just that—His time. He doesn’t always speak when we want him to. He speaks when we are ready to receive what He has for us. This takes patience.

6. Seek godly counsel. It’s been said that no man is an island. So, we need others to speak into our lives. Proverbs 18:1 says, ‘Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment’. We need deep relationships with others in order to help us have sound judgment when making decisions. Go to those who know you best, who are walking with the Lord and seek their counsel. Remember, we first seek God’s counsel but after this allow others to be a part of the process. Surround yourself with people who are able and willing to speak truth in love. Don’t be too proud to ask for advice. Pride comes before the fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

7. Will this decision be for the good of others? Remember, you’ve been blessed with all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3) SO THAT you can be a blessing. How will this decision affect others? Will they see more of God because of it? Or, will it profane His name? (Ezekiel 36:20, 23) If the decision you’re making hurts many it may not be what God is calling you to do.

8. Will it break prior commitments? Generally speaking, God doesn’t lead us to break the covenants and commitments we’ve already made. Generally. If you’ve made a prior decision in faith don’t dig it up in doubt now. (John Piper) There are always exceptions but normally God doesn’t ask us to break commitments.

9. Peace. Do you have a peace about the situation? Philippians 4:7, promises that if we go to God in prayer that ‘the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus’. God’s peace is an inward reality that only He can offer. Upon thinking about all the consequences of your action do you still have a peace about it?

10. Use your head. Not everything God calls us to will make sense from a human perspective. In all actuality, the opposite tends to be true. At the same time, God requires us to love him with ‘all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ (Luke 10:27). Meaning, God expects us to use our brains. Our critical thinking and reason is a gift from Him that separates us from the rest of creation. So, don’t be afraid to write a list of pros and cons. Ask God to give you the measure of wisdom and reason that you need to make the decision that most glorifies Him. Some of us are far too emotional when it comes to making decisions. Slow down, be patient and use your mind. As mentioned though, there may be times when God ask us to do things that don’t make a lot a sense to others. Know that you’re in good company when this happens.

11. One more for the road. I want to be careful even mentioning this. So, taking in context the previous tips, God does speak through our emotions. In my own personal journey, I’ve went through two extremes. Making decisions solely based on emotions, in other words what I feel. To the other extreme of thinking every emotion is sin-based. The truth of the matter lies somewhere in the middle. Psalm 37:4 promises that if ‘we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts’. Further Jesus states, that once we have abided in Him and are bearing fruit ‘whatever you ask in my Father’s name, He may give it to you’. So, there is a sense in Scripture that once we have sought and delighted ourselves in the Lord we can be assured that the desires we have (if God glorifying) are from Him. I would suggest however, that making decisions based on how we ‘feel’ always be done in the context of practicing these other practical tips. As a Pastor, it drives me crazy when I ask why people made a particular decision and they answer with only emotionally based feelings. Be careful. Our feelings and emotions can deceive us but God’s Word never will.  So, make sure that the feelings/emotions/desires you have align with what God has already revealed about Himself in Scripture.

I pray that these practical tips will help you discern God’s will for your life. As a Church leader, I am always going back to these tips for guidance. Before we start or do anything at Grace Church we always practice these guidelines in order to ensure that our church is square in the will of God, living out the mission of God. God desires you to know Him. If you are a Believer, He has given you all that you need so that you can.

Over the next few months, I will be posting devotionals over the Gospel of Mark. My hope and prayer is that through these devotionals we will gain a better understanding of who Jesus was and what he came to do. In short, I want us to come face to face with the Vintage Jesus. These devotionals are intended to challenge our thinking about the identity and mission of Jesus and hopefully move us to align our faith and practice to the Person and Work of Christ.

The Gospel of Mark
Typically, when a person starts an organization, company or even church, most tend to start by recruiting the most popular, driven, gifted and talented individuals. It’s in our nature to look at the external and not the heart.

Interestingly enough, when Jesus recruits his first followers he didn’t pick the most influential or talented guys. He is enlisting the very people who will carry his identity and mission to the ends of the earth and yet he starts this recruitment process with an invitation to fishermen. Contrary to popular thought, fishermen were not necessarily the scum of the earth. In fact, the fishing industry was largely made up of family owned businesses that were passed down from generation to generation. So, generally speaking, fishermen were somewhat middle class in the 1st century. Simon and Andrew’s father did well enough that he could employ both sons as well as some servants. At the same time, they were definitely not the religious leaders of that time. They weren’t scholars and they weren’t learned men. They knew their Old Testament but these Jewish fishermen had been pasted up by local Rabbis for further study. So, they weren’t the Religious cream of the crop, which is likely the reason Jesus invites them to be a part of his MISSION.

The Gospel of Mark moves through the life of Jesus like a sprint. So far in Mark 1, we have been introduced to the last and greatest Prophet, John the Baptist. John came preaching a message of repentance but also a message that looked ahead to the one who would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. This baptism of the Spirit was a fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:25-30 and looks forward to the New Covenant. Ezekiel envisions a time when the people of Israel as well as the Nations will be washed and filled with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist sees Jesus as fulfilling this promise. Mark 1 also showcases, Jesus being baptized and tempted. Immediately following his baptism, the Spirit drives Jesus to the wilderness where Satan tempts. Following his baptism and temptation Jesus begins his public ministering of the Word by proclaiming, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’ (Mark 1:15) Much can be said about Jesus’ first words but suffice to say that Jesus saw himself as fulfilling Daniel 7:11-14 and Isaiah 61:1. Essentially, because the Kingdom of God had landed on earth now was the time that the ‘The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;’ (Isaiah 61:1)

I have tried to give some of the historical background and context of our first passage in Mark. I pray that this will help us understand the significance of Jesus’ calling of the first disciples. I would now like to make some observations, interpretations and application of Mark 1:16-20.

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.

The Big Idea
One of the first things we observe in this passage is the initiation and invitation of Jesus. Unlike Rabbis of his day, Jesus initiates the discipleship process by inviting the disciples to drop everything and come and follow him. Later in Mark 8:34, Jesus says, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’ Jesus’ invitation is an invitation to come and die. To follow him is to die to our selfish ambitions and desires and commit our lives to him and his Kingdom. But in order to follow him, the disciples have to drop their nets. They can’t say yes to Jesus’ invitation and stay where they’re at and neither can we. The dropping of the nets are a symbol of them leaving their old lives and starting a new life with Christ. The fact that these fishermen were middle class citizens adds to the drama of the scene. They were able to provide a nice life for their families. It was hard work but they were comfortable. Most likely, they would become the owners of their father’s business. Instead, they give it all up in order to follow Jesus. Comfortable lives exchanged for committed lives.

What nets do you need to drop so that you can follow Jesus? What aspects of your old life are you holding onto? The Apostle Paul understood this principle in Galatians 2:20 he says, ‘20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ Again in Philippians 3:7, 8 he states, ‘7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.’ The invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to die.

There are two final observations I’d like to make. First, in Mark 1:17, we tend to pass over an incredibly important word. In fact, the other accounts in Matthew and Luke don’t mention this word but it’s an important one. ‘Become’. Notice, what Jesus says, ‘follow me…and I will make you ‘become’ fishers of men’. Do you see the connection? They weren’t fishers of men yet. But, Jesus sees something else in these men. He sees not only who they are but more importantly he sees who they will become—all great leaders do this. The same is true for us. God doesn’t just see who we are now but he sees the finished product of who we will become. In order to become who they were created to be, they have to follow him. It’s been said that God equips the called. This passage definitely teaches us this. If God has called you to something he will give you the means to fulfill what he’s called you to do. Drop you’re nets and follow him and he’ll do the rest. The promise is we’ll become who we were created to be. The last observation is the requirement to follow Jesus. Really, the only requirement to follow Jesus is willingness. God uses people who are willing to be used. You don’t have to be a scholar. You don’t have to be the most talented and gifted person in the room…just be willing to be used and God will do the rest. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says ‘ 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.’ God is looking for people who are wholly dependent on him, who are willing to follow him anywhere, anytime. He gives his support to people like this.

The Take Home
~ It’s by following Jesus we become who we are created to be
~ You can’t follow Jesus and hold on to your old life. Let go of the past so you can embrace your future.
~ The chief characteristic of following Jesus is a willing heart. Are you willing? Isaiah 6:8 ’8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

This week’s message is a call for the men of Grace Church to love their wives as Christ has loved the Church. It’s a tall order but by the grace of God we will seek to love with wisdom and courage. Please note, this blog entry is not an attempt to define or argue complementary and egalitarian positions. For more information regarding Grace Church’s stance on this debate please contact www.grace@GraceOK.com.

Well, without further ado, here is PART 1 on practical ways for men to ManUP.

1. Take the Initiative~
• Ask how you can be praying for her and what God is doing in her life…this is an amazing opportunity to hear what God is doing in her heart and it allows you to be a part of this.
• Share what God is doing in your own life. Even if it seems small, share anyways.
• Look for ways to serve together as a family.
• Ask your wife if she’s happy with your marriage and be prepared to take her answer like a man. Then, seek to improve where you can. Don’t get defense. She’s sharing her heart with you. ManUP and do/be better for God and for her.

2. Lead Humbly~
• Ask your wives opinion. See what her perspective is. It’s probably different than yours and will help you communicate and lead more effectively.
• Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know’. This is an amazing opportunity to lead your family to the throne of grace by saying ‘I don’t know but I trust God does so let’s pray and seek Him.’
• Empower your wife. Don’t withhold or take power from your spouse. She’ll resent you for it. Instead, know her well enough to encourage and challenge her to use and refine her gifts and talents.
• Consider her better and more important than yourself. Take on the role of servant.

3. Serve Faithfully~
• Do the dishes. Take out the trash. Get up with the kids in the middle of the night. Your wife will love and respect you for it because she’ll see your heart and faithfulness. This is more important than sleep, your IPhone or the game on TV. Nothing shows love like laying down your life for another.
• Don’t complain. Do all things with a joyful heart, praising God for the opportunity to bless those who you hold most dear. Or if you can’t do that…just don’t say anything and do it anyways.
• If you say you’re going to do something…do it. Be a man of your word so she can trust you.

4. Provide Diligently
• Work hard. God will honor your integrity and character in providing for your family.
• BUT don’t forget your primary job is to provide spiritually and emotionally. This is essential.
• Keep in mind why you work hard and who you work for. You’re working to bring glory to God and good to others. This attitude will spur her on to love and good works. Lead by example.
• Learn to say no to work and yes to rest. If you don’t have time to rest, cut things out of your budget so you can.
• Give your wife the best part of yourself. Do this by protecting your time with her and prioritizing your life around the things that really matter to you and her.

5. Speak and Live Gently
• Don’t be harsh or critical of your wife. She needs to see you be tough but also tender.
• Build her up don’t tear her down. Use your words to encourage and edify your family. Don’t be sarcastic. They don’t need or deserve it.
• Be careful with your words. Think of it like this…your wife’s spiritual and emotional health is like a bank account. It’s hard to withdraw from this account if you haven’t put anything in it. Lead with your words.
• Don’t ever try to intimidate your wife. A real man is self-controlled and doesn’t need to act like a jerk to gain respect. Love her like Jesus loves the Church and you’ll be respected.

Check out PART 2 on Friday! Men, God is calling you to be a leader in your household and by His grace He will empower you to do it!

One of my favorite things in life right now is the way my daughter snuggles with me. Yeah, I know I’m a softie. I can’t help it! And I can assure you, I haven’t always been this sympathetic! It’s funny how the Lord uses a baby girl to soften your heart! Recently, we’ve stopped swaddling her. Meaning, we’ve stopped tying down her arms and legs. So, she’s having to learn what to do with her arms and legs…which is actually pretty funny to watch. At times, she reminds me of a turtle lying on her back with arms and legs flaying about. But, the awesome part is now that her arms are free, when I pick her up in the mornings she instantly wraps her arms around my neck as she snuggles her head into my shoulder, which is usually followed by an affectionate beard tug. I’m telling you, if that doesn’t melt your heart—you need to check your pulse!

It’s this imagery that somewhat describes the word abide. Now, stay with me for a moment. In John 15:1-11, Jesus uses the word ‘abide/s’ 10 times. I think he may be trying to make a point. He wants his disciples to understand that if they want to be his followers, if they want to bear fruit that lasts, if they want to carry out the mission he has left for them—they must abide in him. They can’t do it on their own, in their own strength. They must dwell in him. Abide, literally means to ‘await, remain, dwell or to rest, sit or tarry’ (Louw-Nida Lexicon). So, the picture behind abide is to rest and dwell with Jesus. The promise behind it is that we will be fruitful when it comes to eternal matters. Jesus, the true vine, is our lifeline to being fruitful branches. Branches not in the lifeline (i.e. Jesus) don’t produce fruit, those who abide in the True Vine, produce fruit that will last. In short, I think God wants us to continually nestle our heads on his shoulder. And as much joy and happiness I have when my daughter snuggles with me, our Father has infinitely more joy and happiness when we abide in him.

For some of us, it’s hard to imagine that the God of the universe wants us to abide in him or more so that he takes delight and pleasure when we do abide in him. Don’t confuse want and need. He doesn’t need us to abide; really, he doesn’t need us for anything. Instead, how much more of a privilege and mystery that he wants us to abide in him. Let me be clear, I’m not trying to reduce God to encompass all the humanistic emotions we have. I’m not trying to read God through my own lens of personal experiences…because I understand that every analogy we have with regards to God will ultimately fall short to encompass and communicate a ‘wholly other’ God. But, I believe my point is still valid. Zephaniah 3:17 is a verse that has been taken out of context countless times. Yet, the point of this verse is clear ‘God rejoices over his people with gladness…and exalts over us with loud singing’, when we as his people, as his Bride, seek his face wholeheartedly, when we abide in him, God Almighty enjoys us.

I’d like to challenge you this week to focus on abiding in Christ through His Word, His Spirit, and service to others. If we abide in the love of Christ then we are free and empowered to in turn love our neighbor as God has called us to. Abide in Christ this week. Share the love and mercy you experience through abiding in him with a broken and lost world.

In Christ,
Pastor Brent

I’m not talking about your kids, spouse or even salvation itself…hopefully those are a given. I’m talking about the greatest present you’ve ever received. Over the years, I’ve had some pretty awesome gifts. Four-wheelers, which I wrecked, bikes, which I also wrecked, remote control airplanes, which, wait for it, I also wrecked…all of these were definitely mint gifts. But, my favorite gift I ever received was my first BB gun. There’s just something about a boy and his BB gun that says I AM a MAN, I AM EIGHT…and no, I didn’t shoot my eye out, well, at least not yet.

One of the reasons my BB gun was my favorite was because I had to wait for it, for what seemed like an eternity. From the time I was 5 yrs old I asked Santa for this bad boy every single year and frankly every year Santa dropped the ball. In fact, it wasn’t until I turned 8 yrs old that I finally received my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. Three whole years I waited, which for a kid is an eternity. Oh, there were definitely times when I thought it was never going to happen, times that I had lost all hope of ever getting my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster. But, then, at the perfect moment, the moment when I could wait no longer…BAM, there it was right in front of me! It was amazing! Looking back, that Crosman 760 Pumpmaster changed my life…maybe, I want go that far. The fact that I had to wait for this gift is what made it my favorite and also now I could shoot things. You see, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize just how bad you want something. Or put another way, sometimes it’s in the waiting that you realize how much you NEED something.

This week at Grace Church we are celebrating Emmanuel, God with us at our Christmas Eve Service. God with us. God with us. Can we even begin to comprehend what that statement means for us? The Maker of Heaven and earth, the Creator of all things, the Covenant God, the One who parted the Red Sea and delivered Jonah from the whale, that God is with us and crazier still WANTED to be with us. But, what about for the Jewish nation in the 1st century? What did Emmanuel mean for them?

Throughout the OT, God in His grace is always hinting that something BIG was coming. There are prophecies from the Torah, the Psalms, the Prophets, even the Historical books, which point to the coming of the Messiah. The Messiah. The One would come and finally rescue Israel from her captors, the one who would come and restore Israel back to God once and for all. And then, what would follow would be the restoration of all nations through Israel because the Messiah would come from Israel.

What would the Messiah look like?

Would the Messiah be a mighty warrior like David? Would he, once and for all, destroy Israel’s enemies? Would he be more powerful and wealthy than Solomon and all of his splendor? Could he really be greater than Moses and Abraham? He surely, would come from a powerful and prestigious family; perhaps he would be a Levite?

What would the Messiah look like?

Well, Israel waited and waited. And waited some more. A hundred years pass, five hundred more, even a thousand years. There would be a few Messianic candidates that would rise up yet they failed time and time again. Still, Israel waited. In the meantime, things go from bad to worse. Nation after nation controls and enslaves them. Kingdom’s rise and fall and Israel still remains in Exile. Yet, they hold on to the HOPE God had given them. He would establish a New Covenant, an everlasting Covenant, one that would even transform them from the inside—out. He would set things right. Sometimes it’s in the waiting that you begin to realize how much you want and need something.

Then, after being silent for over 400 yrs, a baby is born in a manger. A baby? Born in a manger? Really? How could this be? How could a baby born in the manger be the Messiah? How could he be the One they had waited for? He was supposed to bring knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of sins (Luke 1:67-80). This baby would be the greatest gift. The greatest gift God has ever given. God gave the gift of salvation through His only begotten Son, the Messiah, the Son of Man, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ.

Salvation. Forgiveness. Reconciliation, Restoration. Right Relationship. Atonement. Remember, ‘The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance’. (2 Peter 3:9) God is a promise keeper. He promised Israel that He would one day provide redemption and He did. Not in their timing but in His perfect timing. He does the same for us. He keeps His promises. And He is still offering the same free gift to us. Sometimes, it’s in the waiting that we realize how bad we want and need something.

This Christmas, remember the greatest gift ever given. Christ. Remember to tell your children and grandchildren that the gifts they receive on Christmas are just symbols and reminders of the greatest gift ever given. The good gifts we receive should lead us to the Giver of the greatest gift. I hope and pray you have a wonderful Christmas!

Pastor Campbell