The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
“14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’”
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
“16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him” Mark 1:14-20.
I have a son, named Andrew, and he and a couple of his close friends write computer code. They have their own business and have become comfortable in it and very good at it. But I wonder if I told Andrew to drop what he is doing and follow Christ instead, would he do it? And I wonder if I told his friends and partners to do the same, would they do it? Would you give up your career to follow Jesus? Neither I nor any of my six brothers followed in the footsteps of my Dad who was a surgeon. We all went our own ways and carved out our own careers.
Yet in verses 18 and 20 it says that “immediately” Simon and Andrew, as well as James and John, dropped what they were doing and followed Christ.
Would you give up your career and your family to follow Christ? As soon as John the Baptizer was arrested and thrown in prison, Jesus knew it was time, time for Him to begin His mission here on earth. It was not chronological time (chronos) for Jesus to begin His ministry here on earth. No, it was Kairos time, the right time or opportune time, indeed it was God’s time to begin in earnest too follow the mission, the call that His father in heaven had given to Jesus in eternity.
The Lord God spoke to Elijah in 1 Kings 19 and told Elijah to follow God. The text says this: “11 The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind, and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake, 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire came a sound of sheer silence, the still small voice of God. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah’” 1 Kings 19:11-13?
Today in prayer, dear friends, listen to the “sheer silence, the still small voice of God” — and follow the Lord. Every day do whatever the Lord tells you to do. The likelihood of the Lord calling you to step away from your current career and follow Him is slim. But every day you can hear the still small, silent voice of God speak to you. He will say to you: Follow Me today! Do whatever I tell you to do! You and I can only follow the Lord if we trust Him. It isn’t always easy to do. It never has been easy. But this is what every Christian is called to do: Follow Christ! In prayer, listen to the voice of the Lord and do whatever He tells you to do!
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27.
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” Romans 10:17.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jeremiah 33:3.
“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God” John 8:47.
“Jesus said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it’” Luke 11:28!
Comments