Mark 1:14-39

Video: Hoosiers

• Within each of us, there are yearnings to do something great. To come off the bench or out of the stands and be a great player. In fact, people will go to great lengths to do something great.
• World Records:
  • Longest ear hair - This person has set a world record for ear hair that measures over 5 inches in length. "Making it to Guinness World Records is indeed a special occasion for me and my family," said Radhakant. "God has been very kind to me."
  • Most drumbeats – Oliver has actually beat Shawn’s record for the most drumbeats per minute – over 1000. Who counts?
  • Most scissors used to cut hair – Bruce styles hair with 8 pair of scissors in one hand. Imagine having him as your barber.
  • Furthest Cricket Spit – Danny has a fascination with insects and spits crickets over 30 feet.
  • Strangest diet – Michel has been eating metal and glass since 1959. He consumes 2 lbs of metal a day and says bananas and hard boiled eggs make him sick.
  • Most roaches eaten – Ken eats 36 cockroaches in one minute.
• We all have this desire to do something great, but deep inside there are yearnings that we have to make a difference, to make a great impact, to discover and fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
• But the problem is there is another part of us that says you will never be good enough. Don’t break the mold. Keep things the way they are. Play it safe, don’t risk failure, and maintain the status quo.
• Yearnings say “go for it” while the status quo says “keep things the way they are.”
• There is this tension within each of us between maintaining the status quo or following our yearnings.

The Call

Mark 1:16 – we find individuals living status quo.

• “Come follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people.”
• Disciples abandon the status quo –
  • They abandoned their nets – their job security
  • They leave their family – comforts of home
• Why? If you are like me, this passage never made sense (We have seen movies with Jesus in white bathrobe with light blue Miss America sash, and long hair like Ace on American Idol, saying “come follow me.” And these disciples just get up and follow this guy. Like some trance. They leave their job, their father, and just get up and follow.

Why?

Jesus offered purpose and fulfillment. (1:16-20)

In Jesus’ day, education was a big deal. Josephus (1st century Jewish scholar) – “Above all we pride ourselves on the education of our children.” All sorts of discussions among rabbis who were the spiritual leaders concerning at what age should you start teaching a child.

1. From around the age of 5-10 a Jewish boy was taught at the synagogue (where go every Sabbath for worship). The local rabbi would teach them to memorize the torah – by age of 10 Jewish children had the torah memorized (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) memorized.
2. At the age of 10–14, the Jewish boy would continue by learning the rest of the Old Testament. You would also learn the importance of living out the oral and written law and you would demonstrate that understood the law.
3. So roughly by the age of 14, you have memorized the text, learned the law, and demonstrating you understood the text. It was the dream of every Jewish boy to be a disciple of a Jewish rabbi and one day be a rabbi - beyond Harvard and Yale, best of the best. To be a rabbi, you would go to a powerful rabbi, and you would say “I want to be your talmudine = one of your students.” The rabbi would then ask you all sorts of questions to determine whether you were the best of the best. If the rabbi decided you actually might be good enough, he would take you as one of his students, you would then leave everything, your mother/father, the family trade, and you would follow this powerful rabbi. Greatest pride for family. You would devote entire life to becoming like the rabbi, because the rabbi actually believed you could be like him.

But if the rabbi questioned you and you knew things but rabbi didn’t think you could actually be like him. He would say “blessings on you, but go learn your family trade, have lots of babies and pray they become rabbis.” You would leave and go back to your family and continue to learn whatever family trade was.

So in Mark, Jesus sees two brothers casting their net. Why are they fishermen? Cause they weren’t good enough. He goes to these young boys. They were learning the family trade, working. Most likely they were teenagers, high school boys. These men would have been familiar with Jesus. They would have heard about Him - heard Him teach. Jesus says “follow me.” When the disciples dropped everything to follow, they weren’t saying “I’ll get up and follow this stranger,” but “the rabbi thinks we are good enough.”

That’s why the father Zebedee isn’t upset thinking "Who is this guy calling my sons?" Zebedee would have gone home to his wife and been excited that they rabbi actually chose his sons.

Jesus, the rabbi, comes with a divine game plan and chooses these individuals to do something great. He offered purpose and fulfillment, not to just fish, but to change the lives of people. It was the call to make a difference, to move from being a spectator in the stands to being a participant, to get in the game.

You may be here today, lonely, looking for meaning, you may have a rough background, struggling. Do you realize today that that Jesus, the rabbi, God’s Son, has chosen you? Nothing disqualifies you. It is not “if you are good enough.” It is not “if you have lived a clean or perfect life.” We are chosen, accepted with all of our faults, shortcomings, sins. You are chosen by God’s grace to do something great, to change the lives of people if you would just be willing to get out of the stands and follow Jesus.

Jesus displayed authority and power (1:21-28)

We read that Jesus went on to the synagogue. On Saturday, the Sabbath, the Jewish men would gather to listen to someone read from the Scriptures. Because there was usually no permanent rabbi or teacher, it was a custom for the synagogue leader to ask visiting teachers or rabbis to speak. That is why Jesus often taught in the synagogue when he visited a town.

When Jewish teachers taught, they would often quote other rabbis, maybe the one they studied under, to give them authority when they spoke. Jesus didn’t do that. We read in other books of the New Testament that He speaks and then says “These are the words of the Lord.” Says who? Jesus says, “Says me.” Because Jesus was God, He knew exactly what the Scriptures said and meant. He was the ultimate authority.

In verse 22 we find that the people were astonished at His teaching. He taught with authority, not like the other teachers. Just about that time, there is a person in the synagogue was possessed by an evil spirit and begins shouting “I know who you are. You are the Holy One sent from God.” Jesus heals the man.

The people are amazed. Verse 27 says they begin to say this Jesus, he teaches with authority, even evil spirits obey his orders. Jesus displayed authority and power, and the news about him spread quickly.

When it comes to following God, we often hold back. The status quo says “don’t go all the way with God, you might have to give up something, you might lose your security, you might fail, don’t break tradition, just keep maintaining things the way they are. Stay in the stands.” Jesus says, “Get in the game. Realize I am the one who holds authority and power.”

You life circumstance may feel overwhelming, you may have fears of facing the unknown, but do you realize Jesus is the one who has the authority and power to deliver you, to help you overcome, to enable you to do great things, to change your world, to empower you to make a difference.

Jesus provides support and compassion. (1:29-34)

We read on that they go to the house of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Jesus heals her.

Jesus supplied support and compassion for his followers. There is nothing like following a leader who offers support and encouragement through the tough times in your life. Not only does Jesus provide support and compassion for His followers but He even shows compassion for the many people who came to him.

News about Jesus spread, but for the Jew, the Sabbath day was a day of rest and people had a law that didn’t permit them to travel on the Sabbath until sunset. So when sunset came, verse 32 tells us the crowds started looking for Jesus. It goes on to say that the city gathered where Jesus was at. Jesus began to heal many people.

Whatever you’re facing, whatever someone you care about is facing, Jesus cares. Not only does he just care, but Jesus provides the support and compassion to meet your needs and the needs of those you care about. When you make the decision to follow God, to get out of the seat, to get in the game, to go for it, Jesus cares for you and your needs, and He calls us to care and meet the needs of others. But status quo thinking says, “I just have to take care of my needs. I can’t make a difference. Besides I’m only one person.”

Jesus stayed connected and renewed. (1:35-38)

I’m not a morning person. It takes a lot of effort for me to get up and moving. I want to sleep in, press the snooze button. Here Jesus is in verse 35, after a long day at the synagogue and caring for people, getting up long before daylight and finding a solitary place to pray. Jesus spent time communicating with God. He stayed renewed by not neglecting His connection to God. In fact, the disciples find Him and they say, “Everyone is looking for you.” It would be easy to think that Jesus would just drop everything and go to the crowds. But because He had stayed connected to God, He is able to say, “Let us go to the next towns and preach to them because that is why I came.” Jesus knew his purpose and was able to lead with confidence because he stayed connected and renewed.

When we follow Jesus, we know we follow one who calls us with purpose and fulfillment. He has authority and power. He provides support and compassion, and He enables us to be connected to God so that we can get in the game, make wise decisions, and fulfill our purpose.

Get in the Game: On our website, you can find a link on our community outreach page called “making a difference.” This page contains stories about people who have been actively looking for ways to make a difference in our community.

Gas Station and Gardner’s: stories and pictures of small groups who have done things like show up at the gas station at the corner of church and 11th to give away coffee and washer fluid.

Home Project: or they have scraped and painted the trim at a house of an elderly lady in our community, or they adopted more than one family for Christmas, or they paid for a family’s bowling shoes when their group went bowling.

It is one thing to say we believe in outreach to this community and to help out with an all church organized event like the Gas Buy Down, Operation Gear Up, or Light Up a Life, which are all good things. But it is another thing to say I’m going to be a player and get out of the stands and actively look for ways to show God’s love to our community on my own or with a small group.

• Real Life Community: picture – some may have helped them provide thanksgiving meals for families in that community, or attended one of their preview services. They have one more preview service to go in April, and they will be launching Easter weekend. It is one thing to say we want to reach the east side of town or to give a meal or time to help with Thanksgiving dinners, or to show support by attending a preview service which are all good things. But it is quite another thing to be a committed player. To get out of the stands and say I’m going to make it happen. To say I’m going to attend Real Life Community and help with the children’s ministry, or with video and sound, or I’m going to help with their music ministry.
• Children’s Ministry and Student Ministries: It is one thing to say I believe in children’s ministry, teen ministry but quite another to say I’m going to be a player, to serve in the nursery where I might have to change diapers or get sneezed on, to help with the children’s program or to say I’m going to be a player by serving in the youth ministry where they are running 65 teens with only about 6 volunteers because they need more players.
• The same is true for any other ministry. We could talk about needs for people to be leaders in our young adult ministry to help reach young adults at OSU-Newark or Dennison. Or needs for people to help with our music ministry, our media ministry with cameras and lighting, needs that we have for new small group leaders if our small group ministry is going to grow. Needs that we have for people to serve by being greeters, ushers, parking lot hosts with our guest services, or to help make sure guests are greeted by serving on our connect team, or simply to serve behind the scenes by serving with our safety and security team or with our set up and tear down for events. And we haven’t even talked about maintenance needs and other areas of ministry that may be involved at the Maholm building.

The need for people to get in the game is great. Did you know that on average only 20% of the people who attend a church are actively involved as a player? That 20% does 80% of the ministry. When we are committed to be real and to embrace the journey of pursing God, we soon find that just like Jesus called the individuals in Mark who thought they weren’t good enough to get out of the boat, God calls us with the same purpose, authority, power, support, compassion to get out of our seats, to get out of the stands, and to get in the game. God wants you in the game. Jesus calls us to be participants, not spectators. But that means moving from the status quo and following the yearnings of your heart. It means taking the risk and being a player, getting involved. Are you willing to get in the game?

(Have everyone stand.) In just a few moments there is going to be a song and I’m going to lead us in a closing prayer. But as I prepare to lead us in prayer, maybe there are some here today who are willing to (sort of as an action step) move out of your seat and join me in standing to show you commitment to be a player and get in the game. As we prepare to close in prayer,

Maybe you are part of the 20% and you are actively involved in a ministry (i.e. Real Life, Children’s, Greeter) and you would be willing to move out of your seat and join me as you pray for more people to get in the game.

Maybe you are here today and you hear God’s call to join the 20% and get in the game. Would you be willing to move out of your seat and join me as a sign of your commitment to be a player?

The reality is that there are some today who have come here lonely, looking for meaning, feeling like you aren’t good enough. Today you need to realize Jesus the rabbi has chosen you. Nothing disqualifies you. You are chosen by God’s grace to so something great, to change the lives of people. As song plays, invite you to accept the call, get out of the stands, talk to God, come forward to pray.

There may be several people come forward and that is okay. Stand on the sides or in the aisle. This is an opportunity for you to actively move out of your seat and accept the call to commit to get in the game.

Action Prayer: If standing at your seat or up front and you today are committing to be a player in the game, ask you to as we pray place one foot in front of the other (3 point stance) – representing motion, an action step as we pray.

*Prayer to receive call, to be a committed player

Action Steps: Before you go back to your seats, if you accepted call today tell someone. Email me. If you made a commitment to be a player and you are not involved, go to our website and check out the ministries available. Sign up. Check out the outreach ideas. You may just want to complete a connection card and drop it off at the information center.

Resources:
Rob Bell – Youth Specialties Conference (Atlanta, Georgia)
Chip Ingram – Cutting Edge Christianity