Jesus’ Preaching and Calling
Truth Taught- Our Lord preached the Gospel with great authority, people heard, responded and were called into discipleship.
Jesus preached sermons that were often hard for the crowds to hear. They were sermons of truth calling sinners to repentance. Before God grants repentance, the sinner must first realize and acknowledge their sin. It has been my experience in 25 years of pastoral ministry that telling people about their sin usually isn’t very popular. Because all of humanity, which includes you, are sinners that must believe and repent of their sin, sermons need to be sometimes hard to hear. This is why, Jesus came preaching.
In our modern-day culture who likes to think the best of everyone and seeks to appease the larger group usually leaves out the truth that we are sinners in need of repentance.
Most today think and believe that the ultimate goal in preaching is to make people feel good about themselves. But if we look at the preaching of John the Baptist, who we will see was arrested and eventually beheaded and the preaching of Jesus who was crucified and later the preaching of the Apostles who were also martyred we quickly discover that their preaching was not always popular and it was more concerned with the condition of the soul than the condition of one’s feelings. Sermons sometimes are hard to hear, truth is sometimes hard to swallow. The purpose of this type of preaching is to show people that they are sinners. God knows that there must come a time of brokenness then and only then will the true Gospel be the balm and healing for the soul.
If we feel good, we feel good because we have encountered the risen Lord and forgiveness not feelings cause us to feel good about ourselves, not in our natural state but feel good about what Jesus has done for us.
Galatians 6:14 (ESV)
14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Jesus Christ, then becomes our hope and joy not ourselves. He becomes the subject of our worship, not ourselves.
As we begin to look at Jesus’ preaching, we very quickly see that His thrust is that God’s Kingdom has come, the people have entered a new day of redemptive history, a day of grace, belief and repentance. The time is fulfilled Jesus proclaims.
Where Jesus is, there is God’s Kingdom…Hot/cold.
Our Lord’s sermons are summed up with the Kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe the Gospel.
Mark 1:14–20 (ESV)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
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.
1. Jesus Begins Preaching (1:14-15)
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
In verse 14, we see the timing of Jesus’ ministry. That Jesus did not begin His ministry until John the Baptist had been removed from the picture. We see the issue that John was to get the people ready to hear Jesus and so, God had him removed by being arrested and then the preparation time is over. John’s arrest marks that the time for Jesus had begun.
When John the Baptist was arrested by Herod it was a very big deal. John had become a nationally known figure. He was a famous Israelite with a very large following.
John was not a modern-day preacher who focused on social issues and sought to be inclusive. He was a powerful thunderous preacher who spoke God’s Word and God’s truth to everyone. This proved to be the reason he was arrested.
Herod had John imprisoned on account of John having rebuked him over his sin, particularly over Herod’s taking his brother’s wife.
Jesus came into Galilee
As we look to the same section in Matthew’s Gospel, we see an interesting note concerning Jesus entering into Galilee and the region of Capernaum.
Matthew 4:12–17 (ESV)
12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
This territory or region is west of the Sea of Galilee. This territory is not where you would expect Jesus to launch His ministry. You might think a good place would have been Jerusalem or another large metropolis with thousands of people. However, that’s not where Jesus begins. This area was made up of countryside and small towns. Not where you would think.
Isaiah 9:1–2 (ESV)
9 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
The imagery is something like this…This land was in utter black darkness. When Jesus goes from town to town preaching the Gospel of belief and repentance, the light follows Him. Each town one by one is lit as Jesus preaches the Gospel of peace. The people who for hundreds of years in darkness now have the sun rise and warmth of the good news on their face. Those who were in the shadow of death now have life preached to them. It’s as if God picked the darkest place there was and shinned His light bold and bright on those people.
Jesus preached that the people were sinners and needed to believe and repent not that they were okay because He knew and they knew they were not okay. When Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God is at hand and they were not ready the people began to believe and repent of their sins and God’s light followed…no more darkness.
Come into the sunlight and warm your face and feel the presence of Jesus saying, here is your chance to come to God. Either a person submits to the summons of God or they choose their sin and this world. As Jesus preached, He offered God’s grace in forgiveness and at the same time warned those who refused this offer. The same offer comes to us by God, through His Word…
the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
This message was first heard by those listening to John the Baptist. Now, the region of Galilee is hearing the same sermon from Jesus…
2. Jesus Calls His First Disciples (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.
Jesus has been preaching in the region near the Sea of Galilee. So, think with me here about the sovereignty of God. Not only did Jesus fulfill OT prophecy when He began His ministry in this region but no doubt His first disciples that God had chosen were in the crowds to hear Jesus. So, when Jesus walks along the beach of the Sea of Galilee and calls His disciples, they immediately begin to follow Him.
Remember, that tradition tells us that Mark is writing the account of Simon Peter and so Simon the first disciple relays the swiftness in which these new disciples hear the call of Jesus and follow.
Jesus tells Simon and Andrew “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
For James and John, Jesus’ call to follow went out and they also followed very quickly.
When Jesus calls out, come and follow Me this is the phrase that means, come with Me and be My disciple. Come and let me be your Teacher, learn from Me and then go out and do what you see Me doing.
As we examine this amazing event of Jesus calling His first disciples, there is so much to look at.
First, did you notice the authority Jesus commands? When Jesus calls out, those whom He calls obey. We see here the sovereign authority in Jesus’ call. With this call, our Lord moves these men from their former allegiance to their father and their professions to a new allegiance, to follow Jesus.
It’s important to see that God desires radical devotion from us as well. Everyone has a different specific call. Most often our call is within our context. In other words, our Lord may not desire you to leave your profession to follow Him but follow Him as a disciple right where you are. Whatever God has called you to though it is important that you listen and obey. He does call you to obedience in whatever He has in store for you.
Second, did you notice the immediate response?
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
They have immediately and without hesitation left what they had…their nets, father, family business and shifted their devotion to a new Master, Jesus Christ.
Have you responded quickly to God’s call to discipleship? Do you understand the authority that your calling has? Respond quickly as a disciple.
Third, we see the promise of Jesus. This one while guaranteed is not quite so immediate.
I will make you become fishers of men.
This promise will come to pass but these men need training first. Jesus teaches them for three years and then after His ascension, turns them loose. They will become fishers of men. This is the promise of Jesus and it will come to pass.
We must also see that like these men who were called to a task of being fishers of men themselves, they were not ready for that task immediately. They did need training and discipleship. Has God called you to a task that you may not believe you’re ready for? That does not negate your call, it just means that the call requires training, time, and discipleship. If you believe there is something there then we would love to help you discern your call and help disciple you in it.
Beloved, for each of us there is a calling and I pray you respond appropriately. The One calling has great authority. He does not need our talents and skill but He would like our faith and obedience.
The calling’s success does not depend on your skill or talent but on you following Jesus. He summons each of us by an act of grace to come and follow Him. Will you listen and obey?
Resources Used:
Mark by R Kent Hughes
Mark by William Lane
Words of Blessing
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