Jesus chooses. Jesus chose disciples. Jesus chose ME.
Read Mark 3:7-19.
Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
- What distinguishes the disciples from the crowds following Jesus?
Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1-20)
Jesus chose those who with “good soil.” He chose those whose hearts were ready to receive His message. He chose those who would take His teachings and spread them to the world. The crowds were not ready… That’s why He taught in parables. Jesus gave His Spirit to the disciples for them to understand the parables… But He knew the hearts of the crowd were rocky soil. They were not ready to receive the message and do something with it. They were curious… They were enthusiastic admirers. They’re excited to see Jesus come to town, excited to watch the miracle, but they didn’t want the interruption of life. They liked where they were.
Which group does your life reflect - the crowds or the disciples?
- Have you dropped your net, everything, to follow Him?
- Are you following at a distance, when it’s convenient for you?
Luke 9:23, Then he [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
Following Jesus entails more than simply being a fan of His teaching or His love. It means letting the cares of the world and the priorities of self-centeredness fall away. He has already chosen US!
- What do you need to surrender to Jesus to better embrace His call on your life?
