Good News For a Bad World - Studies in the Gospel of Mark - 5
Mark 1:15-28 (1)
Some years ago, Billy Graham was on a television talk show. At one point during the interview the evangelist said this: “If all of a sudden Buddha walked into this studio we’d all stand to our feet and applaud. If Gandhi came in, again we’d stand and applaud. If Mohamed appeared we’d do the same. BUT if Jesus Christ walked in right now, every single one of us would fall on the floor prostrate before Him. And here’s why? (said Graham). Because when we come face to face with great men we want to acknowledge them. But when we come face to face with God we’re forced to worship Him”.
Well it’s our amazing privilege to come face to face with Jesus in Mark’s wonderful Gospel. And do we stand and applaud? No. We fall and worship. WHY? Because He’s not just a good man or a great man, He’s the God-man.
I guess Mark 1:2-28 are perhaps the busiest verses in all the Bible. Jesus is constantly on the move and on the go. And we see Him in a number of ways and each time we do, we bow and worship.
He’s the Messiah, the anointed and promised One. He’s the beloved and well pleasing Son of God. He’s the victor who triumphs over Satan. And He’s the greatest and simplest preacher ever. Today, Jesus the Leader. Next time, Jesus the Teacher.
To begin we see JESUS THE LEADER.
Here He is. He’s about to shake and shape history. And so its vitally important that He has the right people around Him. Don’t you think that’s pretty crucial?
He needs the right team in place. The right team with the right qualifications and the right background and the right pedigree and the right training and the right education and the right look and the right style.
“Ok Jesus, whatever else you do make sure you chose carefully and slowly and wisely. Head up to Jerusalem. Pick the cream of the crop. The cleverest you can find. Born and bred, ‘made to measure’ team members. The right sort and the more the merrier”. That’s the advice we’d slip Him for free. True?
But guess where He heads? And guess who He selects? Verses 16-20 “… Simon and Andrew his brother … James the son of Zebedee and John his brother … ”
It’s unbelievable. He flies in the face of everyone’s advice. He breaks all the rules. Not Jerusalem, but Galilee. I mean Galilee of all places. It’s slap bang, right in the middle of nowhere.
And Simon. That’s even worse. Look at him. Listen to him. He’s a great big man with a great big loud mouth. He just can’t seem to help himself. He opens his mouth before his brain’s in gear. He speaks first and thinks later, at least he sometimes thinks later.
You say, “Well, what do you expect. After all, he’s a rough and ready fisherman. He hangs out with all his big, brash, boisterous mates. Not Simon Peter Jesus. He’s untameable and uncouth and undesirable and unsuitable and unusable”.
And Andrew his brother. If Peter’s loud, Andrew’s the exact opposite. He’s lived far too long under his brother’s big shadow. He’s got an inferiority complex. He’s a background man. No leadership potential whatsoever. Too shy and too scared.
And James and John. Not those two. Not them as well. The sons of thunder. You look at them the wrong way and they go ballistic. They lose the rag at the drop of a hat. They’re just like rumbling, grumbling, walking, talking human volcanoes.
And what’s more, they think they’re big shots with a dead pushy mother with dreams of grandeur for her two boys. A nightmare to handle.
“Jesus, if you want our take on it, steer well clear. Yes, they’re good at fishing we give you that Jesus. They’re good at making nets and mending boats. They’re good at swearing and joking and sorting people out for a small fee. If you want some minders or some hit-men or some bodyguards, maybe they’ll do the job, BUT forget this disciple thing, forget this Apostle business. It’s a none starter! That’s our advice. Take it or leave it. BUT we advise you to take it lock, stock and barrel.
BUT NO! Jesus doesn’t need our advice. He doesn’t need our input or our take on things. He sees past the raw material and sees the God given potential. He knows that it’s the ordinary that God touches and takes and transforms.
To me THE key phrase is in verse 17, “ … follow Me and I’ll MAKE you … ” I’ll shape you, I’ll mould you, I’ll refine you and channel your strengths and work on your weaknesses. You see this isn’t really about Simon or Andrew or James or John. This isn’t really about them and what they’re going to do. This is really about Jesus and what He’s going to do in them and for them and through them and with them.
Isn’t that wonderful? Can I say something to you? Our background and history and human abilities or lack of human abilities aren’t the issue. THE issue is what He can make of us. Jesus the Leader.