(November 24, 2024) Dr Richard Winter challenges…

Imagine walking by the sea of Galilee and witnessing the following…

Jesus meets some fishermen and says, ‘Leave your nets, guys, and follow me.’ Then He gathers them with ten others to talk about something He’s going to start called ‘church’ and you overhear the first meeting—

First Disciples’ Meeting?
‘Meeting to order, please!’ Jesus declares adding, ‘I’ve called you gentlemen here today to assist me launch a new  enterprise. Of course, you must realise how difficult it is to get a new commodity on the market. Competition in our field is rather stiff these days and it’s going to take the best of our resources if we’re to be successful.’

All eyes are fixed on Jesus as He goes on: ‘First thing, guys, is drafting a constitution, the prime prerequisite for the establishment of a concern as large we hope to build… bigger than FaceBook, X, or YouTube.’

Now they’re staring at one another! Jesus casually adds, ‘I propose we incorporate under the name Ecclesia and that you serve as the board of directors. The twelve of you will determine policy, and implement decisions. Guys, the task before us is enormous and you’ll be assigned various portfolios. In your lifetime we will establish our concern in most every country of the world— we can expect millions of adherents! Over the years we must construct thousands of buildings, and fund enough people to staff them. We must also provide ample literature and begin many new customs.’

Jesus pauses, aware of the dumbfounded expressions. Then with a smile, He says, ‘I know… not all of you have had to have previous administrative experience. Some of you will need to curb your desires to go back to fishing. All of you must overcome provincial ways of thinking! Added to these handicaps is the fact that I’m only able to spend three years with you to get things started and then you’ll have to carry on without me around. Here’s what I would suggest— ‘

• Tommy
  You can do this as you don’t take things on face value. You have to overcome doubt. Handle public relations, look for a symbol to epitomise our product to the people. Perhaps Google AI can help.
• Judas
  No, not you Judas T, Judas I… you handle our organisation’s finances. Try to keep your own hands out of the till and think up how we can rally money to support our ever-developing institution.
• Matt
  You act as secretary, keeping minutes on official pronouncements and see if you can write a good piece of literature to sell our product.
• Andy
  You help the sales force. You’re always  good in getting  people interested in coming over to our side and I think you can invent some ingenious methods of recruitment.
• Johnno
  You’re our deep-thought man. Protect us from the intellectuals who’ll say we’re naive. You’re fine with the pen… tie us in with the masses by giving our local flavour a universal appeal.
• Pete
  You’re compulsive at times, but possess the necessary dynamism to keep things moving. Master Corporation Law and Management; prepare to take over in as many areas as you can.
• The rest of you…
  Try to help out in every way you can!

Then Jesus concludes with this challenge: ‘Don’t expect things to be easy, but work hard. I know that some of you will be regarded as “unlearned and ignorant men”— but give it the old college try, and you’ll make a name for yourselves. Thanks a lot, guys… let’s all work together for the church, for others, for posterity. Well, that’s it. Meeting concluded. Let’s go to it!’

Whoa! Stop Imagining!
That was not the beginning for the Christian faith or the church! Mark 1:16-45 tells the true picture of how Jesus gathered His first four disciples around Him and taught them, showing them valuable lessons regarding faith in Himself and God’s supernatural power.

Let’s observe the lessons those first disciples learned, ones that we need to know ourselves—

1. Jesus Inspired Trust (v17)
Peter and Andrew were fishing— James and John were mending their nets. This was common-place for them: they expected to do this sort of work the rest of their lives. Out-of-the-blue Jesus passes and calls to them: ‘Come with me, and I’ll teach you to catch people’ (v17GNB).

Mark records so simply that they immediately forsook their nets and followed Jesus. Now you would expect an involved conversation and much questioning at this point. But there is something here that must not escape our attention— those men straightaway recognised Jesus as someone who they could trust! They were inspired to drop everything.

Now one ever commits to someone you cannot trust. No one willingly places their whole life’s future in the hands of another unless that person inspires the utmost confidence.

Those four men were willing to leave their nets, just as each of us in our own day must leave ‘our entangling nets’ and follow after Jesus.

At this point these guys do not know the long road ahead! They’ve no idea that before them lies three gruelling foot-travelling years of comradeship and moments made to test soul and body!

They haven’t a clue that three years later the one beckoning them on that beach would be nailed to a cross at Calvary. They do not at this initial moment see the tomb, the resurrection, the church, the spread of the gospel, their own martyrdom for the sake of this strange invitation.

This teaches us something about own encounter with Christ. Never do we see the end from the beginning! We come to Jesus in the first instance because we feel we’ve found someone we can trust. We raise our hand, or walk down an aisle, or silently seal a commitment in our heart. We don’t really know who we’re committing our lives to, nor do we know what it will all involve— but somehow we know that Jesus is someone we can trust.

• At this point our understanding of His work for us is very incomplete.
• We have no conception of how over the days, weeks, months and years ahead the influence of His person will rub off on us.
• In reality, Jesus graciously never calls anyone and tells us all at the beginning. He doesn’t ask the new disciple to master overnight lessons another more mature disciple has honed over many years.
• He knows if He tells us what we cannot take it in, we’d be frightened by the overwhelming enormity of our commitment.
• So Jesus simply bids us trust in Him, believe in Him, walk with Him one day at a time.

‘Trust me with your lives’ is the first lesson the great teacher would have His disciples learn.

2. Jesus Taught Scripture (v21-22)
Jesus’ next lesson was that they learn that sharing God’s word confidently is vital!

So He takes them to the synagogue and shares with the gatherers. Result? Those four and many others were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one who had authority…’ 

Authority is exousia… ability, competency. Oh yes, this is all new to these humble fishermen but they would learn that with the Holy Spirit’s help they will be able to teach and share meaningfully that people should repent (Mark 6:7–13).

I think particularly of Peter’s great sermon which brought thousands to Christ! (Acts2:14-21).

The lesson here is that even if you’re not a missionary or a minister, you will be given opportunities to simply share God’s truth with people who need to hear the gospel. Therefore know God’s word— and the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17).

3. Jesus Mastered Evil (v23-27)
A child is playing marbles in the streets, a bully comes along and steals his marbles. A dictator gains control of a nation an exterminates six million people. All honourable men believe the bully should be brought to justice. Likewise honourable men will align themselves on the side which seeks to put an end to that dictator’s horror.

Go back in time and learn another lesson about Jesus. He didn’t have a business meeting with those first four disciples but took them to the Capernaum synagogue where He taught with such authority as to amaze His hearers (v21-22).

A needy man sitting there listening was controlled by an evil force shutting him out from normality, binding him with dreadful thoughts and causing him to inflict on himself bodily harm. Now no honourable man would desire him to have to continue in this way… just as against the evil of theft, men may gather to help the little boy with the lost marbles, and against the evil of genocide, men may gather in great armies to fight the evil of a despotic leader.

But, who is able to help the lonely soul trapped in the web of the devil with a personality completely dominated by an agency not his own? Jesus was! He was not afraid of meeting evil and wanted those first disciples to know it and be unafraid to follow in His footsteps.

The Bible records many instances where Jesus demonstrated mastery over evil and the devil… whether He was in the wilderness alone or confronted with a wild-eyed demoniac as happened when He taught God’s truths.

It is interesting to compare this incident that Mark recorded— the devil’s goal to control human personality, conquer people for life, and ultimately destroy the individual. Jesus’ goal was to challenge and overcome the devil’s deceptions and set people free to really enjoy life, trusting God’s word. He saw this poor man, not just as someone afflicted as he was, but someone bound by Satan.

The disciples learned this lesson too. It became an abiding pattern— God will overcome evil! Read the other gospels and note that Jesus came to set us free from Satan’s domineering and binding— Luke records Jesus’ word regarding His mission— ‘He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and … to set the oppressed free’ (Luke 4:18). John rubberstamped this: ‘So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36). It is Jesus who ultimately holds the keys of death, hell, and the grave, not Satan. Know it and share this good news!

For those first disciples it became an abiding pattern of their ministry— they knew this Jesus was someone who had mastery over evil, that demonic forces could be overcome and they too set many poor souls free (Mark 6:13).

Thought: Are we somehow like this poor man, sitting in church but needing help? Is Satan binding you in some way?

4. Jesus Helped Individuals (v29-31,40-42)
Why did Jesus perform healings, miracles? Was it to draw a crowd? Was it to create a conversation piece? Was it even to advance His own cause? Oh no!

Those disciples learned that the fundamental reason for healings and miracles was that individuals needed help… and not always before a watching crowd to be applauded!

Firstly, Peter’s mother-in-law who was quite ill with a fever. Jesus gently took her by the hand and relieved her from that illness (v31).

Then there was the poor man with leprosy eaten away with deterioration, cast off from family and friends. He found Jesus in some house, fell on his knees begging Him to cleanse his body (v40).

Deeply moved with compassion (v41-42NKJV) Jesus dared touched him and the poor man was miraculously cleansed!

No ‘big show’ here… just a caring heart in action!

4. Jesus Healed Many (v32-34)
And how Jesus cared for the pressing crowd gathered at sundown.

Jesus took loved them all and was moved by their plight! Do note that Mark records Jesus telling an enquirer that the second most  important commandment is to ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ (12:31).

Even in simple ways we can help people. Examples: I can—

• Take time to listen to a friend’s trials.
• Withhold a biting word of criticism.
• Go out of my way to be kind to my rival.
• Become involved in the needs of others all around me.
• Pray in Jesus’ name for needed healings or miracles! Jesus said we could so expectantly (John 14:13-14).

5. Jesus Prayed Meaningfully (v35)
The following morning Jesus got up long before the sunrise to pray to His Father. On finding Him, the disciples saw in Jesus someone who was in direct communion with the eternal God.

Think then how much our Lord anticipated His moments alone in communion with the Father. Here in the quiet of the dim morning hour He spoke in the language of heaven. He prayed and we must follow this example.

We can use prayer to bless others! The church that Jesus started certainly did for the imprisoned Peter (Acts 12:4). Peter himself used the power of prayer (Acts 9:40 for example).

• What those four followers learned would be grasped by the other eight Jesus would call.
• As were other lessons and directives!
• We must also learn such lessons if we’re to be effective for Him in this dark world!

More Lessons Ahead!
More lessons for all the disciples— and us— would follow!

We aren’t led to believe in Christianity because of catchy advertising, church music, high-powered preacher, pressures, or because we’re seeking an escape from emotional difficulties. We are Christians because of Christ, who alone knows fully the Father and began the kingdom here.

How then shall it start? Did Jesus set up that imaged corporation I pictured above, selling disciples on ‘methods and techniques’ for the converting of the world? Oh no, He didn’t!

Praise God for good Bible-based churches and pastors today… but my point in this article is to encourage you to follow Jesus and accept whatever calling He has for you— even beginning with these five lessons.

Don’t be afraid, or think you don’t know enough…  there were no Bible colleges in Jesus’ day, nor any New Testaments. What those first disciples had was that moment when they heard Jesus’ invitation to follow Him. And they did!

We can follow from a distance— or walk beside Him. The choice is ours!
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Dr Richard Winter pastors The Connection Church, Huntington Beach, California. Link: OnlinerConnect@gmail.com
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