WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.040 The following sermon is made available by Lakeside Bible Church in Cornelius, North Carolina. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:19.160 For more information about our church or to find more recorded sermons, 00:00:19.640 --> 00:00:22.719 please visit us online at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:25.719 We'd also love to connect with you on social media. 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:30.660 You can find us by searching Lakeside Bible NC on Facebook and Instagram. 00:00:31.619 --> 00:00:37.859 For specific questions about the Bible or our church, please email us at info at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:47.359 We left our study last Sunday after having examined the way in which Mark records the transition of ministry 00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:53.820 from John the Baptizer or John the Baptist to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. 00:00:53.820 --> 00:00:59.039 And the baptism of Jesus that is recorded for us in verses 9 through 11, 00:00:59.480 --> 00:01:03.079 and then the temptation of Jesus in verses 12 and 13, 00:01:03.700 --> 00:01:09.579 are monumentally important to Mark's stated purpose, which is found in verse 1. 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:13.159 And that purpose in writing this letter, this gospel, 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:23.439 is that he might declare and proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Messiah and the Son of God. 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:31.959 Jesus' baptism involved an extraordinary revelation in which the skies opened 00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:36.719 and the Holy Spirit visibly descended and rested upon him. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:41.439 And then God the Father spoke audibly, a voice from heaven that said, 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:45.859 you are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 00:01:45.859 --> 00:01:47.939 An extraordinary revelation. 00:01:48.780 --> 00:01:55.060 And then this revelation was immediately put to the test through a 40-day fast in the desert 00:01:55.060 --> 00:01:59.000 in which Jesus was tempted by Satan. 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:09.580 In the most extreme of circumstances, he resisted that temptation and gave proof that he is indeed the Savior 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:13.860 who could conquer sin and death on our behalf. 00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:20.639 And so Mark's emphasis on these events is such that it demands a response from the reader. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:26.059 After acknowledging the revelation of who Jesus is in his baptism, 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:29.639 and then seeing his power over temptation, 00:02:29.899 --> 00:02:34.039 one must give now serious consideration to his message. 00:02:34.519 --> 00:02:37.659 And his message, as recorded for us in verse 15, is simple. 00:02:38.359 --> 00:02:41.319 Repent and believe the gospel. 00:02:42.419 --> 00:02:46.899 What is this gospel that he has demanded that we believe? 00:02:46.900 --> 00:02:53.460 The gospel is that God became a man in order to die for the sins of mankind, 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:57.159 that he rose from the dead on the third day, 00:02:57.580 --> 00:03:05.020 and that anyone who will believe and follow him will receive eternal life. 00:03:06.060 --> 00:03:11.500 And so this transition takes place where there's the preaching and the baptism of John the Baptist. 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:16.560 It transitions over in Mark's narrative to the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. 00:03:16.560 --> 00:03:22.180 And he shows first that in Jesus' baptism that there was this extraordinary revelation 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:25.659 that we see that he is indeed the Son of God and the Messiah. 00:03:25.939 --> 00:03:31.379 And then he proves that fact as he goes through 40 days of wilderness temptation, 00:03:31.920 --> 00:03:38.819 proving that he indeed has the power over sin, Satan, and ultimately over death. 00:03:39.659 --> 00:03:43.099 And we're reminded of Jesus' words here in John chapter 10. 00:03:43.099 --> 00:04:13.079 He said, 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:16.840 What was this gospel he was declaring that we believe? 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:18.620 That he is the door. 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:20.819 He's the door to the kingdom. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:23.180 He's the door to eternal life. 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:26.939 And anyone that will come through him will receive that life. 00:04:27.480 --> 00:04:28.460 He's the good shepherd. 00:04:29.300 --> 00:04:36.500 He had come in order that he might lay down his life for our sins, the sin of his sheep. 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.300 Well, that's where we pick up in Mark chapter 1 today. 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:41.439 Look with me at verse 16. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:51.480 Now, as he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. 00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:53.839 And Jesus said unto them, 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:58.819 Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 00:04:58.819 --> 00:05:03.579 And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him. 00:05:03.579 --> 00:05:13.519 And when he had gone a little further, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who also were in the ship, mending their nets. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:23.240 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him. 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:35.819 Well, after recording these two monumental events, the baptism and temptation of Jesus, Mark skips ahead here to summarize Jesus' public ministry, 00:05:36.420 --> 00:05:41.819 which began in Galilee after John the Baptist had been arrested and imprisoned. 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:43.180 We see that in verse 14. 00:05:43.340 --> 00:05:44.960 We looked at it closely last week. 00:05:45.060 --> 00:05:51.180 Now, after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. 00:05:51.180 --> 00:05:58.660 Now, our text tells us of an event that took place several months after Jesus' wilderness temptation. 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:09.759 And here it's needful for us to remember that neither of the gospel authors set out to write a strictly chronological timeline of Jesus' ministry. 00:06:10.460 --> 00:06:14.240 These books are gospels, not biographies. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:20.939 They're not stories that are there to entertain us, but they are eyewitness accounts meant to proclaim 00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:28.139 the objective facts of who Jesus is and what his purpose was on this earth. 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:35.420 And if we think about it, we think these men, these eyewitness accounts, Mark and Peter, Mark writing on behalf of Peter, 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:40.100 and we see the other gospel authors, Matthew the disciple and John the apostle, 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.439 and we see Luke who partnered with Paul and all of these other men. 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:54.120 And even unbelieving scholars say that these were real historical men that really did live in Palestine in the days of Jesus, 00:06:54.120 --> 00:07:01.300 that they really did believe that Jesus was Messiah, that they really did believe that Jesus rose from the dead, 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:05.500 and that they really did give their lives preaching that message. 00:07:06.139 --> 00:07:10.079 And so as we study these books, it's important for us to understand exactly what they are. 00:07:10.079 --> 00:07:12.120 They're not stories to entertain. 00:07:12.379 --> 00:07:18.000 They're not meant to be chronological timelines that we might just study intellectually. 00:07:18.479 --> 00:07:24.360 They are proclamations that Jesus is the Messiah, that he died for the sins of man, 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:26.159 and that he rose on the third day. 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:31.860 And all of these men, including Mark, literally gave their lives preaching that message. 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:38.719 And each author has organized his material with a unique audience and purpose in mind. 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:48.780 It's just not a problem for us that Mark jumps ahead and omits material here that Matthew, Luke, and John might have included in their gospels. 00:07:49.780 --> 00:07:55.260 That being said, it is helpful for us to study the four gospels together 00:07:55.260 --> 00:08:03.240 in order that we might have the best possible understanding of the movements of Jesus throughout his life and ministry. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:11.300 For instance, the gospel of John tells us much more about the early nature of Jesus' ministry 00:08:11.300 --> 00:08:17.579 that would fit chronologically in between verses 13 and 14 of Mark chapter 1. 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:24.160 So if you'll look with me there from verse number 13, Mark is dealing with the temptation of Jesus. 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:27.920 Then he automatically skips to verse 14 when John had been put in prison. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:33.659 Well, John in his gospel takes several chapters actually to fill in the gaps of what Jesus was doing 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:36.300 in between verses 13 and verse 14. 00:08:36.340 --> 00:08:42.360 So it's helpful for us to go there and study and see exactly what Jesus was doing and how all of this came to be. 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:50.060 Also, Luke's account of our text gives a much more detailed look at what actually took place 00:08:50.060 --> 00:08:53.300 when Jesus called for these men to follow him. 00:08:53.299 --> 00:08:59.879 It shouldn't cause doubt in your mind that Mark doesn't put all that detail in there. 00:08:59.959 --> 00:09:03.679 It's just to tell us that Mark, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 00:09:04.319 --> 00:09:09.719 didn't feel it necessary to include those details in the way that Luke and John had included them. 00:09:10.079 --> 00:09:14.620 And as we go, we'll make note of how those other passages can help our understanding. 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:22.359 But as we get to verse 16, the concise nature of Mark's gospel becomes increasingly apparent. 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:32.080 In fact, it took Matthew four chapters and Luke five chapters to deal with what Mark dealt with in just 20 verses. 00:09:33.180 --> 00:09:37.960 And so though Mark isn't as detailed, he is just as purposeful in his writing. 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:43.879 What is his purpose in telling us this story and writing these four or five verses? 00:09:44.940 --> 00:09:46.100 His purpose is this. 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:54.259 Now that he has introduced us to the king, he's giving us a look as to how Jesus will build his kingdom. 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:00.920 And by introducing us to these four fishermen that Jesus would call to follow him, 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:06.639 Mark's intention is to show that Jesus calls people to himself, 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:11.319 that he transforms those he calls by his power, 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:16.279 and then he commissions them to accomplish his work. 00:10:17.059 --> 00:10:20.199 And then in addition to that, he shows us in this passage 00:10:20.199 --> 00:10:29.860 that to truly follow Christ is a life of total and complete abandonment of self and of sin. 00:10:29.860 --> 00:10:34.560 Well, let's look at these verses together, specifically at verse 17. 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:37.820 And if you're keeping notes with this, if you have one of those scripture journals maybe, 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:40.379 I would encourage you to write this down first. 00:10:40.820 --> 00:10:43.240 Jesus calls us to himself. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.960 Jesus calls us to himself. 00:10:47.560 --> 00:10:49.720 And we're going to zero in here on verse 17. 00:10:50.680 --> 00:10:51.899 Jesus said to them, 00:10:52.500 --> 00:10:57.800 Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 00:10:57.799 --> 00:11:01.299 And as Jesus went about ministering in Galilee, 00:11:01.740 --> 00:11:09.339 he often did so near this freshwater lake that we often refer to most commonly as the Sea of Galilee. 00:11:10.199 --> 00:11:13.759 Now, the staple protein in Mediterranean diet was fish. 00:11:13.859 --> 00:11:18.199 And so there were all these fishing villages that surrounded the lake at the time at least. 00:11:18.479 --> 00:11:23.620 And it was in these villages and in these towns like Bethsaida and Capernaum 00:11:23.620 --> 00:11:26.859 where Jesus often carried out his ministry. 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:32.419 And as the crowds began to gather and grow, as Jesus was healing and teaching, 00:11:32.800 --> 00:11:39.860 he would often use the open areas around the Sea of Galilee to carry out his work and to accomplish his teaching. 00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:48.539 Now, Luke's account tells us that Jesus had led the crowd to the shore of the Sea of Galilee in the vicinity 00:11:48.539 --> 00:11:52.539 where Simon, who we know often as Peter, 00:11:53.139 --> 00:12:00.279 and his brother Andrew, and then James and John were wrapping up a long night of fishing out on the lake. 00:12:00.699 --> 00:12:06.480 And this is the scene in which Jesus made this call for the men to follow him. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:11.279 And there's three facets of this call that I think are worth us noting. 00:12:11.279 --> 00:12:14.279 Number one, it was an unusual call. 00:12:14.860 --> 00:12:16.199 It was an unusual call. 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:21.959 Now, it wasn't unusual for rabbis to have disciples that would follow their teaching. 00:12:22.659 --> 00:12:28.419 But this was always on the basis and initiative of the student, not the teacher. 00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:38.240 Furthermore, the chief allegiance of rabbinical students was to the Old Testament law, not to a specific rabbi. 00:12:38.779 --> 00:12:41.679 But Jesus does something unusual here. 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:45.559 He calls these four men to himself. 00:12:46.939 --> 00:12:48.299 They didn't choose him. 00:12:49.299 --> 00:12:51.259 He chose them. 00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:52.879 And he said as much. 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:56.039 In John chapter 15 and verse 16, he told the men, 00:12:56.399 --> 00:13:03.600 you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit. 00:13:04.500 --> 00:13:09.059 So the custom of the day is if someone wanted to learn more and follow a particular rabbi, 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:12.960 they were dedicated more to the teaching than they were the teacher. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:15.639 And it was all the initiative of the student to do so. 00:13:15.819 --> 00:13:17.960 But Jesus does something unusual here. 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:20.759 He doesn't wait for them to come to him. 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:22.340 He goes to them. 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:26.120 And he calls them to himself. 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:31.179 This introduces us once again to the heart of Jesus. 00:13:32.700 --> 00:13:38.879 He pursues us even though we are not pursuing him. 00:13:39.960 --> 00:13:42.740 And he does not call us merely to his teaching, 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:48.819 but he calls us to a personal, intimate relationship with him. 00:13:48.819 --> 00:13:50.519 It's an unusual call. 00:13:51.259 --> 00:13:52.679 These men weren't looking for Jesus. 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:55.700 They were wrapping up a busy day out on the lake. 00:13:57.059 --> 00:13:58.299 Jesus called them. 00:13:59.460 --> 00:14:02.139 And significant to this call is the fact that he didn't say, 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:05.080 come and follow this set of teaching that I'm expounding. 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.179 He says, follow me. 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:08.759 Hear me. 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.559 Be with me. 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:11.879 Love me. 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:13.259 He doesn't call them to teaching. 00:14:13.259 --> 00:14:16.460 He calls them to himself in this moment. 00:14:16.659 --> 00:14:17.159 It's unusual. 00:14:18.259 --> 00:14:22.720 The truth is that no one ever pursues Jesus on their own. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:29.919 The natural tendency of our heart is to pursue selfish gain and sinful pleasure, 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:32.080 not the eternal grace of God. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.560 The scripture spells this out for us. 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:37.540 Consider for a moment Romans chapter three. 00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:40.060 Quoting the Old Testament, Paul writes, 00:14:40.500 --> 00:14:41.420 none is righteous. 00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:43.280 No, not one. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.300 No one understands, he goes on to say. 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:48.520 No one seeks for God. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.520 No one pursues God. 00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.379 All have actually turned aside. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.740 And together they have become worthless. 00:14:55.779 --> 00:14:57.019 No one does good. 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:00.000 Not even one, Paul wrote. 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:05.360 This is what makes the call of Christ not only astounding, but really unusual. 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:13.039 He calls people to himself who apart from his work of grace have no desire for him. 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:15.460 It's a radical love. 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:17.519 You'll find in no other person. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:21.279 Listen, Jesus pursued people that weren't pursuing him. 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:25.579 And he proves this in Romans five. 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:31.879 Paul writes again, God demonstrates his love to us in that while we were yet sinners, 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:33.960 Christ died for us. 00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:36.399 You catch the significance of that statement? 00:15:38.079 --> 00:15:43.939 That Jesus left the throne of heaven to come and humble himself on earth, 00:15:43.939 --> 00:15:47.419 to give his life for us when we didn't want him to. 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:54.299 While we were yet sinners, while we were rejecting him, he was pursuing us. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:16:00.500 While we were left in our sin, he was trying to rescue us from our sin. 00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:01.980 It's a radical love. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:07.579 If you have any desire to know and follow Christ today, it's not because you put it there, 00:16:08.039 --> 00:16:10.419 but it's because he is calling you to it. 00:16:10.419 --> 00:16:16.099 And the question for you this morning is, will you answer his call? 00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.799 Will you follow? 00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.899 So it's an unusual call. 00:16:22.259 --> 00:16:24.779 Secondly, it's an unconditional call. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.539 An unconditional call. 00:16:27.319 --> 00:16:32.539 Now, if we were to imagine that a king was going to choose a people with which he would build a kingdom, 00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:39.959 we might tend to think that he would choose the brightest and the strongest and the most talented to do so. 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:45.379 Jesus actually called those whom no one else would have likely chosen. 00:16:46.259 --> 00:16:52.259 Now, we sometimes get this idea that the disciples were a group of boneheaded ignoramuses 00:16:52.259 --> 00:16:54.319 that could barely get their way through life. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:59.900 But that's really not the picture that the scripture paints for us of these men. 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:06.039 These four men on the shore of Galilee were very likely successful businessmen. 00:17:07.140 --> 00:17:07.900 Think about it. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:10.860 They were partners in a small fleet of fishing vessels. 00:17:11.140 --> 00:17:18.279 They even had enough money and enough capital in their business that they were hiring other laborers to actually help them. 00:17:19.100 --> 00:17:24.220 Even other disciples, such as Matthew, would have been particularly skilled at their occupation. 00:17:24.919 --> 00:17:29.859 No, these weren't the highest and the most elite of society, but they weren't chumps either. 00:17:30.019 --> 00:17:32.019 They were successful men. 00:17:34.179 --> 00:17:35.700 James Edwards helps us here. 00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:40.139 He says, the fishermen whom Jesus called were scarcely indignant day laborers. 00:17:40.740 --> 00:17:48.339 In order to survive in the market league, they needed to be, and doubtlessly were, shrewd and successful businessmen. 00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.359 Now, here's the point. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:57.339 The point is not that Jesus called the base of society and rejected the skilled in society. 00:17:57.679 --> 00:18:04.119 The point is that there was no human condition that excluded an individual from God's grace. 00:18:04.879 --> 00:18:08.899 There's no condition that excludes a person from God's grace. 00:18:09.139 --> 00:18:14.059 There's no condition that automatically brings a person into God's grace. 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:15.279 That's the point. 00:18:16.339 --> 00:18:17.960 It's an unconditional call. 00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:23.139 There's no ability that made an individual accepted by Jesus. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:29.839 His call was unconditional and based solely on his divine grace. 00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:33.259 And his call is just as unconditional today. 00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:38.339 Jesus will not accept you because of your efforts and skills. 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:43.220 Neither will he refuse you because of your unworthiness. 00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:51.779 All who come to Jesus do so understanding that it is only by his loving grace that they will be accepted. 00:18:52.379 --> 00:18:58.619 And Jesus made it clear that anyone who comes to him in this way, he will never turn them away. 00:18:58.619 --> 00:19:03.839 John told us specifically that Jesus said in John chapter 6 and verse 37, 00:19:04.219 --> 00:19:07.259 Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:09.859 There's no prerequisite for salvation. 00:19:10.099 --> 00:19:12.079 None of us are actually worthy of it. 00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:17.879 And the point of Jesus' call here, I think, is not to say that he accepts those who are less worthy 00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:19.979 and rejects those who are more worthy. 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.159 The point is that we're all unworthy. 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:27.019 And if any of us know Christ, it's because of his divine grace that's been extended to us. 00:19:27.019 --> 00:19:29.900 There's no condition on that. 00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:37.519 All of us that come to him, no matter who you are, no matter how great I may think you are, 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:42.220 no matter how awful I may think you are, anyone who comes to Jesus in this way, 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:44.779 he said, I will never cast out. 00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:47.000 What a wonderful love that is. 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:52.920 If you think that you've received eternal life because of your own merit, you're sorely mistaken. 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:59.720 But if you will not come to Christ because you think he will not accept you, you are just as mistaken. 00:20:00.620 --> 00:20:02.420 There's no condition to be met here. 00:20:02.840 --> 00:20:04.900 And we see that based on the men that he called. 00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:06.279 So it's an unusual call. 00:20:06.860 --> 00:20:08.300 It's an unconditional call. 00:20:08.840 --> 00:20:11.480 Thirdly, it was an authoritative call. 00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:13.240 An authoritative call. 00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:16.920 Jesus clearly just says, follow me. 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:21.680 It was not a casual request. 00:20:23.360 --> 00:20:27.900 He didn't ask them to follow him if they felt like it was the right thing to do. 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:30.539 There was no question here. 00:20:30.660 --> 00:20:31.100 Did you notice? 00:20:31.180 --> 00:20:32.060 Look again, verse 17. 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:33.600 Jesus didn't ask them. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:35.960 Jesus said to them, follow me. 00:20:36.300 --> 00:20:37.220 Follow me. 00:20:37.860 --> 00:20:39.880 He left no room for indifference here. 00:20:39.880 --> 00:20:48.880 This was the authoritative command from the king of kings, not the hopeless request from an aspiring teacher. 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:51.460 This was a demand of Jesus. 00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:52.460 It was all or nothing. 00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:58.000 Jesus is not content to have us only halfway follow him. 00:20:58.460 --> 00:21:05.020 And the call of Christ is one of total abandonment of self and submission to his lordship. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.820 Consider Matthew chapter 10. 00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:13.899 I had the opportunity to speak on this passage this past Wednesday at our sister church in Charlotte. 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:15.059 Here's what Jesus said. 00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:19.439 Whoever loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me. 00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:24.279 And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 00:21:24.399 --> 00:21:29.200 And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:31.879 Whoever finds his life will lose it. 00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:35.460 And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 00:21:35.460 --> 00:21:37.679 It was an authoritative call. 00:21:38.460 --> 00:21:40.460 It was an all or nothing call. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:45.679 It wasn't a request that they try to figure some things out and then maybe if they've got some time to come and follow Jesus. 00:21:45.859 --> 00:21:48.599 No, he demanded, follow me. 00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.159 It's a command. 00:21:51.079 --> 00:21:57.859 This is why so many people followed Jesus when he was healing but abandoned him when he preached the gospel of repentance. 00:21:57.859 --> 00:22:04.619 Think of all of those thousands of people that flocked to Jesus to see him do these mighty miracles. 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:09.339 The 5,000 people that sat and was fed by Jesus in this miraculous way. 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:17.519 And then see how every single one of them abandoned him when he actually preached the gospel of repentance and lordship. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:25.920 Plenty of people want a Jesus that brings extravagant blessing and extraordinary demonstrations of power. 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:35.480 But very few are willing to follow the Jesus that demands a denial of self and a total submission to his will and his way. 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:43.380 And the truth is you can't experience the blessing of Jesus without wholeheartedly following the demand of Jesus. 00:22:43.620 --> 00:22:44.519 And what is that demand? 00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:45.740 Follow me. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.440 Follow me wholly. 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:49.360 Follow me completely. 00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:54.319 Leave everything else behind and follow me, Jesus says. 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:57.779 So we see here, Jesus calls us to himself. 00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:58.919 It's fantastic. 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:04.679 Secondly, Jesus transforms us by his power. 00:23:05.179 --> 00:23:07.259 He transforms us by his power. 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:11.679 Now the call that Jesus gave was accompanied by a wonderful promise. 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:16.480 That he would do this transformational work in their lives. 00:23:17.419 --> 00:23:20.559 And notice he didn't say, follow me and get your act together. 00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:26.200 And he didn't say, follow me and prove that you have what it takes. 00:23:26.639 --> 00:23:26.879 No. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.059 He said, follow me. 00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:30.339 And then what's those next three words? 00:23:30.919 --> 00:23:35.519 I will make you into what I would have you to be. 00:23:36.179 --> 00:23:37.740 He was making a promise here. 00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:43.279 Follow me and I'm going to do something in your life, men, that you didn't think was possible. 00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:46.259 That you probably have never even imagined you needed. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:50.099 The truth is there's no prerequisite skills. 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.339 For coming to faith in Christ. 00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:56.779 There's no fine print that will exclude you if you fall short. 00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:00.000 He already knows that you can't do it on your own. 00:24:00.659 --> 00:24:01.480 So what does he do? 00:24:01.919 --> 00:24:04.879 He promises to do this work for you. 00:24:05.139 --> 00:24:08.819 If you will but come to him in faith and submission. 00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:10.259 That's fantastic. 00:24:11.460 --> 00:24:13.919 You say, my problem is my sinfulness. 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:16.419 My problem is the fact that I've got all these problems. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:17.679 And that I keep falling short. 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:19.259 And that I keep disobeying. 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:22.259 And you're saying that I don't have to clean it up myself. 00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:24.000 That Jesus is going to do that for me. 00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:27.579 All I've got to do is come and believe him and follow him. 00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.480 Yes. 00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.980 He said, follow me. 00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:34.879 And I will do this work in your life. 00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:44.040 Again, Edwards wrote, unlike rabbinic aspirants, the fishermen are not required to do anything before they become disciples. 00:24:44.820 --> 00:24:50.600 They need not exhibit knowledge of the Torah or pass a qualifying examination in theology. 00:24:51.160 --> 00:24:56.580 What they needed to learn and do could only be learned and done as they followed Jesus. 00:24:56.579 --> 00:25:03.599 And you say, but how is it exactly that Jesus is going to transform my life if I come to him? 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.439 Well, consider with me just a few passages here. 00:25:06.919 --> 00:25:08.779 If you're keeping notes, these would be good things to write down. 00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:12.399 Number one, Jesus brings us from death to life. 00:25:12.480 --> 00:25:13.559 That's transformational. 00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:16.720 He brings us from death to life. 00:25:17.579 --> 00:25:19.720 Our sins condemn us to eternal death. 00:25:19.720 --> 00:25:24.839 Jesus gives us eternal life through his sacrifice on the cross. 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:26.740 Let me show you in the scripture. 00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:30.019 Think of Ephesians chapter 2 in verse 1. 00:25:30.900 --> 00:25:33.759 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins. 00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:36.660 Not dying, you were dead. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:40.759 In which you formerly walked according to the course of this world. 00:25:41.059 --> 00:25:43.339 According to the prince of the power of the air. 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:46.559 Of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.700 And then he says in verse 4. 00:25:47.700 --> 00:25:51.299 But God being rich in mercy. 00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:55.900 Because of his great love with which he loved us. 00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:59.480 Even when we were dead in our transgressions. 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:02.920 Made us alive together with Christ. 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.960 By grace you are saved. 00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:07.680 And he has raised us up with him. 00:26:07.940 --> 00:26:10.980 And seated us with him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. 00:26:11.220 --> 00:26:12.900 So that in the ages to come. 00:26:12.900 --> 00:26:15.840 He might show the surpassing riches of his grace. 00:26:16.019 --> 00:26:19.060 And kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:20.200 What's Paul saying? 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:22.980 Before salvation you are dead in your sins. 00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:25.920 But what God does in this transformational work. 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:28.420 Is he brings you from death to life. 00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.840 And that life that he gives. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.680 Is a never ending life. 00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:34.120 You say well I don't know about that. 00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:36.320 Consider Colossians 2. 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:39.419 When you were dead in your transgressions. 00:26:39.419 --> 00:26:41.200 And the uncircumcision of your flesh. 00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:44.240 He made you alive together with him. 00:26:44.659 --> 00:26:47.639 Having forgiven us all transgressions. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:50.559 Having canceled out the certificate of debt. 00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:52.759 Consisting of decrees against us. 00:26:52.859 --> 00:26:54.339 Which was hostile to us. 00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:56.200 And he is taking it out of the way. 00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:56.879 How? 00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:59.240 By nailing it to his cross. 00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:02.740 He's brought us from death to life. 00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:03.500 How has he done that? 00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:05.319 By taking our death. 00:27:06.660 --> 00:27:08.039 They say I'm still not real sure. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:10.539 Well consider Jesus' words. 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:12.220 John chapter 10. 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:14.799 My sheep hear my voice. 00:27:15.299 --> 00:27:16.279 And I know them. 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:17.940 And they follow me. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:18.619 And then he says. 00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:23.279 And I give to them eternal life. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:26.599 And they will never perish. 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:30.480 And no one can snatch them out of my hand. 00:27:30.779 --> 00:27:33.079 What a wonderful promise that is. 00:27:33.500 --> 00:27:36.059 That not only do I not have to earn my way. 00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:38.579 There's no prerequisite for salvation for me. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:39.960 It's all of God's grace. 00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:41.940 The grace of Jesus that I'm saying. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:44.819 It's all of Jesus' grace that I'm kept. 00:27:45.900 --> 00:27:48.359 And what does he do in this transformational work? 00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:51.440 He takes us from death to life. 00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:52.799 Secondly. 00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:55.960 He sanctifies us in righteousness. 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:58.240 This is a transformational work. 00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:01.140 He sanctifies us in righteousness. 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:01.980 What does that mean? 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.819 After he saves us. 00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:07.819 He does a continual work in our lives. 00:28:08.100 --> 00:28:10.240 To make us righteous and holy. 00:28:10.920 --> 00:28:14.299 That's this continual daily work that Jesus does. 00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:15.299 It's amazing. 00:28:15.840 --> 00:28:16.460 Let me show you. 00:28:16.700 --> 00:28:17.940 Philippians chapter 2. 00:28:18.140 --> 00:28:19.279 In verse 13. 00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:20.279 Paul wrote. 00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:22.480 It is God who is at work in you. 00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:24.559 And here's the work he's doing. 00:28:25.139 --> 00:28:29.639 Both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.500 Now consider that statement. 00:28:31.799 --> 00:28:36.339 Think about what our life is characterized by before we're saved. 00:28:36.619 --> 00:28:38.019 What is our will towards? 00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:39.819 Our will is not towards God. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.859 It's not towards righteousness. 00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:42.259 It's not towards worship. 00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:43.319 It's not towards those things. 00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.359 It's towards self. 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.279 It's towards sin. 00:28:45.379 --> 00:28:47.279 It's towards everything that I want in this life. 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:50.099 So what is this work that God does after salvation? 00:28:50.399 --> 00:28:51.899 Well he affects our wills. 00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:54.000 And he affects our wills. 00:28:54.059 --> 00:28:56.119 That it's not pursuing our selfish game. 00:28:56.220 --> 00:28:57.700 But it's pursuing him. 00:28:58.139 --> 00:28:59.099 And then what else does he do? 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:02.039 He affects our work. 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:05.660 What is our work characterized by before salvation? 00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:06.559 Sin. 00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:10.359 What is this transformational work God does after salvation? 00:29:10.599 --> 00:29:11.420 He affects our will. 00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:13.059 But he affects our work. 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:15.759 Our work in righteousness. 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:18.900 Consider 2 Corinthians 5.17. 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:21.920 Therefore if any is in Christ, he is a new creature. 00:29:22.500 --> 00:29:23.879 Old things are passed away. 00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:26.539 Behold all things are become new. 00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:28.700 How about Colossians 3? 00:29:29.319 --> 00:29:34.240 Do not lie one to another since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices. 00:29:34.579 --> 00:29:40.079 And have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge. 00:29:40.339 --> 00:29:43.200 According to the image of the one who created him. 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:44.839 And who's the one who created him? 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:50.459 Paul wrote to the Colossians in chapter 1 that it is Jesus Christ who has created us. 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:54.859 And it is to his image that he is radically transforming us after salvation. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.539 It's amazing. 00:29:55.919 --> 00:29:57.839 Jesus transforms us from life to death. 00:29:58.539 --> 00:30:01.579 He transforms us from sin to righteousness. 00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:05.980 And then thirdly, Jesus empowers us for work in his service. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:09.019 He empowers us for work in his service. 00:30:09.019 --> 00:30:19.720 He promised that when he went back to heaven, he would send the Holy Spirit to empower us to do his will and to serve his church. 00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:22.420 He said this clearly in John 14. 00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:23.879 He said, 00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:36.720 And then he said in Acts chapter 1 in verse 8, 00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:49.240 1 Peter 4 in verse 10. 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:59.539 As each one of you has received a gift, a special gift of the Holy Spirit, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:01.039 All of these things are promises. 00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:05.200 What does Jesus mean when he says, follow me and I will make you? 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:08.839 He means follow me and I'm going to do the work in your life that you cannot do. 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:10.879 I'm going to bring you from death to life. 00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:12.220 I'm going to affect your will. 00:31:12.299 --> 00:31:13.299 I'm going to affect your work. 00:31:13.399 --> 00:31:17.579 And then I'm going to empower you to do my service on this earth. 00:31:17.659 --> 00:31:18.259 It's amazing. 00:31:18.259 --> 00:31:23.099 And then thirdly, Jesus commissions us to do his work. 00:31:23.559 --> 00:31:24.799 He calls us to himself. 00:31:25.299 --> 00:31:27.299 He transforms us by his power. 00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:29.519 And then he commissions us to do his work. 00:31:29.700 --> 00:31:30.839 Look at verse 17 again. 00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:36.920 Follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men. 00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:43.980 Jesus had a particular mission for these four men to follow. 00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:52.640 They, along with the other disciples, would become Jesus' apostles in spreading the gospel through the world. 00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:56.779 They would be used of God to write much of the New Testament scriptures. 00:31:57.980 --> 00:32:01.099 And they would ultimately give their lives for their faith, every one of them. 00:32:02.559 --> 00:32:04.380 Jesus has not called us to be apostles. 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:05.559 That time has passed. 00:32:05.799 --> 00:32:07.819 It ended when John the apostle died. 00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:08.799 He was the last of them. 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:13.759 But we are to carry on the mission of sharing the gospel. 00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:15.480 That's our task. 00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:22.299 When we consider Jesus' call to be fishers of men, no doubt this is a familiar passage to you. 00:32:22.420 --> 00:32:26.319 Maybe if you grew up in church, you probably heard it a lot as a kid in Sunday school maybe. 00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:31.140 When we think about this, we often draw the comparison to how we fish, right? 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:35.160 We get our rod and our reel and we bait it up with something really attractive to the fish. 00:32:35.160 --> 00:32:37.539 And we cast it and we fish for one at a time, right? 00:32:37.620 --> 00:32:41.259 Usually, unless you're just a really skilled one that puts lots of hooks in at one time. 00:32:41.259 --> 00:32:44.180 And if that's you, you can ignore what I'm saying right now. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:49.259 Often, that's how we picture Jesus turning us into fishers of men, right? 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:57.259 We fish for one at a time and then we develop our most attractive and well-meaning apologetic argument. 00:32:57.799 --> 00:33:04.480 We use that as debate in order to attract and persuade people to believe. 00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:07.480 But that's not exactly what Jesus had in mind here. 00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:13.720 The nets that these men were using as they were fishing, this was an illustration for them to understand. 00:33:13.940 --> 00:33:15.160 And they're fishing with nets here. 00:33:15.400 --> 00:33:18.500 The nets they were using were these large circular nets. 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:20.740 They could get up to about 20 feet in diameter. 00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:25.279 And they had weighted edges with pieces of iron or rock or other things. 00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:29.640 And they would literally cast it out flat onto the lake, onto the surface. 00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.900 And then it would sink to the bottom. 00:33:30.980 --> 00:33:36.279 And as it sank to the bottom, it would collect any groups of fish that might have been in that particular location. 00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:38.880 It would sink and it would trap them at the bottom of the lake. 00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:43.620 They dive into the water, singe the net from the bottom as tightly as they could. 00:33:43.619 --> 00:33:46.739 And then they would pull it up to the edge of the boat. 00:33:46.939 --> 00:33:51.079 And they would either pull it in or they would drag it along the boat, the side of the boat. 00:33:51.219 --> 00:33:57.079 This is the picture that Jesus means for us to see here as he says he's going to make us fishers of men. 00:33:58.159 --> 00:33:59.879 Now, this is important for us to understand. 00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:07.000 C.H. Spurgeon, great preacher and puritan, probably my favorite to study and to read after. 00:34:07.000 --> 00:34:09.000 He said this when preaching on this passage. 00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:24.659 Our business is not to entice a fish to swallow the bait, but to cast the net all around us and lift sinners out of the element in which they lie into the boat where Christ is. 00:34:25.239 --> 00:34:26.440 That's an amazing statement. 00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:28.320 I'm going to repeat it so that you get it, okay? 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:44.300 Our business as Christians, as the church, is not to entice a fish to swallow the bait, but to cast the net all around us and lift sinners out of the element in which they lie into the boat where Christ is. 00:34:45.660 --> 00:34:48.539 Now, we need to look at Luke's record of this now. 00:34:49.539 --> 00:34:53.840 Luke tells us that Jesus actually performed a miracle in the midst of this call. 00:34:53.840 --> 00:35:05.000 Jesus had led this crowd out to the shore of Galilee in the vicinity where Peter and Andrew and James and John were fishing or at least cleaning up their nets after a night of fishing. 00:35:05.660 --> 00:35:12.700 And he gets into Peter and Andrew's boat and they let him teach from the boat as all the people are out on the shore. 00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:20.180 And after he was finished, he asked the men to push out a little further into the water and cast their net one more time. 00:35:20.900 --> 00:35:22.420 And they resisted this at first. 00:35:22.420 --> 00:35:23.380 You know what happened. 00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:27.940 They resisted this at first and ultimately obeyed and they went out. 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:31.920 This was against all reasonable practice by these fishermen. 00:35:32.320 --> 00:35:33.840 The fishing was done in the shallows. 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:35.220 It was done at night. 00:35:35.480 --> 00:35:38.740 This is not what they were accustomed to doing. 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:40.640 They had fished all night and hadn't caught one fish. 00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:46.019 Jesus says, launch out into the deep, not the shallows where they typically would catch their fish. 00:35:46.300 --> 00:35:49.200 Launch out into the deep and do it one more time in the daytime. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:50.960 And so that's what they did. 00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:56.220 And what's amazing is that on that cast, they had the catch of their career. 00:35:56.219 --> 00:36:03.459 So many fish gathered into the net in that one cast that the nets began to break, the Bible tells us. 00:36:03.539 --> 00:36:04.679 Luke records this for us. 00:36:04.839 --> 00:36:09.159 And that it's so heavy that they call perhaps James and John and their boat over. 00:36:09.159 --> 00:36:13.219 And together they're trying to lift it into the boat or drag it behind the boat. 00:36:13.339 --> 00:36:15.199 And both boats are beginning to sink. 00:36:15.420 --> 00:36:18.379 It's this amazing miracle that Jesus does for these men. 00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:19.960 It's astounding. 00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:21.679 Like can you imagine that? 00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:23.519 You fished all night long. 00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:24.679 There's not one fish. 00:36:24.740 --> 00:36:27.179 You do everything against what you know to be true. 00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:28.659 They were professional men. 00:36:29.699 --> 00:36:32.039 And you do the thing that you never do. 00:36:32.539 --> 00:36:39.099 And in that moment you catch an inordinate amount of fish like you've never caught before. 00:36:39.099 --> 00:36:45.259 And Peter's response to that according to Luke is he gets out of the boat and he goes to Jesus and he bows before Jesus. 00:36:45.440 --> 00:36:49.159 And he makes this great confession of his sin before Jesus in this moment. 00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:52.960 And then Jesus says, Mark 1, follow me. 00:36:53.980 --> 00:36:54.719 Follow me. 00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:59.400 And I will make you to be a fisher of men. 00:37:00.219 --> 00:37:03.500 Now, the miracle is a needed illustration for us here. 00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:07.519 However, it's not for us to control the fish. 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:11.860 We can't do that no matter how hard you try. 00:37:11.940 --> 00:37:13.500 No matter how skilled you are in apologetics. 00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:22.119 No matter how fanciful you are with your words when you're trying to convince people of the truth of the Bible. 00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:26.199 There is no power in you to actually accomplish this task. 00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:28.559 You can't control the fish. 00:37:29.239 --> 00:37:31.360 Only God can change the heart of a person. 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:34.140 Only God can save a person. 00:37:34.640 --> 00:37:35.620 You can't do that. 00:37:36.920 --> 00:37:39.700 It is Jesus who will bring the fish. 00:37:40.700 --> 00:37:42.920 We need only to cast the net. 00:37:43.840 --> 00:37:45.000 That's our job. 00:37:45.480 --> 00:37:46.440 To cast the net. 00:37:47.640 --> 00:37:49.420 Let Jesus bring the fish. 00:37:50.660 --> 00:37:53.180 We're responsible to be faithful to the call. 00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:56.059 Jesus will be fruitful in his time. 00:37:56.640 --> 00:37:58.240 So trust him to be fruitful. 00:37:59.099 --> 00:37:59.900 So what does Jesus do? 00:37:59.940 --> 00:38:01.120 He calls these men to himself. 00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:04.260 He transforms them by his power. 00:38:05.120 --> 00:38:06.360 And then he commissions them. 00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:09.019 He says, I'm going to make you into fishers of men. 00:38:09.240 --> 00:38:11.059 He just said, what did they do after Jesus left? 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:12.720 They just kept casting the net. 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:19.720 Peter just a couple of years after this is going to have another massive catch of fish. 00:38:19.720 --> 00:38:20.920 Except it's people this time. 00:38:21.720 --> 00:38:22.900 It's on the day of Pentecost. 00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:24.640 3,000 people get saved. 00:38:25.460 --> 00:38:26.340 What was Peter doing? 00:38:27.140 --> 00:38:29.240 It wasn't because he was skilled at teaching. 00:38:30.160 --> 00:38:32.460 It wasn't because there was any power in him. 00:38:32.860 --> 00:38:33.900 He just cast the net. 00:38:34.700 --> 00:38:37.500 And on that day, God brought a great harvest. 00:38:38.220 --> 00:38:40.000 Well, it's our job as Lakeside Bible Church. 00:38:40.059 --> 00:38:43.760 As we move on from year number one, our job is to cast the net. 00:38:43.760 --> 00:38:46.560 And trust the Lord to bring the fish. 00:38:46.559 --> 00:38:54.799 In closing, did you notice how these men responded to Jesus' call? 00:38:56.119 --> 00:38:57.279 Let's read it one more time. 00:38:57.280 --> 00:39:06.880 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 00:39:07.800 --> 00:39:11.940 And he said, follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 00:39:13.660 --> 00:39:19.120 And immediately, they forsook their nets and followed him. 00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:27.279 And then he went a little further, and he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the ship, mending their nets. 00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:29.859 And immediately, he called them. 00:39:30.159 --> 00:39:31.159 He said, follow me. 00:39:32.599 --> 00:39:37.960 And they left their father, Zebedee, with the hired servants and went after them. 00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:45.519 Immediately, these men left everything behind in order that they might know and follow Jesus. 00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:52.420 The Gospel of John tells us that these men weren't strangers to Jesus, and Jesus wasn't a stranger to them. 00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:55.420 They had actually participated in his ministry before this moment. 00:39:56.820 --> 00:40:02.500 Andrew and John the Apostle, the disciple, were disciples of John the Baptist at one point. 00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:09.659 And throughout John's preaching, after Jesus had gone through his wilderness temptation, Jesus is walking through Galilee one day. 00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:15.900 And John points out Jesus to these two men, and they began to literally follow behind him on the road. 00:40:16.119 --> 00:40:18.900 And Jesus turns around and basically says, can I help you guys? 00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:20.219 And they asked, where are you staying? 00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:21.099 We want to talk to you. 00:40:21.179 --> 00:40:22.380 We want to get to know you a little bit. 00:40:22.920 --> 00:40:24.760 Andrew immediately goes and gets Peter. 00:40:24.940 --> 00:40:26.619 And they come back, and they spend the day with Jesus. 00:40:26.619 --> 00:40:33.279 And then throughout that first year of ministry, there are periodic times when they are with Jesus in Judea. 00:40:33.880 --> 00:40:37.900 Up to this point, they had followed the teaching of Jesus. 00:40:39.259 --> 00:40:40.239 He was their teacher. 00:40:41.779 --> 00:40:48.500 But at this point in Mark chapter 1, Jesus is calling to follow him as Lord, not as teacher. 00:40:50.039 --> 00:40:51.539 There's a distinction here. 00:40:53.539 --> 00:40:56.500 Perhaps you've spent your life following Jesus as a teacher. 00:40:56.619 --> 00:41:01.480 You've been greatly impacted by maybe the things that he said on the Sermon on the Mount, for instance. 00:41:02.839 --> 00:41:08.880 If you follow Ben Shapiro at all, you'll know that a couple of years ago, he did an interview with John MacArthur. 00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:10.799 Ben Shapiro is an Orthodox Jew. 00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:14.719 And, of course, John MacArthur, a faithful evangelical pastor. 00:41:14.920 --> 00:41:16.539 And they had this conversation. 00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:22.480 And on that conversation, Ben Shapiro went on and on about how, yeah, I really respect Jesus, 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:26.119 especially this teaching on the Sermon on the Mount. 00:41:26.119 --> 00:41:27.119 I love the morality. 00:41:27.299 --> 00:41:28.719 I love what he's doing with it. 00:41:28.819 --> 00:41:30.799 But I love Jesus as Lord. 00:41:31.880 --> 00:41:38.139 And if Ben Shapiro were to go into eternity today, he would go into eternity with Jesus as his teacher, but he would go to hell. 00:41:39.619 --> 00:41:40.059 Why? 00:41:40.059 --> 00:41:47.980 Because the call to salvation is not merely a call for you to follow intellectually the teaching of Jesus. 00:41:48.539 --> 00:41:52.019 It is a call for you to abandon everything to follow him as Lord. 00:41:53.279 --> 00:41:58.019 And if you're not willing to follow him as Lord, you won't be able to follow him as Savior. 00:41:59.539 --> 00:42:00.639 What did these men do? 00:42:01.380 --> 00:42:02.259 They left everything. 00:42:02.260 --> 00:42:09.680 They determined in this moment that there was nothing at all in this life that would keep them from following Jesus wholeheartedly. 00:42:11.020 --> 00:42:12.120 MacArthur actually wrote, 00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:26.159 It's not that Jesus is calling you to leave your job today. 00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:28.679 He may do that, but he's not calling you to do that for salvation. 00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:35.400 He's just calling you to leave behind all other masters in your life and follow him wholeheartedly as Lord and Savior. 00:42:35.400 --> 00:42:46.539 The gospel is a call to totally abandon the cares of this life in order to embrace at all cost the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:43:05.400 --> 00:43:07.260 We're searching for Lakeside Bible NC. 00:43:07.980 --> 00:43:12.360 If you live in the Charlotte or Lake Norman area, we'd love for you to attend one of our worship services. 00:43:12.740 --> 00:43:14.740 We meet every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. 00:43:14.920 --> 00:43:16.099 We'd love to meet you.