Jon

Rocks
God great and glorious you are
Forever reign
Rescuer
Hallelujah (Saved by your mercy)

Corporate prayer for Paul (worship leader)

Men’s Fraternity starting up next Saturday

How do you see yourself?
I often ask myself this question and wonder who has an an answer for themselves
One person answered “I am the son of the living God”
How many people actually see themselves first and foremost

After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God. He said, “The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here. Turn back to God and believe the good news!” As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. Jesus said to them, “Follow me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him. Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him. (Mark 1:14-20 CEVUS06)

Going back a little bit to John the Baptist
John prepared the way, and baptized Jesus
Immediately after that, God declared that this is my Son, my Beloved
Again, immediately after that, Jesus is driven out to the wilderness to be tested
Mark’s gospel runs really quickly
The word immediately is used A LOT
Professional athletes are kind of revered in our culture
Imagine this: you’re a parent and your son is kind of special and has got “it” and could be the best
You’re playing hoops in be driveway when all of a sudden a limo pulls up and number 24 gets out
Laker goggles anyone?
Kobe Bryant
What if he said “I’ve been watching your son and I want to train him for the next three years”?
Wouldn’t you kick your son and have him go to train with the greatest player in the NBA who has an amazing work ethic (that’s my biased opinion)?
Now Jesus isn’t a nobody, he’s a respect rabbi
Since the age of 5, every boy has been studying the Torah and want to be a rabbi
Maybe they have what it takes
When they’re 14, they seek out a rabbi and ask if they can be a disciple
They wait for the rabbi to visit them and question them
Maybe the rabbi will say yes they have what it takes
Or maybe they’ll say not yet, but you have potential, I want you to go back, study with your father, and be an upstanding citizen
So these four boys have been rejected by other rabbis and now they’re working with their fathers
He’s one of only a few in history who chooses us
Of course you’re going to throw down your nets
It’s an incredible opportunity
Jesus comes for the ones that were passed up and says “I think you have what it takes”
Simon and Andrew are lower class, they don’t have a lot of money
Then the Zebedee brothers who are more middle class
Then a tax collector, then a zealot
Puts them all together and stirs the pot
Become just like me
Can you imagine the conversations that these young men must have had?
Such diversity
Like bringing up politics at the dinner table
John ???:15-16
They didn’t even get to prove themselves
Do you feel loved and accepted right now?
Or do you feel like you have something to prove?
We all have this thing called the religious impulse
It rises up inside of us and tries to tell us that God wouldn’t choose us
We always feel a little less
If you are obedient, then God will accept you and be willing to choose you
But the gospel says that Jesus chooses you and then obedience will flow
When we live out of the gospel and know who we are in Jesus Christ, we have no desire to sin
I know that I am accepted, now go and sin no more
Love and obedience will naturally flow out of your life
The disciples are with him for three years
They fall asleep during his hour of need
They betray him, they deny him, they abandonment
And what does Jesus do in the face of all this? He dies for them
He goes to the cross for them
And then he dies, rises and goes back to Galilee
Back to where it all started to restore them
I am for you, not against you, my love and my acceptance are still yours
Scandalous nature of grace
The religious impulse denies it and says it can’t be this easy
Lay it all down, I’ve covered everything, you should go and enjoy God
On my best days and my best weeks where I’m awesome and this “Jesus thing” is actually working – He doesn’t love me any more than other days and weeks
And when I have really horrible days / weeks, He doesn’t love me any less
So what do I want to do tonight? I want to sing because I know how to do that
He says, “I have given everything up for you”
When you’re ready come and partake

Communion

One thing remains (Your love never fails)
Your love never fails (Nothing can separate, you make all things work together for my good)