Like Simon and Andrew, Jesus calls James and John — an authoritative summons from the King. They respond appropriately: immediate, radical discipleship. They leave their family and their family business and begin to follow Jesus — to Whom everything else must be secondary.
Following the call of Simon and Andrew, Jesus fishes for their fishing partners: James and John. These “sons of thunder” — along with Simon (Peter) will form Jesus’ inner circle.
After being summoned by Jesus to become fishers of people, Simon and Andrew immediately drop their fishing nets and follow Jesus. They demonstrate the appropriate reponse to Christ’s authoritative call to discipleship — a call to complete and utter devotion to Him over everything and everyone else.
Simon and Andrew were fishers of fish; Jesus calls them to be fishers of people. That is, to catch people (once again, they were using nets not rods) and bring them into the inbreaking kingdom of God as they preach the Good News of Christ the King.
After Jesus’ proclamation concerning repentance and faith in the Gospel in response to the inbreaking kingdom of God (Mk 1:14-15), Jesus fishes for His first followers on the Sea (lake) of Galilee. Mark records Simon and Andrew as the first to respond appropriately to the summons of King Jesus
Jesus announces the inauguration of the prophesied, inbreaking kingdom of God — which has come at God’s appointed time. The kingdom has come because the King has come. The kingdom is here “already” but “not yet” fully consummated — not until the Second Coming. In the meantime, Jesus commands people to repent and believe the Good News of the kingdom. We must turn from our sin and turn to Christ the King in loving, loyal obedience.
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What Does It Mean to Get Ready for Christmas? Too often, in our American society it means preparing to celebrate the presents… instead of celebrating the Presence (of the Lord). John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare his people for the Presence of the Lord. Before they could follow the Way (cf. Jn 14:6), they had to stop going their own way. They had to turn around, to turn back… to repent.
After John the Baptist is handed over — to be arrested and eventually killed, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee. Christ proclaims the Gospel in a cosmopolitan region that will apparently be more receptive than the holy city of Jerusalem.
John the Baptist is Jesus’ forerunner in ministry and in (brutal) death. Proclaiming the Gospel often leads to persecution.
Three important experiences signify the inauguration of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ — the King. (1) The heavens are torn open, (2) the Holy Spirit descends into Jesus, and (3) God’s heavenly voice speaks. God’s word confirm that Jesus is the royal Messiah, the unique Son of God, and the prophesied Suffering Servant.
Then, Jesus is driven out into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan — setting the stage for the spiritual battle that runs throughout Mark.
Jesus is tempted in the wilderness — a place of both promise and testing in the Old Testament — by Satan for forty days — a number that recalls important moments in the ministry of Moses and Elijah.
Satan and the wild animals are on one side, while Jesus and His attending angels are on the other. This spiritual battle will continue through Mark.
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