Latest / The Daily Word / October 28 – Follow Me, Even Without the Details
Transcript
- Jenny: Well hello everyone. Pastor Jenny here. It is October twenty eight. And we are beginning the book of Mark today as we continue in our life journal plan. So technically, again, if you've been with us on this journey this entire year, you've already read the book of Mark with us. And so this is our second time embarking upon it. And again, I've already mentioned a few days ago, but we are beginning what I'm gonna call we're picking up the pace. We're doing a couple of chapters a day versus the one chapter a day we were typically doing in the New Testament. And I love it. I think it's important that We don't allow our daily time with the Lord, including our Bible reading, to become just another thing, that it's always the same thing. yes, daily disciplines can become sometimes it is just the mundane work of just that everyday the routine doing the same thing. but it's good to mix it up and to do something different. I know some who embark on a 30 day reading plan. Called the Shred every January. You could do it any time of the year you want, but they literally take 30 days to read the entire Bible. So If you're feeling like two chapters is a lot, just be encouraged and know that some people are reading like 40 chapters a day. Okay? Not a competition though, but back to today, because I'm already a minute and a half in. Mark chapter one and two is today's reading. And I think one of the fun things about reading bigger chunks of scripture is we get to see the fuller picture in a greater context than when we really key in on just smaller passages. And so when I read today, I'm just gonna share with you from Mark chapter one, simply from verses sixteen to twenty, and the main title of this little passage in my Bible says Jesus calls the first disciples. And so we would have read this not too long ago in the book we were just reading in. i i it would have read this very similar account just in Luke, really a few weeks ago. And so however, what stands out to me as I read this passage is not the similar account of Jesus calling the first disciples, although I remember reading it there, but it's who we're reading about based on what we just read a few days ago in Acts. So let me read it to you and I'll connect some of these dots that we can now see, I think in a new context or be freshly reminded Of in reading this sequentially the way that we are. So Mark chapter one, verse sixteen says, Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he, referring to Jesus, saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he said, He saw James, the son of Zebedee. and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets, and immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. And so I think when we read this passage, perhaps when we read it in Luke, and even if we read it now, if we hadn't just recently been in the book of Acts, you know, we can lean into this scripture and think like, be inspired maybe even, by, wow, you know, Jesus is the one who does the calling, and we Are to follow him. But, and all of those things are true. But as I read this today, I read it with new eyes, recognizing and remembering that we just read in the book of Acts about James, who was, and we were reminded that he was the first apostle that was martyred for following Jesus. And I don't see anywhere in this text, I don't know about you, but I don't see anywhere here where Jesus indicated, hey, follow me. And when you do that, you're gonna die because of it. I'm not so sure they would have quickly thrown down those nets and jumped at that opportunity. I mean, maybe, but probably highly unlikely. And I as I meditated on that and I was thinking about that, it got me to thinking about how sometimes I can find myself, perhaps you, or I know I'm in conversation with others. Who we just want to know, we look and we say, Lord, what is it that you want me to do with my life? Where is it that you want me to go? I just want to follow you, what can I do? But before I do, I just want to know the plan. What's what are we gonna do? Can you unfold it for me? Can you show me what it is that's going to happen, what's gonna take place? Can you imagine what would have really happened with the disciples if Jesus had fully unfolded the plan before saying, and now follow me? Again, I don't know that we would even have had those 12 disciples. Jesus is very intentional in how he calls us and when he calls us. And I think not only should we be encouraged today. And freshly reminded that Jesus is the one who does the calling. But when He calls, we don't always, most of the time, we're not gonna have all the details, nor do we need all the details. And in fact, a lot of times it's not good to have all the details. It's not, you know, this let me give you the full plan and then follow me. No, there's trust and faith that we have and saying, Lord, I give you complete access to my life. I give you complete surrender. I'm surrendering my life to you. And so again, we see later in the scriptures, or perhaps before earlier, we've read that Jesus will tell us those who lay down their life are those who will gain it, and those who try to hold on to it are the ones who will lose it. So Again, I hope you're being encouraged by rereading through what we've already read through. Maybe you're jumping in with us for the first time. Maybe you've never read the Book of Mark. I don't know where you're at, where you're listening from, and what context. But what I do know is that God's word is true. It is speaking to us today. He had an audience. Every book has context. Every book has an original audience, but God's Word is still alive and speaking to us. Today, as individuals. So I pray that the Holy Spirit is giving you ears to hear and eyes to see what He has for you today. Lord, we come before you and we thank you that you are the one true God, that you're the living God, and Lord, that you look to encounter us on a daily basis, on a regular basis. Would our hearts and our eyes be open to receive all that you have for us today. would we look to respond to your call in all areas of our lives? And Lord, would we not try to fill in the dots with what we think should the plan should be or what should happen, but would we look to you and trust that when you say, just as you passed along and you said to these disciples, follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. That may that be enough. When we hear your voice, would we know your voice and allow that to be what leads and guides us? Holy Spirit, I thank you that we have you and that you are faithful to lead and guide us into all truth. So we hold fast to you today. Thank you that you lead us. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.