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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/cal-erickson/nearness-before-service/
Good morning, the gospel of Mark chapter 1 As our brothers exhorted and talked about our labor of love I'd like to share with you meditations. I've had now this will be on the surface and Hopefully you'll have time to explore this on your own.
But in the gospel of Mark chapter 1 I'd like to show you How there was a lot of material that had to be handled by Andrew and Peter and James and John Before they were ready to answer the call from the Lord if we would read at verse 12 After the Lord's baptism and immediately the Spirit drive with him into the wilderness.
And he was there in the wilderness 40 days tempted of Satan and Was with the wild beasts and the angels ministered unto him. Now after that John was put in prison is a key verse for understanding the teaching today as far as the chronological timing Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.
Now we have to mentally insert John chapter 1 verse 19 through John chapter 4 verse 44 between verses 13 and 14. I'd like to though Show you in verse 60 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 and Jesus said unto them come ye after me and I will make you to become fishers of men and straightway, they forsake their nets and followed him and When he had gone a little farther fence He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother who also were in the ship mending their nets and straightway, he called unto them and They left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants and went after him if you would.
Hold your finger there and go to John chapter 1 with me. I really plan on being down in 10 minutes. I hope I am. I'd like to share with you the experiences of these four disciples and then for your own At a vacation that you might be prepared to serve qualified to serve.
But as we go to John chapter 1 we see in verse 29 the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him and saith behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I spake and so on in verse 32.
This is the reciting of John publicly of what had already happened put a taking place in Mark chapter 1 and John bear record saying I Saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him.
Now the next day in verse 35 John stood and two of his disciples and Looking upon Jesus as he walked he saith behold the Lamb of God and the two disciples Heard him speak and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned and saw them following and saith unto them What seek ye?
They said unto him rabbi, which is to say being interpreted master where dwellest thou? He saith unto them come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt and abode with him that day. It was about the 10th hour or 4 in the afternoon.
One of the two which heard John speak and followed him was Andrew Simon Peter's brother. He first findeth his own brother Simon and saith unto him. We have found the Messiah which is being interpreted the Christ.
Now think about this setting. John the Baptist is testified of the Lord Jesus Christ. And now the next day after he sees him coming and he's exhorting Andrew and John to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and That's exactly what happened in first Thessalonians.
With intensity and fervor they served the Lord in the gospel and in all godliness and It's no different today for you and me we're called to do that, but I want to draw out for us The spending of time with the Lord Jesus Christ to dwell with him.
We think of what Andrew and John walking down the pathway to where the Lord Jesus was dwelling and we remember What that must have been like the moral Perfections of the Savior the heavenly man our Lord Jesus Christ.
What was the conversation about? Well, he came forth preaching the gospel we read the gospel of God. But also within that gospel Andrew and John were already believers. No doubt baptized by John the Baptist already looking for the Messiah.
And now they're with him and he's teaching them and preparing them but especially the moral perfections of Christ are in view I believe and They spent time with him and I want to understand your condition today.
Spending time with the Savior and your meditations and your prayers is vital for a warm heart for a bubbling over worship meeting at the Lord's Supper. For power in our walk we have a need in our own hearts sometimes those who have responsibility especially to teach.
We find that all of the knowledge we may gain from the scriptures is Not bringing us near to the Savior. So all of us need a nearness to Christ to spend time with him and So we find before they were called they had this experience.
They spent time with the Lord Jesus. If we would just go forward in the gospel of John you can see others called but in chapter 2 We have the marriage of Cana. And so what was the Lord teaching these now for disciples because I believe all six disciples.
Because I believe John James is with them. But what's he teaching him? It's not only the way you live in faith and dependence upon our God. But it's the importance of family family matters. The Lord was in the wedding at Cana of Galilee.
Not in the limelight, but where the servants were. With his disciples and then he did the first miracle trading water into wine as we know. But from that no doubt a relative of our Lord through birth He was there supporting it and So as the ministry would be going forth from these disciples.
To remember God's way is to take care of our families as well. So that was a second lesson that was taught unto them. We go further into the chapter and we go in verse 13 and the Jews Passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and The changers of money sitting and when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple and so on.
Mm-hmm. What was the teaching there the holiness of the place? Where God has placed his name. It's his father's house in this certain this setting here and That there's no hypocrisy and no covetousness but truly we are there to honor our God and so we're blessed we are the The blessed of this not only of this age but of all the world being born again of God, but then brought into the place where he has placed his own name and Do we value it in our hearts?
Do we rejoice in the strength of the? Scriptures backing up why we do what we do my friend my brother my sister the Lord's presence. But it was a holy place and now Hypocrisy was being driven out. That was another lesson that was taught to these disciples these God-fearing Jewish men and Now the Lord himself goes this is all they had ever known in the outer courts and how the people would go three times a year to the temple and they would come from a distance and not be able to take their Sacrifice with them and their give their silver and exchange for it and how inflation and greediness and and the hollowness of it all from those that were the money changers and selling those sacrifices see.
And it just speaks to my own heart to make sure it's always real. I want to be real before my God. I Want him and it's not a form. It's an affection. So we see that lesson and as we would go through the scriptures, we would see here the Nicodemus Experience.
I'm not sure if the disciples were in the room. They well could have been in that room with a Nicodemus experience and it's interesting to note here and John chapter 3 after the Nicodemus experience and Verse 22 and these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea and there He tarried with them and baptized.
But also simultaneously note verse 23 that John was still baptizing. Now logistically, I'm not suggesting that they were side by side. They probably weren't but both of the groups were baptizing at the same time.
And this is a key of interpreting mark chapter 1 by the way His understanding John is still baptizing. Whereas in verse 14 of chapter 1 mark He was put into prison. That's by the way and So what an experience and then if you read chapter 4 and verse 1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John.
Though Jesus himself baptized not but his disciples you see. The people just kept on coming. Just kept on coming to John the Baptist to the Lord Jesus and the disciples. The Messiah has come so the disciples not only did those things that we've discussed through John chapter 1 and up to this point, but They also baptized.
They were being prepared by our Lord Jesus. Doing a work before they were even called. When we look at John chapter 4, this is another eye-opener. Because we know we study our Bibles that the shortest way from Judea to Galilee is through Samaria but The Religious ruler said you couldn't go to Samaria.
So they would have to go east to the Jordan and walk along the Jordan banks and all the way to either going north to Galilee or down south to Judea, but the Lord must needs go through Samaria and You know the story.
Well the woman at the Samaritan. Well The Lord is weary the disciples are hungry and they go buy the food and yet when they come back they Marvel, they just marvel that the Lord is talking to this woman to the Samaritan woman.
I Believe the Lord Jesus Christ is teaching these disciples grace grace. Grace is so needed. The servant of the Lord must be gentle to all Grace no matter what circumstances and we who do work with people on the street and some people are in a certain certain circumstance.
That we would never find ourselves in. And that's what those disciples maybe we're thinking about that woman at the Samaritan well. But yet the Lord went to her. And that woman was saved and became a trophy of grace.
Not only that but she brought other people to Christ and Christ dwelt two days in Samara. Samaria that's Samaritan City in the world, but not of the world and our feet should go to the lost and perishing and that's an exhortation brethren and sisters and So now as they come up They come up from Samaria and to Galilee and then we go back to The gospel of Mark chapter 1 and the Lord Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel and Then he's walking along the seashore.
And he sees Andrew and Peter. They've experienced all this they've been with him every step of the way. They know him and he knows them. And just at the right time the Lord's time. He calls men who have been employed with taking care of their family.
Employed in the work of the industry that they have been found in being responsible Doing it with vigor and The idea here I think is they were in a little boat. They're just casting a little net nets.
There's three different nets in our New Testament a little net just over your shoulder catching little fishes. The Lord says come and follow me and I will make you to become fishers of men. They were qualified.
They were ready to learn how to become and the emphasis is on become. It's a long process to become fishers of men we need to be thoroughly engaged in it whereas we find John and James in a bigger ship further away.
No doubt the Lord lifted his voice and he called them come. They were mending their nets and The idea that mending and many in this room know it. But it's the idea of fixing with the purpose that it may be qualified to use in the future.
And if you would look at that word mending you would find the restoration of the Saints of God used in the epistles. You'd find in Galatians 6 and 1 the same word Ye which are spiritual restore such a one.
And I think about the writings of the Apostle John as his light is Dimming physically speaking, but he reflects back on his life with Christ and How the person of Christ is being attacked? By air and By the and through the Holy Spirit.
He's mending the Christians on the truth of God the person of Christ. So brothers and sisters in the Lord, it's encouraging to see us all here today. Because we do love our Lord Jesus Christ. Many young ones are here today.
Young vibrant people who are married with children in the prime of life. Teenagers who are saved in Christ and the exhortation is to Be with Christ. To be responsible also To continue working that at that moment.
When you are called for something. It may not be an evangelist like Brandon doll. It may be a sister. Who's a help me to many. It may be children's work. It may be just a testimony in your community or your job.
But each of us has been called to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ.