Devo - Called Deeper
Called Deeper
Mark 1:16-20
Today’s devotion encourages us to go deeper and deeper in our relationship with Jesus. This is taken from the third message in our Mark series, “Answer The Call.” In Mark 1:16-20, Jesus calls his first four Disciples, and we see how they answered.
Here’s the deal about James and John. You know them as the Sons of Thunder. This is the Apostle John, and he was with Andrew in John Chapter 1. He was also a disciple of John the Baptist, and he left John the Baptist to follow Jesus. He was also in that conversation of, “Lord, where are you staying.” “Come and see.” They make the commitment to follow him. He even writes there in John Chapter 1 of his own salvation and even gives the time of day (very cool). And then – he went back to fishing. So did Andrew.
Don’t we do that? Don’t we just say, “Okay, Lord? I’m following you, but you know I’ve got to be at work in forty-five minutes. I’m following you, but I’ve got to go to work.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But here’s the deal. Jesus came back to them, and he called them deeper. And he called them deeper. That’s all – three times. He called them three times. And every time, it was to a deeper level of response of following him until they finally accepted the full force of the call. It’s incredible! It’s incredible because these are real guys. These are real fishermen just like us.
They’re real men, they have real lives, and they’re running a real business. Jesus meets them in John Chapter 1, calls them in Mark Chapter 1, and then in Luke Chapter 5, apparently to the best we can piece together the chronology, Jesus comes back and calls them again. I’m stringing the story together for you. In Luke Chapter 5, Jesus calls these same four fishermen again.
And this time, it says they are partners, whereas it doesn’t say that in Mark 1. So there’s a chance that they started following Jesus closer, but they’re still like, “Hey. We’ve got Saturday off. Let’s go make a few bucks catching some fish.”
So, they are at what we call The Sowers Cove there (at least that is where we assume they were) on the north shore of The Galilee. Jesus shows up again in Luke 5, and this time he produces this miraculous catch of fish. And he does it, I think, like he is chiding them. Like, “Hey. You don’t think I can take care of you? I told you if you’ll follow me, I will make you into who I have for you to be, fishers of men.”
And so, there’s this miraculous catch, and Peter says, “Oh, Lord. Depart from me. I’m not worthy.” Some of you have heard that story (read Luke Chapter 5). At that point, it says again; they left their nets to follow him.
Here’s what I want you to understand. Can’t you see in your life that Jesus calls you deeper and deeper? Can’t you see that there is no “raise the hand, say a prayer, go back to your own life” in the Bible? That if you answer this call to follow Jesus, he’s going to call you deeper. And when you take that step to go deeper with him, he’s going to call you deeper. And it’s not that you’re losing anything. You’re not leaving anything; you’re gaining abundant life as you follow him at a deeper and deeper level. That’s what he’s doing with these Disciples – the exact same thing.
It’s just that we have to understand that when we answer the call, only Jesus knows to what extent he’s going to call us to follow him.
As Christ-followers, we are called to a deeper and deeper relationship with Jesus. The Lord of Heaven is calling you personally. Answer the call.
Here’s the deal about James and John. You know them as the Sons of Thunder. This is the Apostle John, and he was with Andrew in John Chapter 1. He was also a disciple of John the Baptist, and he left John the Baptist to follow Jesus. He was also in that conversation of, “Lord, where are you staying.” “Come and see.” They make the commitment to follow him. He even writes there in John Chapter 1 of his own salvation and even gives the time of day (very cool). And then – he went back to fishing. So did Andrew.
Don’t we do that? Don’t we just say, “Okay, Lord? I’m following you, but you know I’ve got to be at work in forty-five minutes. I’m following you, but I’ve got to go to work.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But here’s the deal. Jesus came back to them, and he called them deeper. And he called them deeper. That’s all – three times. He called them three times. And every time, it was to a deeper level of response of following him until they finally accepted the full force of the call. It’s incredible! It’s incredible because these are real guys. These are real fishermen just like us.
They’re real men, they have real lives, and they’re running a real business. Jesus meets them in John Chapter 1, calls them in Mark Chapter 1, and then in Luke Chapter 5, apparently to the best we can piece together the chronology, Jesus comes back and calls them again. I’m stringing the story together for you. In Luke Chapter 5, Jesus calls these same four fishermen again.
And this time, it says they are partners, whereas it doesn’t say that in Mark 1. So there’s a chance that they started following Jesus closer, but they’re still like, “Hey. We’ve got Saturday off. Let’s go make a few bucks catching some fish.”
So, they are at what we call The Sowers Cove there (at least that is where we assume they were) on the north shore of The Galilee. Jesus shows up again in Luke 5, and this time he produces this miraculous catch of fish. And he does it, I think, like he is chiding them. Like, “Hey. You don’t think I can take care of you? I told you if you’ll follow me, I will make you into who I have for you to be, fishers of men.”
And so, there’s this miraculous catch, and Peter says, “Oh, Lord. Depart from me. I’m not worthy.” Some of you have heard that story (read Luke Chapter 5). At that point, it says again; they left their nets to follow him.
Here’s what I want you to understand. Can’t you see in your life that Jesus calls you deeper and deeper? Can’t you see that there is no “raise the hand, say a prayer, go back to your own life” in the Bible? That if you answer this call to follow Jesus, he’s going to call you deeper. And when you take that step to go deeper with him, he’s going to call you deeper. And it’s not that you’re losing anything. You’re not leaving anything; you’re gaining abundant life as you follow him at a deeper and deeper level. That’s what he’s doing with these Disciples – the exact same thing.
It’s just that we have to understand that when we answer the call, only Jesus knows to what extent he’s going to call us to follow him.
As Christ-followers, we are called to a deeper and deeper relationship with Jesus. The Lord of Heaven is calling you personally. Answer the call.
Posted in Devotions