CALLED TO BE WITH JESUS
Mark 3:7-19
How do you get ready to serve God?
How do you “get your batteries charged?”
JESUS WITHDREW TO BE ALONE WITH HIS DISCIPLES 7a
No matter where He went, Jesus drew a crowd.
A “celebrity” would have thrived on it!
Jesus withdrew from it!
He wasn’t seeking the notoriety of the crowd.
He knew that people who pushed to get up close weren’t seeking what He had come to offer.
They wanted to see a good show.
They wanted to have a good meal!
He was seeking faithful and fruitful followers.
THE CROWD FOLLOWED TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING 3:8-12
People came from everywhere 7b-8
People heard what He was doing
People crowded around, hoping to touch Him 3:9-10
Even the Demons recognized Him and worshiped Him 3:11-12
The ministry was wonderfully successful!
People were coming from everywhere to see it.
A large crowd of “disciples” were there.
A multitude from all over the area came to hear Him and be healed. (Luke 6:17-18)
The crowd was there when He went up on the mountainside,
They were still there the next day when He came down (Luke 6:17-19)
JESUS WASN’T IMPRESSED BY THE CROWD!
JESUS CALLS APART THOSE HE WANTS TO BE WITH HIM 3:13-19 13
Jesus calls some to leave the crowd and join Him on the mountain
Just when everyone is coming to see Him, Jesus withdraws from the crowd to be alone with His followers.
Luke tells us Jesus went up on the mountain and spent the night in prayer before calling them to join Him Luke 6:12-13
Our Lord enjoyed fellowship with the Father from all eternity.
Now He invites the Twelve to join in that fellowship.
They must spend time alone, with Him and with the Father.
By spending time with Him they prepare to serve Him.14
Jesus appointed the Twelve as His emissaries
These 12 are sometimes called “His disciples,” sometimes “the Twelve,” sometimes “apostles” or “sent out ones.”
His plan was to invest His energy in these followers.
He’s preparing them for the ministry He’s calling them to fulfill.
He wants them to be with Him 14b
1st purpose in calling them: that they might enjoy fellowship with Him.
He wants to spend time with them.
It’s easy for followers to get so wrapped up in serving Jesus, that we miss the importance of being with Him.
It’s impossible to serve Him properly, if we’re not spending time in fellowship with Him!
It’s impossible to be a true disciple of Jesus unless we spend time with Him!
If they were going to be His representatives, they would have to spend time together, alone!
Mark 4:33-34:
When Jesus was with the crowd He only spoke to them in parables.
When He was alone with his own disciples He explained everything.
Matthew 10 indicates Jesus is training them for their mission:
Announcing that the Kingdom is near!
They will be hated and persecuted because of Him, even by their family!
But they must make a choice.
Will they commit themselves to following Him or to pleasing their family?
Who will come first in their lives?
–You can’t serve Jesus and the crowd!
If we want to be His faithful and fruitful followers,
our mind must be in tune with God’s mind, we must think His thoughts,
our heart must be in tune with God’s heart, we must love Him first,
our will must be submissive to His will.
That only comes as a result of spending time with Him!
Example from Mary and Martha Luke 10:38-42
Martha was proud to be a faithful follower of Jesus–a disciple.
She proved her discipleship by her service
But something was missing from her discipleship
Mary had what Martha lacked: in addition to serving the Lord,
Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him.
She was in love with the Master and wanted to hear what He had to say.
We need that too!
He wants to send them out to preach 14c
2nd purpose in calling the 12: service–that they might serve Him.
They were going to carry the good news to the world.
They must spend time alone with Him to prepare for that role.
He wants to give them authority over demons 15
They receive delegated authority from Him.
Even the demons recognize His authority in them.
He appoints the Twelve => 16
Jesus chose a strange group to become His disciples.
–Not a seminary grad among them!
Don’t appear to be kind of people you’d look for to start a movement!
They are NOT chosen because of their brilliant potential.
They aren’t brilliant, nor eloquent men.
They’re chosen because Jesus is going to invest HIS life in them!
On the foundation of these twelve Jesus builds His church and the Gospel spreads around the world.
It’s obvious that Jesus makes the difference!
People took note that these men had been with Jesus.
That’s how discipleship always works!
It’s the result of spending time with Him!
If we want to become faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus, we must spend time alone with Him!
We’ll never get what we need to follow Jesus, while surrounded by the crowd!
The service part of being a faithful and fruitful follower of Jesus can usually be measured.
In our modern emphasis on goals and objectives, we like that part of being a disciple!
How much have I accomplished?
How have I performed?
Time we spend and energy invested give us a sense of accomplishment!
We don’t get as excited about spending time with Jesus, that’s not as easy to measure!
Fellowship with Jesus isn’t something you can see.
You can’t measure it!
Our lives are so regimented–so much to do, we don’t have TIME to spend alone with God!
Until we start spending time alone with Him, we’ll never be faithful and fruitful followers of Jesus!
We may know Him. We may have eternal life.
But we won’t be faithful and fruitful followers! We won’t be TRUE disciples of Jesus.
We weren’t chosen FIRST to serve.
We were FIRST chosen to be with Him–then to serve, as result of time with Him!
IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO BE OCCUPIED WITH CHRIST,
THAN TO BE OCCUPIED FOR CHRIST!
The life of a true disciple of Jesus is a life that centers in Him.
It’s a life that isn’t satisfied with more “activities as usual!”
It’s a life that wants a closer walk with Jesus! –more time alone with Him!
Jesus needed time alone with His Father.
He knew that WE need time alone with Him!
Are you getting enough time alone with Jesus?
Are you satisfied with the time you’re spending with Him?
Or, are you thirsty for more?