A Savior, Discipleship, and a Cross: A Response Is Given
Mark 1:14-20
Pastor Bob Hiller
1/18/2009
"The time has come," [Jesus] said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Mark 1:15
The Call of the Disciple:
1. Jesus calls us to join Him in His mission. He does not __________ us, but He loves us and __________ us to join Him!
2. Jesus __________ you where you are and He ____________ you!
3. Jesus does not wait for your response to His approach, He __________ you!
4. And disciples follow without ____________, though with ____________.
Scripture Readings
1 Samuel 3:1-10
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Mark 1:14-20
Take It With You!
As we follow Christ from His baptism to His cross and empty tomb, it will be helpful for everyone to be reading through the Gospel of Mark daily. Here helpful tools will be offered to aid in your study.
Quotes on Discipleship
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
Matthew 9:35-38
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Mark 8:34-38
Because Jesus is the Christ, he has the authority to call and to demand obedience to his word. Jesus summons men to follow him not as a teacher or a pattern of the good life, but as the Christ, the Son of God. In this short text Jesus Christ and his claim are proclaimed to men. Not a word of praise is given the disciple for his decision for Christ. We are not called to contemplate the disciple, but only him who calls, and his absolute authority. According to our text there is no road to faith or discipleship, no other road -- only obedience to the call of Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
