Christ Copies

Mark 1:14-20 – After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

As a church we are called to copy Christ. Just as Jesus went about Galilee, in spite of the danger posed by the arrest of his cousin John, we are also called to be brave and bold for the Gospel. We are called to be winners, not wimps. Just as Jesus preached, our message is the same. It is a simple message. 1. God is coming; 2. Repent; and 3. Believe. Jesus proclaimed the beginning of God's rule. He called people to change their ways and believe the news that God was coming to right wrongs; to free people from their self-made prisons; and to give vision to the spiritually blind. To do this, Jesus called his disciples, Simon and Andrew, James and John. Jesus found them at work. Fishermen. Busily mending their nets. Hard working men. Men used to the sea. Men who were comfortable in boats, but definitely not land-lubbers. Men who knew the sky and stars. Men who read the wind and waters. Men who rowed hard, leaning against their oars to conquer towering waves. Men who knew how to catch fish, but not how to catch men. Men who had every excuse to say, "Not me. Get someone else." But they didn't. Just as Jesus called ordinary men, doing ordinary jobs, to an extraordinary task, even so, Jesus calls us. Just as Jesus called the first members of His church to fish for their fellow humans, to be evangelists, even so that is still the primary call of Christ's church. How will we respond?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we confess that all too often we have been wimps where Your Gospel is concerned. Make us bold believers. Remake us into winners. For we pray in Your name. Amen.

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