We continue in Mark 1 with Jesus preaching about the Kingdom of God which has come, is here, and is coming. The Kingdom of God came when God stepped into time as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was conceived and later born in Bethlehem in a shepherd's cave. The Kingdom of God is here as Jesus' presence with us through the Holy Spirit, working within our souls, forming us into His image as children of God. The Kingdom we refer to as the Lord taught us to pray for will be fully realized when God's will is "done on earth as it is in heaven". (Matthew 6). Our response to God's love and generosity through His presence should be that of repentance and devotion. "Repent of your sins and believe the good news!" is Jesus' message both then and now. The Kingdom of God emerges through human history as the Church is obedient by loving one another and serving the world in love. The kingdom of God can emerge through us as we are obedient to Jesus. The Kingdom of God will be fully realized when God's will is carried out completely on earth just as it is in heaven. We read in the scriptures that Jesus himself will only be able to accomplish this, but until then we are to be about the work of the Kingdom of God.
In Mark 1:17 when Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to follow him, was not the first encounter with Jesus. John reports in his gospel that Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist and heard John proclaim, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!". Andrew enthusiastically follows Jesus asking, "Rabbi, where are you staying?". Jesus replies, "Come and see!" This is still Jesus' invitation to us. In his excitement, Andrew goes and tells his brother Peter. Then Jesus seeks out Phillip, who is from Peter and Andrew's hometown of Bethsiada, who follows Jesus and in his excitement goes to tell his friend Nathaniel. The good Dr. Luke reports that Jesus preached from the fishing boats prior to the call to follow Him. James and John were also fishermen in this circle of industry and were well aquainted with Peter and Andrew for, Luke reports, they were amazed at the miraculous catch of fish after Jesus tells them to throw their nets deeper on the other side. Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law, and so ministers to Peter and Andrew's family. Jesus had laid a foundation of familiarity, friendship, and ministry with these men well before calling them to come follow him. In the same way, we need to bring in existing groups, networks of people, and unite them through friendship and ministry. Think about circles of relationships in which you are already familiar that would be good soil for the gospel. When they were ready, Jesus called them, and they dropped everything and followed Him.
The synagogue in which Jesus healed the man with the unclean spirit was in Capernaum, across the street from Peter's house. The man was in church that day when the unclean spirit responded to Jesus' presence. He was probably a local known by the people and by Peter and Andrew. Yet no one had noticed this poor fellow's miserable condition. Though he was in church, the man nevertheless needed to be loved and ministered to. The people were amazed at Jesus' authority over the unclean spirit. This brings to mind our own baggage that we carry in our lives, our own 'unclean spirits' and 'skeletons in our closets' which can still be healed through the Jesus' authority and power The only judgment here is on the unclean spirit. At CONNECT I hope that we can become close friends in a community of faith where we can share our victories and our failings, thereby loving one another and loving God more. Let's observe the plank in our own eye before we point at the speck in our brother or sister's eye. Let's be sensitive to the needs and sufferings of those around us, and be willing to love, forgive, and heal as Jesus taught us.
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