Midweek Lenten Service
7 PM Central Daylight Time
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7PM Central Daylight Time
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody
The Lection The Passion History
The Sermon Hymn # 657 Beautiful Savior
The Lection The Passion History
The Sermon Hymn # 657 Beautiful Savior
The Son of God Created Faith in Them - They Followed Him
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
The Hymn #558 All Praise To Thee
The Hymn #558 All Praise To Thee
Mark 1
16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
The Son of God Created Faith in Them - They Followed Him
Mark 1:16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
As Jesus walked along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, and He had divine knowledge about them. The narration is very simple and therefore more powerful in its effect. The men could hardly miss the extraordinary effect Jesus had on them.
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
This is a familiar theme that children learn in Sunday School. We got the impression the disciples had rod and reel fishing poles, because we reeled them in with the song, "fishers of men, fishers of men."
That is a great jump in ideas, from casting nets to catching men in nets.
Matthew 1347 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
Lenski assumes they were first taught by Jesus and then He called them to be apostles. However, we can certainly assume that He read their character and budding faith in Him, simply commanding them to follow Him in faith.
Jesus gave the gracious invitation, and they responded in faith. We should always remember their stages or growth in faith. As time went on, they received more instruction and saw more miracles. The initial success met with opposition and they felt that death threat. Their greatest growth came as a result of the arrest, torture, and death of their Master. They saw the depths of woe He endured - that they endured with Him - and were guided by the purest faith afterwards, most of them dying young and violently while teach the Gospel of Peace.
At this stage they gave up their living - and food - and followed Him who showed them how to trust in Him.
19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
Here is a second pair of brothers, doing work necessary for their food, repairing the nets. Simple statements of fact are mixed with the call of Jesus to become apostles and their immediate acceptance.
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
Jesus was assembling a group of disciples, soon to be called "apostles" after the name for "sent." As Jesus was sent by the Father, so He would send them. And they heard Him teach the Word of God as the divine Son of God.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
This marked the beginning of people believing in Him and also - opposition growing. When someone teaches with the authority of the Word, then those who rely on other authorities become jealous. They want the digested view of the past, not hard but fulfilling work of studying the Word itself. The result is a lot of hemming and hawing. "Scholars are divided on this." And - "This is a graaaay area of Scripture."
Because Jesus taught the pure Word, people responded with joy about the Promises of God. Ordinary people felt blessed and believed in Him.
