INTRODUCTION:
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
In the beginning chapters of the book of Mark, we see the early ministry of Jesus that transpired in the city of Capernaum (Mk. 2:1). He had already been called out by John the Baptist (Mk. 1:10) and vindicated by the voice of the Father that spoke from heaven (Mk 1:11) saying “this is My son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him!”. What many people today do not realize is that these words were familiar to Jesus and to those standing about that heard it (although some said it merely thundered). In those days when a boy at the age of 12 had sufficiently learned the family business – a Jewish father would take the boy to the marketplace and, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, would cry out with a loud voice, “this is My beloved son, hear ye him!” Every person who witnessed this rite of passage understood that from that point on everything that boy said or did would be as effective as if the father said it or did it.
This rite of passage was referred to as “the adoption,” and it is a figure of the adoption of saints that Paul spoke of in Rom. 8:15:
[Rom 8:15 KJV] 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
This adoption is not something unique only to Jesus, but it is intended as a Holy Ghost rite of passage from spiritual infancy and adolescence to the stature of sons. Aren’t you ready to stand up into the full measure of the stature of Christ? To that end, we continue our narrative of these early days of Jesus’ earthly ministry:
DRIVEN BY THE SPIRIT:
Mark 1:12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
Once Jesus was singled out in this manner, he was immediately driven by the Spirit of God into the wilderness, where he was tempted of the devil. There were things even for the sinless son of God that had to be settled in order that His course and destiny would be completely fulfilled beyond any jeopardy.
When these days were fulfilled Jesus returned from the wilderness and during those days frequented the region around the environs of the sea of Galilee.
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.
Notice that Jesus didn’t call disciples until after He settled His Father’s business, confronting the devil in the wilderness. Many ministers wonder why the do not have a following, but until you have settled affairs in the wilderness, you have no leave from the Father to see others come forth and attach themselves to your life as these men called by Jesus now begin to do.
It was in Galilee that he met Simon and Andrew and said to them (Mk. 1:15), “Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men…” What an interesting phrase and quite telling regarding the call of God: “Come after Me, and I will MAKE YOU TO BECOME …” This is more than deciding to embark on a career as professional clergyman. Simon and Andrew surely witnessed something that is unclear in the simplicity of the text because IMMEDIATELY, the text says (Mk. 1:20) they forsook their nets and a perfectly good business and followed Him. We aren’t talking about forsaking sin here. They forsook a perfectly good boat and some perfectly good nets and followed Jesus. What have you forsaken in your call to follow Him? What are you willing to forsake (or not to forsake?)? The Father says to you, “we will test that theory…”
Jesus went on to gather up James and John from their father Zebedee and with these four characters in tow decided to visit the synagogue in Capernaum (Mk. 1:20-21).
DEALING WITH THE DEMONIC:
Mark 1:21 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. 23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
The demon-influenced people in the synagogue were focusing on doctrine and what new things were being said – but the demon didn’t respond to that. It was the MAN and the MANTLE on the man that expelled the demon. Everything else was just a waste of time.
So in the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus stood up on the Sabbath day to teach, and immediately there was a manifestation of the spirit that was operating in that religious venue. V. 23 of our chapter tells us that it was an unclean spirit. Unclean spirits love religion. It is their favorite haunt. This demon was not alone because He asked Jesus if He came to torment “us” plural. Jesus simply muzzled the demon and cast it out (v. 25). When you come out of your wilderness in the power of the Spirit, you don’t have to conduct an interview to cast out a demon. You just tell it to “shut up” and “come out”. The rulers of the synagogue weren’t too sure what to think of Jesus (v. 27), but the controversy still spread abroad, and people began seeking out Jesus to be cured of their plagues and diseases. They weren’t seeking out a religious meeting or set of teachings it was the MAN that carried the anointing and the MANTLE that rested on Him – everything else was just window dressing. God doesn’t anoint doctrines, or corporations, or movements or buildings or denominations. He anoints MEN and WOMEN. It was upon SERVANTS, and HANDMAIDS that Joel said (Joel 2:29) His Spirit would be poured out – not any of these other accouterments of religion.
After the deliverance of the demonized man in the synagogue, Jesus spent the afternoon at Peter’s house after finding Peter’s mother-in-law sick of a fever. He healed her also, and before He could gain any rest at all, the whole city was gathered at the door, and He healed many of those who were suffering, all the while with His first four candidates for apostolic calling in tow – witnessing all that was taking place. What were they expected to do? Nothing. Just to hang out and be with Jesus and witness what was involved in living life in the Jesus style.
[1Co 1:9 KJV] 9 God [is] faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
So, notice the calling. You are called into fellowship and intimacy with Him. Everything must flow out of that. You might say, “I am called to the ministry,” but I say to you that you are called to BE WITH HIM, and only out of that FELLOWSHIP can any true ministry be established. They were called as each and every one of us are called (see 1 Cor. 1:9 we are called to fellowship with Jesus) – but something else was about to transpire.
FINDING YOUR SOLITARY PLACE WITH JESUS:
Very early the next morning, after the people dispersed, Jesus went out to a solitary place to pray (Mk. 1:35). He apparently didn’t rouse the four disciples, but Peter must have been a light sleeper because He realized Jesus was gone and woke up the other three and went looking for Jesus, finding Him as He communed with the Father. Jesus must have looked up from His prayers, and Peter, not knowing what to say under that ponderous, matchless gaze, blurts out, “All men seek for thee…” (Mk. 1:37). It is almost like these 4 showing up was an imposition upon Jesus. They had interrupted His communion with the Father. Peter, feeling the awkwardness of the moment, is making an excuse that EVERYBODY was seeking Jesus, so He should be surprised that THEY were looking for Him! Jesus doesn’t answer Peter’s remark but simply checks His daytimer and announces a meeting in the next town (Mk. 1:37), and off they go, this inscrutable Rabbi and Master and four bewildered disciples.
Now Jesus begins an itinerant tour of Galilee, speaking in many synagogues “and casting out devils.” Apparently, the synagogues of Galilee were a popular place where demons found themselves right at home! Finally, in one synagogue, a leper throws himself at Jesus’ feet, imploring, “If you will – you can make me clean …” (Mk 1:40). Then the disciples saw Jesus do something so remarkable that it is made mention of decades later when John Mark pens all of Peter’s “Jesus stories” for the church at Rome after Peter was martyred. Notice what Jesus did: “And Jesus MOVED with compassion put forth His hand and touched him saying ‘I will be thou clean…’” And immediately, the man was totally healed.
Imagine the setting. In the hostile environment of a synagogue infested with demons, a repulsive leper breaks all protocol and throws himself before Jesus. The four disciples are trying to hold on to their lunch, and to their shock, this master for whom they have risked all to follow Him actually wraps His arms around this unfortunate fellow, and He is miraculously recovered right before their astonished eyes. Pandemonium breaks out, and all throughout the city and the countryside, the word of Jesus and His miracles mobilize the population running here and there desperately seeking this itinerate miracle worker hoping that they can receive their miracle.
ARE YOU WILLING TO BE INCONVENIENCED?
We can wonder about all that is going on, but let us not forget the four luckless disciples that are in tow with Jesus. What is this to them? Whatever they thought of Jesus initially, they surely realized each and every day that they really didn’t know this wonder-worker like they thought they did. Nonetheless, Jesus keeps dragging them along, not pausing to explain Himself but just manifesting Himself for who He was and letting them speculate as to what that meant for them. The days and weeks spin by, and Jesus has yet to call any of the other disciples, just these 4 – Simon and Andrew, and the sons of thunder, James and John. Finally, after weeks of conducting healing campaigns and challenging the Pharisees and leaders of the synagogues, Jesus changes His tactic and moves in a different direction (Mk. 3:13):
Mark 3:13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.
Now mountains aren’t for everybody. They are inaccessible. They are inconvenient. They are difficult to navigate. But something is supposed to take place here. Have you ever had the Father bring you into an inaccessible, inconvenient place that was difficult for you to navigate? Remember where Nehemiah had some dealings in the land of Ono? Does that sound like a familiar place to you? How many times have you wanted to tell the Father “… this isn’t convenient for me…” and He just smiles – because this is as He intended because He is after something.
NOT EVERYONE IS CALLED:
Notice that Jesus WENT to the mountain, but the disciples had to be CALLED to Him. Apparently, they weren’t all enthused about going where they saw Jesus going. Have you ever been with God in a situation and you see Him going somewhere you would rather not? They were so reticent that Jesus – making Himself abundantly clear that He expects them to come along – has to make it clear because they are holding back. He CALLS UNTO HIMSELF THOSE THAT HE WOULD … and TO THEIR CREDIT they came unto Him. They were reluctant at first, but they had been around Jesus long enough that what was in Him of the Father was drawing them inexorably to Him.
There was hesitancy, and apparently, not all that were with Jesus and the 4 were invited. It was only “those that He would…” There may have been some that were not called. Learn a lesson from this. Stop calling everyone to come along to where God has BIDDEN YOU to go. Maybe it isn’t their portion – but YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED. Be prepared to accept those things and those relationships that are going to have to go by the wayside if you are to accept the call to BE WITH HIM.
What happens next?
Mark 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
Jesus initially gathers these four and keeps them with Him for many weeks. Now out of the rabble that has surrounded Him for weeks, He calls the four and then eight more to come to Him on the mountain – excluding all others. Are you willing to get exclusive with God? He called them, and He ordained them. This was a unique ordination. It wasn’t, first and foremost, an ordination to preach. It wasn’t, first and foremost an ordination to heal the sick or cast out devils. That was part of it, but the first thing is always the first thing – but it gets left out by so many that there is a whole demographic of men and women who won’t make heaven because they haven’t figured this out:
[Mat 7:21-23 KJV] 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
ORDAINED TO BE WITH HIM:
When have you ever witnessed an ordination such as Jesus performs this day? I’ve seen people ordained to ministerial credentials, I’ve seen people ordained to grandiose ideas of what they think or others think their calling is but what about THIS CALLING we are studying today? The principle character of this calling is testified to by signs and preaching and healing, but first and foremost, it is a calling above all else embodied in the description of what Jesus did next:
“…he ordained (the) twelve, that they should BE WITH HIM….”
That is our calling, brethren here today. It isn’t for everyone. Many could have responded and chosen to be here today but other things and other considerations asserted demands on them. “Oh well, just another meeting, just another conference…” Oh, no. We are believing for more than this. We are believing this day you are receiving a commissioning and a mantling to BE WITH HIM in such a way that from this day forward, you will go out and impact your world as these men impacted their world so much so that they (the world around them) “took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus…”
[Act 4:13 KJV] 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
Are you ready for this call? Are you ready to move from calling to ordination? The word “ordain” means “to appoint. To band together. To cast out…” You think that men cast you out, brothers, but I’m telling you it was the ordination of God. It was Jesus Himself who cast you out or in reality kicked you IN to the kingdom for ministry purposes – that you might be ORDAINED to KNOW HIM.
The root word used here for ordain carries the compound meaning of causing one to ABIDE and to AGREE. This is not an invitation to agree but an imposition of agreement. It is God laying hold on you and imposing His mind and His heart on you in such a way that you will be forever changed. In this moment, something dropped on these men that ultimately meant death as martyrs for all but one, and he died a vagabond on a desolate, windswept island as he penned a scroll of what must have seemed like mad ravings that ultimately became the capstone of our bible – the book of Revelations.
The root word from which “ordain” springs is a word that describes something perpetrated on the candidate that is repeated and habitual. It implies that by virtue of this ordination, God is going to by His Spirit to continually busy Himself with your life and exercise Himself to be God in you until the day that you step out of mortality into immortality to look into the face of the one that originated the mantle that is being offered to you this day!
