We continue our series in Mark with a quick look at Mark 1:14-20:

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

What strikes you in the reading?

What catches your attention?

My attention is caught in verse 15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” And verse 18: “And immediately they left their nets and followed him.”

The first four disciples, I assume, have heard Jesus’ proclamation of the gospel of God. The repent and follow Jesus into a new way of life. A way of life for them meant going on the road with Jesus. For others, a new way of life may mean remaining in their current job, town, or relationships and following Jesus in that particular societal setting.

Jesus’ call to follow him is a call to the live a life in the gospel. The gospel being identified in Mark 1:1 as Jesus Christ. Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise of God in Isaiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of time as the arrival of the kingdom of God comes in and through Jesus. What does that mean for you?

To answer the question look to whom you see as mentors or heroes of your faith. Who do you identify with and how do they influence you in your living the Christian life. Personally, a couple of the heroes that I look too is a couple of chaplains and their fearless ministry. The first is Commander Joseph Timothy O’Callahan (click on his name to read further) and the second is Lieutenant Vincent R. Capodanno (click on his name to read further). There are other but, when it comes to answering the call these are the two I think about and their fearless service.

Who do you look to as inspiration?

In Christ,

Pastor Tim