THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 3:13-19
“Called to him those He wanted.” (Mark 3:13)
Do you remember picking teams as a kid?
I was rarely the one picking, I was not sporty enough.
Which means, I was not one of the ones the captains usually wanted.
I was usually divided up with the remainders than no one wanted.
As captain, Jesus makes some odd picks, at least from an eternal viewpoint.
Peter the big mouth, James and John the ‘Sons of Thunder’, Thomas the doubter?
Judas the money-lover, Matthew the traitor, Simon the fanatical extremist?
These last two must have made Jesus’ journeys interesting.
Matthew was the kind of guy Simon the Zealot would want to kill.
It’s be like picking Stephen Harper, Justin Trudeau and Thomas Mulcair for your team.
Or Donald Trump and Hilary Clinton… can you imagine?
Not sure how Jesus handled their differences, but we do get a sense of the church here.
Often individual churches are made up of like-minded people (not always).
But imagine what it will be like when all Christians stand together one day.
Yes, we can imagine it, because Jesus levels us all, humbles us all.
All of us are quirky, all of us are misfits in a way.
And yet Jesus wants us, Jesus picks me too.
I like Jesus team, there is room for everyone!
Now if only we could start making room for everyone too.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to see my church community as the people You have chosen to be on Your team with me.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observations/Application
Jesus calls.
Jesus appoints.
Not with our standards but His.
All I need is but an open heart. Hear and do. Doing meaning that I am listening. Being a Christ follower must be shown in action. Word and deed indeed.
With the ones called, it was a diverse group from all aspects of life. Fishermen and tax collectors. People then who had disgust for one another. But Christ showed oneanothering and His disciples were a groupie doing what He asked. I too today must be a part of God’s followers get along with all who follow Him.
Stop. Look. Listen. And hear the Word of the Lord.
Then take action.
Do His Word.
Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of Thy tone;
As Thou has sought, so let me seek
Thine erring children lost and lone.
O lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
O strengthen me, that while I stand
Firm on the rock, and strong in Thee,
I may stretch out a loving hand
To wrestlers with the troubled sea.
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach
The precious things Thou dost impart;
And wing my words, that they may reach
The hidden depths of many a heart.
O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
That I may speak with soothing power
A word in season, as from Thee,
To weary ones in needful hour.
O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord,
Until my very heart overflow
In kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
O use me, Lord, use even me,
Just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
Until Thy blessèd face I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.