Jesus in Galilee (Part C)

You can be a better you today and be happy. You can be a smiley face if you want. I just get old. This I know people's hearts. They hurt they want. Rest in peace. But you know there's what is it profit a man if you gain the love of everybody and go to hell.

What good is that we got something better.

Given the hearts of the truth to this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the gospel of Mark. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching today. Pastor Rick will continue teaching through his message called Jesus in Galilee in Mark chapter 1.

This sea of Galilee, 60 miles from Jerusalem to Jerusalem, so we need to know that if you not familiar to Jerusalem that's that's where the temple isn't all you go 60 miles often and in there you are heading to to the Sea of Galilee. So I got some stats here who wants to hear them handle it that way. The Sea of Galilee is several names.

The Jews call it can interact shape of a heart.

The harp and is of you know Gomez Arezzo, a aggression version of that because the sea of Tiberius when the Romans came in they named it after.

Of course they are heroes in the Galilee, to the north and it is an underwhelming body of water when you go to Galilee, at least for me when I first went to Galilee. It was like that's what not entirely because I knew that Christ walked on that but but still it's really not mean there are other lakes and other places that are beautiful and sell atoms like seat guided kept running out of paint colors did everything in black and whatever you know there's some really beautiful lakes with Galilee as is not one that you look at and say all is so beautiful and those of you may have seen Galilee and use it is beautiful you are you just saying that because it's in the Bible really isn't and is made beautiful by Christ. It is the most important Lake in Western civilization history since Christ appeared in human form and and that's what makes it special to us, even the Jews came to know what is Galilee of the Gentiles. And whenever the Jews spoke of Gentiles. It was not a compliment when when Paul was preaching and he mentions the word Gentile. The crowd went nuts and tried to kill him. They were cheering like a sport in the crowd goes wild know the crowd went wild. Rick tear him apart were not for the Roman soldiers be in pieces so Isaiah oh I don't know 700 years before Christ was born over 700 says this, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles. There is promising the coming of Messiah will bring light but it had that mark because usually the invading armies would come from the north and entered towards Jerusalem and they would come by this sea of Galilee of this is just the way it was, was the place that the foreigners had come to enjoy and claim and thus the Jews looked down on it, even in Jesus day their dialect was different. They spoke differently from the Jews in Jerusalem and so it's not it's it's also a different place. Even in those days in the promised land while here at the Sea of Galilee. It says he saw Simon with Jesus always sees. He sees you he sees every body, and he just couldn't get his God the son, but as with Simon, and so with us when Jesus looked at Simon.

He saw no one else saw. He does that with everyone who comes to him you know as an artist looks at a campus that you know you and II look at cams I see something white for somebody else to draw something on an artist looks that they already see what they going to do with this with the going to start. They don't see the canvas and it is the same here with Jesus Dotson Borg Lum. How many of you have heard of him. Yet one, he's the guy that did Mount Rushmore. And if you look at pictures of Mount Rushmore before Dotson shows up it's just the general stonefaced Rocky Mountains not it's nothing how he saw these bases in there and got them on that mountain.

This is incredible that this is what got some said Borg, that's his last name will say it three times fast before we leave this morning and he craved.

This is what Borg them said the faces are in the mountain all I have to do is bring them out. That's what Jesus does long before Borland comes one of the difficult name Jesus would look at… I am in any deceased saw this the rock in Simon. He just had to bring it out and he did. Jesus saw Simon as a campus to be covered with Peter the face of the mountain to be sculpted John chapter 1 verse three.

All things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made. Christ is the one that makes things happen in people. Simon Peter always the center in the crowd always where the action was always giving Christ opportunity to spread the things he said would amend say that I am and then Simon birds out of the Messiah, Christ, and then the base had to know Jesus is saying to him Satan's and you Peter Dimino so that that's Peter of the beloved disciple of Christ might names in first among the apostles in his gospel and will come to him later is the first of the apostles actually to really right call. Call Christ, the Messiah directly. Philip did flirt with the idea himself early on, and Andrew his brother, it says here this is I do now you Peter is an easy one. We do a whole sermon on Peter very easily.

We do a couple of sermons in a row. Andrew ever comfortable and content with being his brother quote unquote and Andrew look at verse 16, and Andrew his brother in this how handled all pretty much it introduce to us each time we meet him.

As you know those of you familiar with the Scripture is bringing someone to Christ the Andrew spirit and the law that the Lord saw that he saw that and Andrew when he called these men.

He saw what is going to put on that campus. He saw what he was going to choose a lot of these men not know her a con artist chiseling out of people but as a sculptor Michelangelo when he looks at you know a slab of marble. He saw David that what is version update I see a man that needs a towel to say like that's not funny, Michael. I have my pipe.

I wonder if it was too hard to draw Ptolemy to chiseling over wasn't that difficult. Anyway, he saw them casting a net into the sea.

So he's calling these men while they doing what working the lessons here for us.

Here he sees them casting their nets, but at the same time he sees Peter all three years later, leading 3000 souls in a single sermon to Christ saying those words always brewing all repent.

The times of refreshing may come from the Lord that would Christ on Peter even saw him crucified. He says, for they were fishermen. The Lord doesn't make a habit of calling idle people to be his disciples but busy people. This lesson comes out in Scripture and in Luke's gospel. He says to in the parable that the master said to his servants do business till I come work until I come. This was true of Moses. He was working as a shepherd. Gideon threshing wheat hiding David the shepherd Elisha with 12 yoke of oxen Nehemiah and Amos. The apostles even Paul was working at persecuting Christians when he was called that's units thorough Rebecca. She was hauling water jug and Rachel was a shepherdess when God brings these people into our presence from the pages of Scripture we find them working because laziness is not a virtue. It is a vice and is so easy to be lazy. There are some people that are afraid of being lazy. So much so they just are constantly working. I rather be. I'd rather burn out than rust out but I rather last altogether and in that is possible. Verse 17 then Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you become fishers of men, and positive before we get into verse 17. Martha she she was one that was working to a fall. She lost her balance and Mary wasn't lazy she just put first things first, I should just throw that in and out always. I like to put markers response to Jesus review was admirable because she does make the same mistake twice. Next time she finds who she is. She works that she leaves her sister alone and you have to report that verse 17 then Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you become fishers of men. Now you already met these men serve several months before the wedding of Cana.

Those things are over behind this, but he comes back to them in Galilee. Probably, you know, one of the draws of him going to Galilee was to bring these men around him and you can't miss the fact that he bypasses Jerusalem he bypasses Athens.

He doesn't go to the seminaries of his day, nor does he seek them. The very successful people though these were not unsuccessful fishermen will find us signature that in a moment when he found these men on the lake working hard and he starts out with men who worked with their hands later he giggles for the intellectual who worked with his body because Paul could take a hit. Paul could take a beating for Christ like nobody else in the New Testament. Paul writes to the Galatians ceases for from now on let no one trouble me, for I bear on my body the marks of Christ. Question whose whose marks on your your body is on my body whose images on new seizures or crises at the lessons that come up over the Scripture and in the early years of Christianity. They are wonderful lessons that yes I love that as time goes on and you try to develop those lessons you meet with resistance from hell because hell is not a pushover. Hell wasn't going to say you learn in charge what, just go ahead and do a travel us a rise raise up their ugly heads, and that's you know I used to preach.

You know well. Satan is just coming into view. That means you can even range well or he's bad thinking they can show you so it's a you know that.

Thus the fight it's it's not this romantic story only Paul, the intellectual great man of Christ with his body.

Also, verse 18. They immediately left their nets and followed him.

Well, that immediately again. Jesus already met these men. The groundwork was laid. Now he's pulling them into full-time ministry. Marcus and his seemingly always in a hurry with his gospel living out so many details that we love to hear when he uses the word immediately is saying this is the next big thing. The Old Testament prophets or in our in our new Old Testament English translations we read this word often behold that smart, smart, hard, and that using behold, I will use my own work immediately, yet that kind of attitude with that's where it ends up it's his style is not a literal statement with with the mark. Luke's gospel chapter 14 so likewise, Jesus says whoever whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Let me similarly my stuff on the road for somebody else to be somebody I don't like, especially to come get my stuff that would not be a good testimony that would cause problems actually, I think in this verse is this idea that when you come to Christ, nothing that you think you own is yours.

It's all his it all is for him. If God gives you a lot of wealth. It is for the kingdom.

If he gives you.

You know, looks and brains and dynamics and charisma. These are some of things is given me. Whatever Christ gives. It belongs to him is so likewise, whoever does not forsake does not. Whoever's still clinging to this is mine visiting of the Daffy duck syndrome.

The little misers my mind is not Christ is not Christianity. Verse 1919, in this Peter who is a born leader is now follower. Verse 19 when he had gone a little father. From there, he saw James a son of Zebedee and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. Now this James is not to be confused with the brother of the Lord that writes the letter of James, but this this is a quiet man who's not overlooked.

It gets to be in the inner circle of Christ. I think I mentioned this a few weeks before. I think he was a stabilizing influence between Peter and John.

John was more the visionary and Peter was more just, you know, Peter and and there's James Dickey to keep them in line. We don't know what great influence he had on that early church in those early days when he would be the first of the 12 to seal his loyalty to Christ with his blood with his life of the apostles that is no heroics. No exclamation marks concerning the cold recital of his death. X, chapter 12. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword just like that, nothing more. No metal pinned on him no monument made. He just gave his life for Christ. James showed us how to die for Christ.

John's gun shows a live Christ because he's going to be the oldest one of the apostles the sons of Zebedee, while his wife Salome.

Sheela's a special favor for her boy shall come to Jesus's mom's appearances sake grant whatever I ask. And Jesus said excuse me know that but anyway she has. Yes, you know, make my sense that one in your right when he left and said you're on your mind know he did not eat. I just think it's that's what I would've said that's what he should've said you know.

Anyway, John his brother continues here in verse 19. Now this is the John whom Jesus committed Mary to his his earthly his mother according to the flash in this. That's quite an endorsement, don't you think the honor your mother and father, and he says I'm dying here. I'm not coming back to be in your life anymore like I was before Mary John take care of her and we see that happening. Mary is amongst the believers there praying with them. So James, he becomes the first apostolic martyr. But John is the last of the apostolic messengers you can make this up disinterested room. The book the book of Revelation is the last document that we have as Christians and John is the scribe to that document.

So when James again shows us how to die. John says this is how you live and we of the good, the gospel of John. His epistles in the Revelation he says, who are also in the boat mending their nets when he called one pair of brothers Peter and Andrew they were casting their nets in verse 16 that do not castanets but they were casting their nets so I just thought of that coming on all right metaphorically. They represent evangelism me look at that picture you see the men casting their nets to catch fish.

Fishers of men and is the preaching of the gospel and when you do when they did this except when Jesus was around they caught something there results were immediate when Christ was there, they just couldn't fish it had the funniest thing that comes out of the story. Spurgeon in his book the soul winner. This was Spurgeon's disease is root rely implicitly upon the old old gospel you need no other nets when you fish for men.

Those your master has given you are strong enough for the great fishers and have Mrs. find enough to hold the little one spread these nets and no others, and you need not fear for the fulfillment of his word preach the word as was Spurgeon saying preach so you want to save soul Kim on the gospel, not some of you know you can be a better you today and be happy. You can be a smiley face if you want I just you know this. I know people's hearts, they heard and they want rest in peace.

But you know there's an what is it profit a man if you gain the love of everybody and go to hell. What good is that we got something better can given the hearts but the truth to so this other pair here. They are mending their nets and metaphorically. That's the pastor teacher.

You can see that I casting a net you're saving souls you could see the result of flapping around in the net then is the hard work of cleaning them mending them taking care of them. There was also not immediate to that the church needs both types needs both types of people and leaders.

The church needs those who can get soul saving those who can build muscles up week we you know reaching the lost and strengthening the saved and it's pictured in the calling of these two brothers and two groups of brothers is two sets of brothers patients in the hardware verse 20 and immediately called them and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after him.

Well, of course, the fact that they have serviced the Greek word for service.

There is what we would say employees hired laborers and and so that they had some success with their business.

There's some indication that they sold fish to the temple to the high priest and that's why John knew everybody there when Peterson warming up so by the five and Johnson inside because they they knew him, but we see again in verse 20, and immediately he called them. Christ is the one.

As always, that takes the initiative when when Elisha was plowing with his 12 oxen.

Elijah comes up and throw his throws his mantle on him. The initiative was on the side of God can't call yourself is the idea and it would've been interesting if Eliza went to anoint Elisha at his desk studying the Scriptures that is not where he was. He was working he was busy and he forsook all he had and saying these 12 oxen that I have in the yoke that hold them. They're not mine. And so what is he do he makes a sacrifice for every body. Not ritual sacrifice but he slaughters the oxen and he says goodbye to his mom and dad and he goes and follows Elijah the prophet, and then Elisha becomes.

You know the one that says if grant me a double dose of whatever it is you have an Eliza says that's a hard one. He does is what you mean. Okay if you see me go up in a chariot you know than than you got it and that's a good precisely what happened and anyway Levi, of course, he was sitting collecting taxes. He was still working these men mending nets casting nets Nathaniel. You know he was doing something to he was having his devotional time in the word. When Christ comes to him. As I mentioned Saul of Tarsus when Christ called him what was he doing persecuting Christians that justify the persecution of Christian ethical course not that that's kinda shuts down. If someone gets saved in a place and are supposed to be in August saving a bar doesn't mean you should be standing out there now.

I got saved I was selling drugs or buying drugs list of stops. Now you forsake that stuff and that's your biblical platform for that and they left their father Zebedee in the boat. What did these men know about ministry. Absolutely nothing and we need to remember that if you've never served in ministry go into it as an empty vessel you know a new wineskin with nothing in it that you know you've got some elasticity about you, so that God can pour in and you don't burst and make a mess of things he says and went after him. Little did these fishermen know that they would be numbered amongst the heroes of the Old Testament like Moses and Jeremiah and all the other you know Abraham that Peter Scripture his letters as uneducated as he will as unschooled as he was wasn't an ignorant man but he wasn't formally polished, either in his letters bear that and yet his letter is equal with the Pentateuch, the Torah, the books of Moses and only God can do these kind of things. These men didn't know that that was going to have another they know they want to die for Christ suffer for him. They thought as they began to find out he was Messiah that is going to establish his kingdom. That's why Salomé comes up and says grant to Mike that the ghost achievement today. They when you going to Jerusalem a few weeks and you take over the city. Can you give them up place in your your your balance well so much for Christ Galilean ministry now beginning to get more details so much more to come. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry.

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