TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Read: Mark 1:16-20
Listen: Mark 1
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Jesus begins to gather disciples. These are the men who hang out with him before he sends them out to carry on his work. As he approaches them, he calls them to follow him. Mark records two sets of fishermen who follow Jesus, leaving their commercial fishing careers behind. Think of the early Jesus-communities reading Jesus’ words, “Follow me and I will send you out.” They are beginning to see what it means to follow Jesus.
The decision to follow Jesus requires us to trust our guide. We have to give up control of our life. We follow Jesus to get where he is going, not where we are going. The journey is one of both pain and beauty. It may be tiring and frustrating, but it will be worth it. It won’t be without struggle, but it will be rewarding.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Open your journal to page 12. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand a main idea from the text and how to respond. Responding is a crucial element because following is about going where Jesus is leading.
Look back through the marked-up text in your journal. What is one of the main ideas in the passage? You might consider, “What do we learn from the characters, or what do the key words tell us about the passage?”
Try and put your thoughts into two to three sentences in the journal. Once you have summarized one of the main ideas, start to think about how it might apply to your life. What one or two practical steps can you take to continue following Jesus? Write those steps down in your journal. If you feel like you get stuck, pray and ask for help. Don’t feel like it needs to be perfect. It’s the first week and we are all in this together.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
