Mark 3
Crowds Follow Jesus
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.
8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.
9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him.
10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.
Christians should not just be a crowd but disciples.
In today's Scripture, we see that numerous people come to Jesus. Why do they come?
They come to touch Jesus because He healed many people.
11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”
12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.
14 He appointed twelve[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach
15 and to have authority to drive out demons.
16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter),
17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”),
18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Jesus needs both the crowd and disciples.
While there are people who need to be healed, comforted, and saved, Jesus also requires disciples who can work with Him in these tasks.
When Jesus came into this world, He had three main purposes: preaching, teaching, and healing.
However, with such a large crowd following Him, Jesus couldn't handle it all alone. Therefore, He intended to appoint disciples to share the workload.
An interesting point to note is that Jesus establishes disciples not according to the ways of the world but by His own methods.
How does the world appoint disciples?
It starts with the one who desires to be a disciple approaching a teacher, asking to be taken in as a disciple. The teacher doesn't choose the disciple; the disciple chooses the teacher.
However, the Bible presents a different scenario. Instead of disciples choosing Jesus as their teacher, Jesus chooses His disciples.
God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He also chooses the lowly and despised things, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are. The purpose is so that no flesh may boast before God.
(1 Corinthians 1:26-29) Brothers and sisters, consider your calling: Not many were wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. Yet God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one may boast in his presence.
What does a disciple do?
A disciple is involved in (preaching). This means going to places sent by Jesus with His teachings and testifying to the gospel.
(Mark 3:14) "And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach."
A disciple is engaged in (casting out demons). This involves using the power received from Jesus to cast out demons from those possessed.
(Mark 3:15) "and to have authority to cast out the demons."
A disciple is about being (with Jesus). Yet, there is something truly crucial.
That is being a person who is with Jesus.
(Mark 3:14) "And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him."
Jesus chose disciples with the intention of having them be with Him.
What are the core values of Jesus?
In order to become disciples ourselves, we need to understand the core values of Jesus, who made us disciples.
1) The core value of Jesus is the salvation of the soul.
Jesus was not concerned about his popularity; He was filled with thoughts on how to bring more sinners back to the Lord. Even after healing the sick and casting out demons until late at night, he would go to a solitary place for prayer every morning, drawing pictures of soul salvation. He went beyond healing physical ailments to focus on healing spiritual ailments.
(Mark 1:35-39) "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: 'Everyone is looking for you!' Jesus replied, 'Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.'"
2) Our core value should be the salvation of the soul.
We are disciples of Jesus. Therefore, we should not be beings doing what we want, but rather doing what Jesus desires. That is soul salvation.
(Matthew 28:19-20) "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
To handle this task, we must do our best to 'be with Jesus.'
In other words, without sticking close to Jesus, we can do nothing.
(John 15:5) "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing."
Jesus has already ascended to heaven. How can we remain with Jesus?
It's through 'the Word.'
Jesus is the Word. Meditating on, thinking about, studying, and memorizing the Word will make us live as disciples of Jesus.
(John 1:1) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Conclusion
There were many crowds following Jesus, but He sought disciples, not a crowd. Jesus chose specific individuals, sent them out together, empowered them to preach, and gave them the ability to cast out demons.
Are we currently with Jesus? Being with the Word, who is Jesus, is being with Jesus. We hope to live not as mere followers but as disciples with the Word, who is Jesus.
