Mark Explained Part 1 | Who Jesus Isنموونە

Day 4 | Mark 3 | The A-Team

Welcome back to Through the Word. My name is Kris Langham - your guide on this journey - and today, we are in Mark chapter 3. 

Something very big happens in Mark 3. Jesus appoints His twelve apostles. Why is that so big? Because these twelve - and those who followed - will be the difference between Jesus as a lone hero who changed his world for three years, and Jesus as the driving force who changed the course of history, who moved nations, fought racism, established equality as a human right, outlawed slavery, started orphanages, rescued and rebuilt after disasters, founded universities, built hospitals, rehabilitated drug addicts, fed the hungry, and cared for the last and the least from the biggest cities to the remotest reaches of the planet. 

Now if you don’t believe Jesus did all that, I would challenge you. Ask the people who did do those things to tell you why they did it. If you could ask, and you covered the globe and searched through history, you would hear many answers to be sure. But I guarantee that you will hear one name far more than any other: Jesus. 

I’m not saying Christians are the only do-gooders, and I’m not saying Christians only do good. Not by a long shot. I am well aware that many Christians are self-righteous jerks, and that greedy men have done many wicked things in Jesus’ name. But there’s a reason that we call those people hypocrites. Because greed and self-righteousness do not match the name of Jesus. 

What I am saying is that I’ve seen Jesus change people - make them selfless, generous, compassionate... whole. And I’ve seen people do the most amazing and selfless things in the name of Jesus.

I’m also saying that two-thousand years of history is marked again and again by the impact of those who took Jesus at His word and cared for the least and the last, who sacrificed and fought for justice, for equality, for compassion and hope.

Visit the site of any natural disaster, any human emergency, and ask the locals - who showed up to help? Who keeps showing up years later? 

As you read Mark - take note - Jesus was never a one Man show. He was all about others. And about teaching those others - to also be - all about others. 

Here in Mark 3, we’ve been watching as Jesus teaches, works miracles, and shows compassion. Along the way, he stopped to make an invitation to a few disciples, “Follow me.” But it wasn’t just “follow me to Heaven.” It was “Follow me to reach the lost and the last and the least - and love them.”

And now he takes it a step further. In verse 13:

"Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons" (Mark 3:13-15).

Now there were more than twelve disciples, but these twelve he appointed specifically as apostles. Apostle means “sent one.” Verse 14 lists three specific assignments for these twelve.

First: To be with Jesus. Before ministry, before preaching or any kind of work - be with Jesus. He is the vine, we are the branches. Apart from Jesus, we can do nothing. 

When you’re in need, and you get help or advice from a Christian, you can always tell the difference between someone who’s just been in church and someone who’s been with Jesus. Before you help, be with Jesus.

Second: To preach. Just as Jesus said he came to preach, he sent his apostles to preach. The Word is primary in ministry.

And third: to have authority to drive out demons. Jesus sends these men - into the battle. It is spiritual warfare. They will proclaim the Kingdom of God on enemy territory, right in amidst the kingdom of darkness. So Jesus gives them - and gives us - authority. Know your authority. 

Now one more thing strikes me as I read chapter 3. And that is the twelve that Jesus chose. They are listed in verse 16 and onward:

"These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him." (Mark 3:16-18).

Now what gets me about these twelve - these who would be sent to change the world, and who indeed turned the world upside-down - they were twelve ordinary men, with a crazy mix that just had to lead to conflicts. Indeed we will see them arguing on many occasions, and about really trite stuff. 

But look at the mix: Simon the Zealot with Matthew the tax collector. Zealots were revolutionaries - they were violently anti-Roman. Tax collectors were Roman stooges - Jews who betrayed their own people. And throw in Bartholomew - the good kid, the pure hearted Jew. Imagine him at Matthew’s party.

Or Peter with Thomas. Peter the gung-ho, swing-first-discuss-later, jump out the boat, always speak your mind guy. And Thomas the doubter, the realist. Imagine how they got along. “I knew you couldn’t walk on water, Peter.” “Yeah but I took a step!”

Then throw in James and John - Jesus called them “Sons of Thunder.” “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven and zorch this town of ne'er-do-wells and hooligans?” “Woah there Sons of Thunder. Take it easy.”

So why did Jesus put together such a dirty dozen of conflicting personalities? I think that he did it to them - and he does it to us - to grow us. To teach us humility - because our humility gives a place for God to work. To teach us patience, because love is patient. And to teach us real unity. Because unity in Christ is so much greater than our differences. 

And I think he does it so the world can really see the difference made in people who have been with Jesus.

Fast forward three years to the book of Acts. When these twelve - minus Judas - and the rag-tag group of men and women who are with them - take the gospel to the world. Compassion, miracles, preaching, the world turned upside-down. And watch how others reacted in Acts 4:13:

“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Fast forward again two thousand years. I met a man who told me his story. He was a self-centered, money-loving businessman - who hit bottom. Jesus found him there. Now he runs an orphanage in China for disabled and discarded children. I met another who was a drug-addict, who broke his family and planned his suicide. Jesus met him that very day. Now he saves women and children from human trafficking in Mexico. Gives them a home, gives them school, gives them hope. These are ordinary people, and the stories go on and on. From the DropBox in South Korea to the relief workers in Haiti, from Father Damien to Mother Teresa, from soup kitchens to orphanages - again and again, I hear one name above every other: Jesus. Many church names, but one Savior. Why - why is it that Christians are so drawn to human need? To sacrifice self to care for others. Because our Savior didn’t just say, “Go help.” He said, “Follow me.” Because He sacrificed His life first.

And you can always tell the difference between a do-gooder and someone who has truly been with Jesus. 

As you read through Mark 3 - and as you watch these disciples follow Jesus and begin to grow - keep in mind what He started. As for you today - beware the hypocrites. Beware the self-righteous do-gooder, or the con-man with the fish on his card. And to make sure you don’t become one of them, take Jesus invitation. Follow Jesus. Be with Jesus. And you may just be amazed at the places that He leads you.

Join us next time as we continue the journey one chapter at a time. And remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing through the Word.