by Beth Moore
Joshua 3:5 contains a wonderful challenge: "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." God can perform a miracle in any one of us at any time, but amazing things happen when you and I are willing to get prepared for a mighty work of God. Included in that mighty work will most assuredly be what we need most-whether a fresh work, a repair, or a full-scale restoration.
As we get to know John and see events through his eyes, I trust God will be preparing us also. Let's allow God to consecrate us and lay the groundwork for something spectacular. I pray that by the time we reach the last half of this study, God will be amazing and astonishing to us. Right this moment, let Jesus look you straight in the eyes and tell you that He knows who you are and who He wants to make you.
We'll see that John followed Jesus on some amazing paths. Are you willing to follow Him? That's the only way you and I will ever discover the One who calls us and the one we were born to be. Child, a great adventure awaits you.
Chapter 4
OLD TIES AND NEW TIES
After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days. (John 2:12)
Jesus walked up to the four fishermen at the shore. How do you picture Christ's expression and demeanor as He called them to follow Him? How do you think Peter and Andrew felt about Jesus also stopping by the second boat and calling James and John? Keep in mind the partnership they shared in business. Do you think the sight of Peter and Andrew accompanying Christ had any kind of impact on the response of James and John?
Mark 1:20 tells us, "Without delay he called them [James and John], and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him." How do you think Zebedee reacted? Just so you're exploring all the options, keep in mind that Zebedee probably had some familiarity with Jesus. At the same time, don't forget he was a strong Jewish father with his own plans for his sons. What do you think?
I'm so glad God chose to include the name of James and John's father in Scripture. He wasn't just any man. He wasn't just any father. He was Zebedee. He had a name. He had feelings. He had plans. He was probably close enough to each of his sons' births to hear Salome, his young, inexperienced wife, cry out in pain. He probably wept when he was told he had a son. And then another. No doubt, he praised God for such grace. Daughters were loved, but every man needed a son to carry on the family line, after all.
Two fine sons. That's what Zebedee had. He named them himself. They played in his shadow until they were old enough to work; and if I know anything about teenage boys, they still played plenty behind his back even when they were supposed to be working. Just about the time Zebedee grew exasperated with them, he'd look in their faces and see himself.
At the time when Christ called James and John, I have a feeling the) had never been more pleasure or more support. Life is curious. Just about the time you get to reap some of the fruit of your parenting labors, the young, flourishing tree gets transplanted elsewhere.
Keith and I are in the season of life I'm describing. Our daughters have never been more delightful, never been any easier to care for, and never had more to offer in terms of company and stimulating conversation. The summers of their college years have been great fun, and we never secretly wanted to push them back to school or down an aisle. They are simply very little trouble right now. I wonder if Zebedee felt the same way about his young adult sons.
Just when Zeb was reaping a harvest of parental rewards, James and John jumped ship. All he had to show for it was a slimy fishing net. What would happen to the business? What about Zebedee and Sons? No matter how Zebedee felt, I have a pretty good feeling God had great compassion on him. After all, He knew how Zebedee felt when John had to be called away from his father's side in order to fulfill his destiny.
Chances are pretty good Zebedee thought their sudden departure was a phase and they'd get over it. Glory to God, they never did. Once we let Jesus Christ really get to us, we never get over Him. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
I love the fact that Jesus talks in words and images His listeners can understand. When He said, "I will make you fishers of men," He obviously used terminology Andrew, Peter, James, and John could understand. He didn't use the same terminology with Philip, Nathanael, or Matthew, but I am convinced one part of the sentence applies to every single person Jesus Christ calls. "Come, follow me and I will make you...." Decades later when God had used these men to change the face of "religion" forever, they still could not boast in themselves. Christ made them the men and the influences they were.
I can't express what these thoughts mean to me. I was such a broken and scattered mess. So emotionally unhealthy. So insecure and frill of fear. I am not falsely modest when I tell you that when Christ called me, He had pitifully little to work with. I was a wreck ... and stayed that way for longer than I'd like to admit. I have such a long way to go, but this I can say: I followed Christ, and anything that I am or have of value is completely from Him. Do you already have a similar testimony? Perhaps you are still in the broken, scattered state I described. If so, can you accept by faith what He can do if you follow Him?
So how does Christ make a man or a woman? We will explore many ways, but the most immediate way He began building His new followers into the people He wanted them to be was by spending intense time with them and showing them how He worked.
Piecing the Gospels together in a precise chronological order is a task far too challenging for me. I'm relieved to know that it is also a little too challenging for other Bible commentators. What we do know is that Christ and His small and yet incomplete band of followers attended a wedding in Cana together very soon after their union. In fact, John 2:1 says on the third day a wedding took place in Cana in Galilee, but we can't be entirely sure what he meant. It sounds like the third day after John began to follow Jesus.
We are going to explore the wedding more fully when we study the uniqueness of John's Gospel, but for now I'd like you to view the verse immediately following the celebration. John 2:12 says, "After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. There they stayed for a few days."
Christ's family and His disciples obviously enjoyed at least a brief season of peace and harmony. I didn't give that idea any thought until researching for this study. The schism in Christ's family didn't develop until a little while later (John 7:3-5). Eventually we will behold the reconciliation brought by the power of the resurrection. For now, however, picture Christ surrounded by both His family and His new disciples.
I am fairly convinced that we don't really know people until we stay with them for a few days. Can I hear an amen? Although I'm grinning, I have almost always been more blessed than less. Not long ago Amanda and I got stranded in Tennessee after a conference due to a serious flood in Houston. When I learned the airport was closed, I frantically called Travis, my dear friend and worship leader, and asked if he had room for two more in his van back to Nashville. Without making a single preparation for us, his young family of four graciously received us into their home for two nights. Although we were already very close friends, we bonded for life.
The treasure of having part of my ministry family and part of my natural family in fellowship together was priceless.
The disciples were new on the scene. They probably didn't have quite the comfort level interacting with Christ's family for those several days that I enjoyed with my worship leader's family. Still, they got to see Christ interact with His own family-an opportunity that I think was critical. Soon they would see Him perform all manner of miracles. They already had witnessed the changing of water to wine, but the sights they would soon see would nearly take their breath away. You see, people are much harder to change than water.
As they watched this man named Jesus, this carpenter's son, and they fellowshipped with Him then witnessed His work, what do you think they saw? Consistency? Versatilit
y? Unwavering passion? Or a lamb as often as a lion? The center of all attention? Or a teacher that became a student of all those around Him? We know they saw absolute authenticity, but how do you imagine they saw it portrayed?
Don't think for a minute that thinking about such matters is a waste of time. The more we grasp the flesh-and-blood reality of these encounters and try to imagine the intimate details the disciples witnessed in Christ the better! What we're studying isn't religious fiction or simple Christian tradition. Christ walked into people's lives and transformed them. You and I want nothing less. We read in Isaiah 53:2 that Jesus had no beauty or majesty to attract them to Him, nothing in His appearance that they should desire Him, yet there was something about Him that caused grown men to walk away from established lives and keep following Him to the death. What do you suppose some of those things were?
Let's take a look at several Scriptures that applied to Christ at this time of His ministry. Notice how each of the following references describes Jesus in ways that would have attracted people to Him.
· "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52).
· "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him" (Luke 4:14-15).
· "They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority" (Luke 4:32).
· "A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, if you are willing, you can make me clean …I am willing,' he said. `Be clean!' Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured" (Mark 1:40-42).
Do you see, beloved? Christ was everything of any real value. He still is. People knew He was unique even before they knew He was God. He would have left the heads of the folks spinning. He can't be limited to a single personality type based on biased traits. He was the rarity. An honest-to-goodness whole person ... embodied by the fullness of the Godhead (Col.2:9).
Jesus had favor. Power. Authority. Compassion. He was the perfect man. He had hands strong enough to turn over merchants' tables yet tender enough to touch the leper's rotting flesh and make him whole. Those who appreciated His uniqueness were drawn to it. Those who were threatened by it either ran or wanted Him destroyed.
As we conclude this lesson, allow me to ask you a question I sense the Holy Spirit prompting. Are you by any chance threatened by Jesus and His desire for you to follow Him with complete abandon? Don’t answer quickly. Meditate on the question and see if the Holy Spirit surfaces anything. Are you afraid of anything? Are you unwilling to give up the things He might require? Think about it.
If you are willing to cast away all your fears, hindrances, and unanswered questions and follow Him, I can promise that you're going to see His glory.
Chapter 5
A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW
Jesus replied, `Let us go somewhere else-to the nearby villages so I can preach there also. That is why I have come. "(Mark 1:38)
The disciples saw Christ perform eye-opening miracles almost from the start. Although we are saving further comments on the wedding at Car for later, we know that it was the location of Christ's first miracle and the John's reference to the time frame of the wedding was "the third day (John 2:1). The next occurrence in sequence was Christ's trip to Capernaum with His mother, brothers, and disciples (John 2:12). The events we will study next probably happened during the same stay in Capernaum, so imagine them falling next in sequence.
Jesus had just called Andrew, Peter, James, and John. Mark tells us they went to Capernaum (Mark 1:21). Picture these four fishermen mingling in the crowd gathered that Sabbath in the synagogue. I have an idea Christ's new disciples didn't just watch Jesus as He preached. I have feeling they watched the reaction of others who were listening to Him a well. Mind you, at least Peter and Andrew lived in Capernaum at that time (v. 29). A town this size had only one Jewish synagogue, so they worshiped with virtually the same people week after week. They knew then personally. Some were relatives. Others were neighbors or business associates. Imagine the kinds of reactions the disciples saw on these familiar faces as Jesus preached.
Talk about an interesting service! If an "amazing" message were no enough excitement, just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth?’ Suddenly their heads turned toward the opponent, almost like spectators in a tennis match.
I wonder if the crowd knew this man had an evil spirit before this moment or if they had been oblivious for years to the nature of his problems. Had they known, I'm not sure they would have allowed him in the synagogue, so my feeling is that the man may have kept it covered to some extent. Goodness knows Satan loves a good disguise. Somehow, however, when the authority of Christ was released in that place, the demons lost their cover. Jesus has a way of bringing the devil right out of some people, doesn't He?
The mere presence of Jesus caused the man-or should we say the demon?-to cry out, "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-the Holy One of God!" (v. 24).
Jesus commanded the demons to come out of the man. Christ also added something more. He commanded the spirit to be quiet.
Picture John witnessing these events. Many scholars believe he was the youngest of the disciples. One strong basis for this deduction is his positioning and apparent role at the Passover meal just before Jesus' crucifixion. We'll examine those events later, but for now keep in mind that the youngest at the Passover meal usually sat nearest the father or father figure so he could ask the traditional questions. I will refrain from building any doctrines on this deduction since I could be off base, but I am personally convinced enough that John was the youngest that I'll adopt this philosophy. If he was, can you imagine his face in particular while Jesus encountered-then cast out-these demons?
I think he probably experienced an entire concoction of emotions. Young men dearly love competitions, so he must have savored seeing his new team "win," even if only one Player was involved in the match. I have to think the encounter also scared him half to death. One thing that might have offset his fear was that he had to be indescribably impressed with his new mentor. He wasn't the only one. Mark 1:21 tells us the crowds were amazed by Christ's teachings, but Mark 1:27 intensifies the adjectives by saying they were "so amazed" by His demonstration of authority over the demons.
We do love a show, don't we? When I think how patient Christ has been with our human preference for divine fireworks, I am more amazed than ever. Christ knows us intimately. He knows how to get our attention, but He also desires that we grow up and seek His presence and glory more than the display of His might. John and the other disciples would see many miracles, but Jesus was after something more. He was out to build maturity into this group.
I have a feeling by the time the fishermen reached Capernaum with Jesus, something more tagged along-the news of their leaving Zebedee holding the net. I don't doubt for a minute that these young men whose reputations were on the line reveled in the grand reaction people in the community had to their new Leader. What could be more exciting than being associated with the most powerful and popular new man on the scene? But the day was far from over. Peter's mother-in-law was sick, but the doctor was on his way.
Think of events such as Jesus' birth, baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection as primary events that can indeed be placed in time sequence. Then consider the specific incidents from Jesus' life as secondary events. We won't often be able to put the secondary events of the four Gospels into an unquestionable chronological order. Each of the Gospel writers selected the events and stories for specific reasons. Matthew wrote to show that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah. Mark wrote to tell the Romans about what Jesus did. Luke wrote to show that Jesus came to be the Savior for all peoples, and John wrote to show the meaning of Jesus' ministry. The Spirit led them to write to convey the message, not to tell us the order of events.
/> Based on identical time sequencing in Mark and Luke and with nothing in Matthew or John to refute it, however, I believe we can rightly assume that the first healing of the sick ever witnessed by the disciples was in Simon Peter's home.
Before we talk about the healing, however, let's consider a bit about the order of events in the Gospels. Surely an early turning point came in the hearts and minds of the disciples when healing hit home. I know it did for me. Seeing Him work in a church service is one thing. Witnessing His healing in the life of your own family is another. That's when a person begins to get it through her head that Jesus doesn't just love church. He loves people.
By comparing Mark 1:21 and 29, we see it was the Sabbath day. Jesus had delivered the demon-possessed man in the synagogue. "As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew" (v. 29). Christ raised the ire of the Pharisees on more than a few occasions over picking this particular day of the week for healings. It seems as if He were making a point. Later we're going to see that in many ways this was the perfect day of the week for healing.
I didn't realize until researching for this lesson that even His first healing was on the Sabbath. Obviously, Christ saw the purpose of the day far differently than many of His contemporaries. Apparently Simon Peter's mother-in-law was healed just in time to rise from the bed and get ready for company. As soon as the sun set, the whole town gathered at her door. They brought Jesus the sick and demon possessed for healing.