Elemental: S2 - Day 29
“Then He chose twelve of them to be His apostles, so that they could be with Him.” Mark 3:14
One of Jesus’ most common opening lines is, “Follow me.” Not, “Act like me. Change your behavior. Start by being perfect,” but, “Follow me.” Listen to this invitation in basic terms. He’s asking that we spend time with Him, rearrange our lives so He fits, help Him create a community.
Jesus throws this invitational phrase around quite freely. He said it to Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and Philip. And He invited plenty of people who didn’t take Him up on it: Pharisees and teachers and a rich young ruler. His universal question is, “Do you want to be with me?”
Frankly, Jesus invites people I wouldn’t. His crew is made up of all those who say yes. And He asks so many people. So open are the doors to this community that prostitutes and tax collectors walk in even when religious leaders and high society won’t. But there are fishermen, women and children, rulers and teachers, and a great many regular folks. Jesus doesn’t want to be alone. Neither should you.
As God walks the earth in human form, He behaves on the principle first voiced in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for man to be alone.”
So, if you thought Jesus set up His band of disciples simply to teach truths or create an
evangelistic strategy for once He leaves, think again. Selecting the building block of community is not original to us. Jesus started it.
Let the words of Mark 3:14 sink in: “Then He chose twelve of them to be His apostles, so that they could be with Him.” Did you catch it? A reason He chose disciples and asked so many to follow Him? Simply to be with them. He didn’t want to be alone. Jesus will draw aside by Himself for only so long before walking across a lake to join the disciples in a boat amid a storm. He sounds desperate in the Garden of Gethsemane amidst the pain of decision because they’re asleep and not awake with Him. Catch His eyes filled with tears as Peter denies he is his friend. And in John 6, as the tide of Jesus’ popularity turns, He painfully asks His twelve closest friends, “Are you also going to leave?”
So yes, it is safer for us to be in community. We find and keep faith more easily. But more basic than that, Jesus wants to be with us. He would rather die than go without us.
1. How many friends did you typically hang out with in high school? Who were they? 2. How much alone time do you need to be at your best? Per day? Per week?
3. What kind of conversations do you have with Jesus while living your life? While driving your car? While you’re alone?
One of Jesus’ most common opening lines is, “Follow me.” Not, “Act like me. Change your behavior. Start by being perfect,” but, “Follow me.” Listen to this invitation in basic terms. He’s asking that we spend time with Him, rearrange our lives so He fits, help Him create a community.
Jesus throws this invitational phrase around quite freely. He said it to Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and Philip. And He invited plenty of people who didn’t take Him up on it: Pharisees and teachers and a rich young ruler. His universal question is, “Do you want to be with me?”
Frankly, Jesus invites people I wouldn’t. His crew is made up of all those who say yes. And He asks so many people. So open are the doors to this community that prostitutes and tax collectors walk in even when religious leaders and high society won’t. But there are fishermen, women and children, rulers and teachers, and a great many regular folks. Jesus doesn’t want to be alone. Neither should you.
As God walks the earth in human form, He behaves on the principle first voiced in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for man to be alone.”
So, if you thought Jesus set up His band of disciples simply to teach truths or create an
evangelistic strategy for once He leaves, think again. Selecting the building block of community is not original to us. Jesus started it.
Let the words of Mark 3:14 sink in: “Then He chose twelve of them to be His apostles, so that they could be with Him.” Did you catch it? A reason He chose disciples and asked so many to follow Him? Simply to be with them. He didn’t want to be alone. Jesus will draw aside by Himself for only so long before walking across a lake to join the disciples in a boat amid a storm. He sounds desperate in the Garden of Gethsemane amidst the pain of decision because they’re asleep and not awake with Him. Catch His eyes filled with tears as Peter denies he is his friend. And in John 6, as the tide of Jesus’ popularity turns, He painfully asks His twelve closest friends, “Are you also going to leave?”
So yes, it is safer for us to be in community. We find and keep faith more easily. But more basic than that, Jesus wants to be with us. He would rather die than go without us.
1. How many friends did you typically hang out with in high school? Who were they? 2. How much alone time do you need to be at your best? Per day? Per week?
3. What kind of conversations do you have with Jesus while living your life? While driving your car? While you’re alone?
Pastor Dave and the Series Guide Writing Team
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