Good Sunday January sixteenth as we come to learn together from God’s Holy word.
Not as the scribes- Mark documents where Jesus went to find men He could trust with the Gospel message. Jesus went out into the world and found hardworking men who did the hard work to meet the needs for their families. He found the brothers Simon and Andrew that were actually casting nets to catch the fish so they could take them to market. Interesting that Simon who is actually Peter his Greek name and his brother Andrew were doing the casting while two other brothers were doing the cleaning and the mending of the nets. We see from these four men that it takes a community to do the work needed for our lives. These four men rose early worked all day then brought the catch in to sell at the market. Jesus chooses these men because He saw that they were willing to put in the time and do the hard word. Something else here, although these men were Jewish and regularly attended the synagogue, they had obedience which is needed to share the gospel. We must first have a love for God, Deuteronomy 11:1 “Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always.” We are able to do this by having a daily walk in the truths of God’s word. 2 John 1:6 “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.” Love is central to our obedience to the Lord, once we were dragged to church a bible study today we are leading bible studies, as the more we understand God’s love the more we want to share that love with others. The two brothers that were mending their nets ‘The Sons of Zebedee, James and John, both as Peter and Andrew were fishermen by trade hardworking and devoted believers in God. Jesus did not enter the institute for Jewish teachers to choose His disciples rather saw firsthand in the field who they were and He choose them because He found them faithful and with a right heart that loved God and had obedient lives. Let’s read together from Mark 1:21-22 “Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” Many synagogues as churches today were in many cities in these days. It’s important that we know that synagogues were places where the word was taught, no sacrifices were made in synagogues by the priests. Only in Jerusalem was where offerings and sacrifices were made. Synagogues were raised where at least ten or more Jewish males lived. Capernaum had a synagogue and Jesus this day entered and began to teach. Look again how Mark describes those who had heard Jesus teach, “And they were astonished at His teaching.” Mark then tells us why they were so astonished, “He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” What is the difference? The rabbis would teach and quote other rabbis as their authorities, but Jesus here is teaching in authority, not only do we hear the word the gospel Jesus is the gospel’s message, He is the One Authority. We study the word not a pastor why, the word of God is the authority not the pastor. Understand this truth? Remnant
