disciples: sick and social outcasts

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

social-outcast

 

 Mark 2–3

Jesus didn’t only call fishermen. He also called Levi, son of Alphaeus — the man we know as Matthew. A tax collector. A collaborator with Rome. A man the religious elite would have crossed the street to avoid. Yet Jesus walked straight up to Levi’s booth and said the same words He spoke to Peter and Andrew: “Follow Me.”

And Levi did.

The religious “in‑crowd” immediately bristled. They couldn’t understand why Jesus kept surrounding Himself with people they considered spiritually unqualified. They judged Him for the company He kept, the tables He sat at, and the sinners He welcomed. Even John’s disciples questioned His methods. Even Jesus’ own family felt embarrassed by the crowds He attracted and the choices He made.

But Jesus never apologized for His guest list.
He defended His mission with a physician’s clarity:

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

In other words:
“I know exactly who I’m here for — and I’m choosing them on purpose.”

And then Jesus redefined spiritual clout.
Not by pedigree.
Not by religious performance.
Not by who had the loudest opinions about holiness.

He said the ones who truly belong to Him — the ones who carry weight in His kingdom — are those who sit at His feet and choose to do the will of God (Mark 3:31–35).
Family is formed by obedience, not reputation.

This is the upside‑down kingdom:
Jesus gathers the overlooked.
He elevates the unqualified.
He builds His family out of people who know they need Him.

And somehow, astonishingly, that includes us.

Prayer

LORD, thank You for accepting us as Your disciples — warts and all.
Thank You for lifting us by Your presence and calling us members of Your family.
Give us your heart for the sick, the overlooked, and the social outcasts.
Send us to the very people you came to heal.
Amen.

 

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disciples: fishers of men

Posted on August 6, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

PineappleGangCod10

 

 Mark 1

When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He did not search for scholars, strategists, or seasoned leaders. He walked along the shoreline and chose four fishermen — men with calloused hands, weathered faces, and hearts shaped by long nights on the water. He looked at them and spoke a simple, world‑altering invitation: “Follow Me.” And with that call came a promise: “I will make you fishers of men.”

Jesus was planning a great catch, and He invited these ordinary men to help bring it in.

John the Baptist had already seen the first waves of this harvest. As he preached in the wilderness, the Sacred Breath drew people from “all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem” to hear about the coming Messiah. Crowds gathered not because John was impressive, but because God was stirring hearts.

After John’s arrest, Jesus cast His net in the waters around Capernaum. And just as before, the Spirit moved. Soon, people were coming to Him from “everywhere throughout all the region of Galilee.” What John glimpsed, Jesus now launched in full — the gathering of souls into the kingdom of God.

And here is the astonishing truth:
Being part of this great catch requires only one thing — a willingness to follow Jesus.

Not brilliance.
Not background.
Not spiritual expertise.
Just a heart that says, “Yes, Lord. I will go where You lead.”

The same Jesus who called fishermen still calls us today. He still forms disciples out of ordinary people. He still turns simple obedience into eternal impact. The great catch is not over — and He invites us into the work.

Prayer

LORD, make us fishers of men.
Give us willing hearts, ready feet, and open hands.
Do not let us miss the boat.
Let us follow You into the deep waters where Your grace gathers souls.
Amen.

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only Jesus: great shepherd of God’s flock

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

shepherdHebrews 13:20-25.  In his benediction, the author of Hebrews asks his readers to bear with his word of exhortation.  He hopes to be able to visit those to whom he has written, but if not, trusts that God would use those words to equip the believers to please him and to do his will.

 

 

 

  1. The God of peace has brought peace to all of us by the blood of Christ.  The blood of the eternal covenant is sufficient to remove the enmity that had separated us from the Father.
  2. The shed blood of Christ on the cross was sufficient to accomplish God’s purpose in atonement.  Because of this, the tomb could no longer hold him. He was brought again from the dead.
  3. Since Christ has done all these things, he is certainly capable of shepherding God’s sheep, equipping them to accomplish his Father’s will and bring him joy.

LORD, we praise you for Jesus and only Jesus.  He alone will fulfill your eternal plan, mediate your eternal covenant, and bring you eternal glory.

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only Jesus: way to God’s coming city

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

new_jerusalemHebrews 13:1-19.  Jesus is the only one who has finished the race.  He now stands at the finish line, encouraging us to endure the race, so that we can get to the goal: the city that is to come (14).  The author of Hebrews encourages his readers to stay in the race – not to change the things they are doing as witnesses to Christ:

  1. brotherly love (1),
  2. hospitality to strangers (2),
  3. remembering those in prison (3),
  4. remaining sexually pure (4),
  5. being content financially (5-6),
  6. staying true doctrinally (7-17),
  7. praying for his team (18-19).

In this context, he mentions that Jesus is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (8.). Believers should not seek innovation and change.  We should strive to continue the race – no matter what.

LORD, we see you at the finish line, cheering us on.  Help us not to be sidetracked by unnecessary change.

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only Jesus: mediator of God’s new covenant

Posted on August 3, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

250px-MountSinaiViewHebrews 12:3-29.  The author of Hebrews had encouraged his readers to look to Jesus,  the only one who has finished the race and is now in resurrection glory.  He now reveals what our race is going to entail.

 

  1. Living under the new covenant is not going to be easy.  The Father will need to discipline us, just as earthly fathers do.  Some who aspire to live the Christian life will not “obtain the grace.”  They will be sidetracked by distraction, weakness, strife, unholiness, and immorality (3-17).
  2. When the old covenant was inaugurated at Sinai, the people feared the wrath of God who gave order that anyone touching the mountain should be stoned.  How much more should we revere and obey under this new covenant, put into effect by the death of Christ himself?  Those who treat this covenant lightly will be consumed by the fire God’s hell (18-29).

LORD, we accept your covenant of love and grace. May we not treat it lightly, knowing it comes from a God of justice who will destroy all his enemies by fire.

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only Jesus: first to finish God’s race

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

59664239-mumbai-marathonHebrews 11:1-12:2.  The hall of faith contains a great cloud of witnesses.  The typical understanding of this idea – mentioned in 12:1 – is that these witnesses are now in heaven looking down at the rest of us as we run the race.  But that is not what the author of Hebrews is saying.  Only Jesus has finished the race.  A witness (in Greek thought) is not someone who sees something, but someone who says something: one who testifies. Those witnesses testified of a faith in a future glory that they had not yet received  “since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect (11:40). When we die, we do not receive our reward. We sleep until our reward comes for us. Only one has finished the race and received the crown.  Looking to him gives us courage to lay aside every weight and sin, and run our own race with endurance (12:1-2).

LORD, you have set the standard.  Looking to you, we now pick up our crosses and run our own race: help us to persevere to the end.

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only Jesus: rewarder of God’s faithful

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sunrise

 

Hebrews 10:19-39.  Jesus is Lord of our future.  What he has done for us only makes sense in the light of what he will do.

 

 

  1. As we see the day of his coming drawing near, it only makes sense that our devotion to Christ will be deeper, our confession of him stronger, and our encouragement of each other more consistent (19-25).
  2. Knowing that the day of his coming will bring judgment and destruction on his enemies, it only makes sense that we stay true to him (26-31).
  3. Remembering our investment in the Lord and the better and abiding possession that he promises on the day of his coming, it only makes sense that we endure in doing God’s will until our rewarder appears (32-39).

LORD, the day of your coming is dawning.  Help us to live in the light of your appearing by enduring what we must suffer, preparing for life in your kingdom, and leading others to it.

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only Jesus: securer of God’s redemption

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

the-broken-chain1Hebrews 9:11-10:18.  Jesus has done for us what no other could do.  He recognized that he was born to die on that cross, and that his death could do what all the prayers, ceremonies and sacrifices could never do.  By his death, he secured eternal redemption (permanent deliverance from slavery to sin) for us.  Our sins are atoned for.  Never again will they stand between us and our holy God.

  1. His death need never be repeated.  Unlike the sacrifices under the old covenant, the redemption he bought us was “once for all” (9:12,26; 10:11),
  2. His redemption is timeless.  Acting on the prompting of the eternal Spirit, he secured an eternal redemption, so that believers might have an eternal inheritance (9:12,14,15),
  3. He has dealt definitively with the sin problem, granting us forgiveness, purification, and renewal of our minds (9:22,28; 10:2,3,4,12,13,16,17,18).

LORD, thank you that you have taken away our sins by your sacrifice – once for all.

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only Jesus: access to God’s presence

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

accessHebrews 8:1-9:10.  God had revealed a pattern in the old Jerusalem temple that predicted what Jesus has now accomplished for us in the heavenly temple.  Under the old covenant, access to the presence of God was restricted.  Only the priests could enter the holy place, and only the high priest could enter the most holy place.  After Jesus ascended, he entered into the heavenly most holy place, and into the very presence of the Father.  He offered his own blood (his death) as eternal atonement for our sins, and the Father accepted it.  Our great high priest has gained access to the presence of God for us.  We can now come boldly to the throne of grace.

LORD, thank you for doing what only you could do.  Since we now have such a great high priest, we will come boldly to your throne of grace and celebrate that access in our worship.

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only Jesus: guarantor of God’s better covenant

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

ex-14-rubens-melchizedekHebrews 7.  The new covenant put into effect by Jesus is so much better than the old instituted by Moses.  The author of Hebrews proves this by showing why Jesus has “become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (6:20).

 

 

  1. Jesus offers true righteousness and peace with God (1-3).
  2. Abraham recognized the supremacy of Melchizedek’s priesthood by tithing to him (4-10).
  3. The Mosaic law could not make us perfect or allow us to draw near to God.  Christ’s sacrifice does both (11-19).
  4. Jesus offers permanent atonement because he lives forever to make intercession (20-25).
  5. Jesus need not sacrifice daily because he has no personal sins to receive forgiveness for (26-28).

LORD,  thank you for our great high priest who has interceded for us once for all.  We cling to him, forsaking all others. He alone is the way.

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