I recently read an interesting book: Uninvited: Living
Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely by Lysa TerKeurst. I thought it would be perfect for my
friend and purchased the book with the intention of giving it to her.
However, I wanted to preview it first
(generally a good plan). As I read this thoughtful glimpse into
God’s call to the “rejected,” my mindset quickly changed from, “Oh, this will
be great for my friend” to “Wow—this really applies to me, my life, my hurts,
and need for a Savior that invites, seeks and chooses the lonely, forgotten and
outcast.”
In gospel writer Mark’s account of
Jesus’ life he begins his story with a short recap of history and the ancient
prophets’ predictions that God was coming to visit the earth. First a messenger
(John the Baptist) would arrive and then God himself
would appear. Mark writes that God did arrive in the form of his son, Jesus. And what was one of Jesus’ first orders of
business? He issued an invitation.
Jesus didn’t
hand deliver his invitation to the big-wigs of the day. Nor was his first stop
to the prosperous cities, ruler’s palaces, or to confer with prestigious religious
leaders. Instead he started walking through the countryside of Galilee,
spending time in the small towns and fishing villages. He purposefully set out
to meet the everyday person, the unnoticed person, the person of little value
to the movers and shakers of society except as a means of extorting money or
goods. He met with the person burdened by high taxes, long work hours, and the
struggle to make ends meet.
He noticed this person, sought
them out, sat down next to them and shared God's good news. "The time
has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good
news" (vv. 14–15)!
As he walked by the shore of
the Sea of Galilee he spotted some fishermen. They were in their boats,
casting out their heavy nets, working hard, sweaty, and stinking of fish. And
this is where Jesus, God’s son in human form, decided to issue his invitation
and choose his first disciples. He stopped at the water’s edge and yelled out,
“Come, follow me” (v. 17).
They must have been astonished. They had already met Jesus as he traveled
through their hometown. They knew he had a special message he simply called,
“the good news of God.” John the Baptist told them that Jesus was sent
by God (John 1:18) and they were beginning to believe that it was true. Then an even more wondrous event occurred. Jesus stood at the edge of their watery
world and invited them: “Come, follow me.”
But that wasn’t all. He qualified
his invitation. “And I will make you fishers of men.” Jesus’ ministry was
beginning. And it began with a desire to reach out to the lost, or in Lisa
TerKeurst’s words, the “less than, left out and lonely.” And the fishermen did not hesitate in their response. They dropped their nets, left their boats, and followed him.
Part IV of Mark’s Story.
Photo’s courtesy of pixabay.com.
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