His Words Have Power

Based on Mark 1:16-28, week 2 public meeting

There are 2 scenes in our passage today and in both you see the same thing. Jesus speaks and things happen. Let’s start at verse 16.

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, [Jesus] saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 

We start in a region called Galilee with 2 fishermen, Simon and Andrew. They were just going about their day working their day job, probably thinking about how much they can sell their fish for, or what they’re going to binge watch on Netflix when they get home. Jesus appears and says to them follow me. Notice verse 18, immediately they left their nets and followed him. This here is what was shocking to me. Not that they followed Jesus, but that they left their nets behind. Because think about it, what is a fisherman’s net? It’s his entire livelihood right? Your family depends on you using that net to put food on the table and you just left it there and followed Jesus?

19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

If I had to guess, I would say Zebedee was well-known in that area. Who knows, maybe Zebedee was Galilee’s version of Kailis Brothers, Perth’s best fish&chips. People definitely knew that name because Mark emphasizes it twice, and we know he has hired servants. So he’s at least on a different level to your average fisherman. Jesus appears and says to his sons follow me. Notice the same thing in verse 20, immediately they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Now imagine your dad is Elon Musk and you grew up a billionaire and when you finish uni there’s already a corner office on the 50th floor for you. What would make you leave all that behind? Simon and Andrew left their nets – their livelihoods. James and John left their lifestyles. No more servants, no more job security, no safety net. Just drop everything and follow Jesus. Why? All because Jesus said, follow me. His words have power, see?

Straight away we are taken to a synagogue in Capernaum. And again we see Jesus speaking. This time he’s teaching. Look at verse 20. 

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 

What is astonishing was that Jesus was the son of a carpenter. But what happens next is beyond astonishing.

23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

What do you think people are saying about Jesus in verse 28? He commands even the spirits and they obey him. There’s a man in Capernaum whose words carry weight. His words have power. See?

 “With 2 words Jesus convinced men to abandon their livelihoods and exchange their lifestyles…”

I don’t have to convince you guys that words are important right? Or maybe even that Jesus words have power. The question is: is it more powerful than all the words that we hear on a daily basis? Do the words of Jesus have more influence than even my words that I say to myself? Sometimes the greatest danger we face isn’t closing our ears to Jesus, but opening them to everything else. Why do you think Jesus silenced the unclean spirits?

Think about Simon and Andrew. They were fishing when Jesus called them to follow him. Don’t you think there’s a part of them that is saying what about this fish? What if someone steals my nets? And to make the point even more, in just the next passage we are told Simon has a sick mother-in-law at home, So he has a family that he’s responsible for. What’s the responsible thing to do If you were Simon?

Every time we open the Bible and hear Jesus speak, we may believe His words have power, but that doesn’t change anything if we are also listening to some other voice. Maybe it’s your family telling you to focus on something else. Maybe it’s your friends telling you to try something new. Maybe it’s you telling yourself to prioritize something more important. Who’s been saying what to you this past week? All these voices competing with Jesus who says follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.

What is Jesus saying? What does that mean – I will make you become fishers of men? Instead of catching fish you’ll catch men from now on? Really? Does that sound like something that will convince these guys to give up their livelihoods? I think it’s more than that. Remember back then there was no university, no high school career fair, no work placement programs. There was no such thing. When you grow up, you will do what your parents did. Jesus was a carpenter because Joseph was a carpenter. James and John were in the family business. Simon and Andrew were fishermen, and they were always going to be fishermen. They were never going to amount to anything more. That’s just the way the world works. It’s not like they get to decide. So when Jesus comes and says I will make you become fishers of men, I don’t think Simon and Andrew heard that they were going to become church pastors. They heard Jesus say he will give them a new identity. Something profoundly more than what they’ve always thought their life will become.

Today in the Bible, Jesus is telling you, come follow me. His words have the power to create in you a brand new identity. Someone with value and worth. Someone who is loved and capable of loving others completely without mixed motives. Someone who might not literally make a difference in the world, but can make a world of difference in the lives of those around them. With 2 words Jesus convinced Simon and Andrew to abandon their livelihoods; James and John to exchange their lifestyles. The same 2 words can change your life too.