Mark 1:17

Mark 1:17

Christ's Election of Disciples.

Christ chose as His messengers the unlearned and poor, and the outcast of the theologians, and the uninterested in politics, and the men and women of whom society knew nothing; the fisherman and the publican, the Pharisee who left the priestly ranks, the rich who left their riches, the Israelite without guile, the cottager, the sinner and the harlot who were contrite; but chiefly for with these in His favourite haunts He most companioned the fishermen of the lake of Galilee.

I. "Come," He said, "I will make you fishers of men. And they left all, and followed Him." He was not wrong, then, in His choice. These men, who gave up all at once for Him, had impulse, heart, impetuosity, and love. These were the first elements He wanted in the character of His followers, the main things needed for their work. It was a hard task He set them to; and no faint-heartedness or questioning could bear its trials. They had and it was their chief quality the heart to venture greatly, the love to give up all, the faith which removed mountains. Not in their diction was the word impossible.

II. It was this intensity of spirit that Christ stirred in His followers. He had the prophet's power of kindling passion, of awaking a youth in those who loved Him. No one who reads the Gospels but recognises the unique power of Christ's personality. But had that been all, His work would not have been done; the life He made in men would scarcely have lasted beyond His death. With the passing of the person would have passed the power. No; the main thing was this, that the personal influence was weighted with infinite, divine, ideal thoughts; was used to stablish living truths in the hearts of men; living, because they created and supported a life. That was His real power. "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." That was the sort of thought He gave them.

III. Fishers of men! Surely they were that. They saw before them a vast ocean, in whose depths were men and women and children dead in sin, lost in ignorance, superstition, and misery. In a few small barks they launched forth into the deep, and let down their nets for a draught; they rescued Jew, Greek, Roman, barbarian, king, priest, courtier, workman, slave, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and classes. And that is your work. Are you doing it with all your heart? It is the one foremost duty, and the one transcendent blessing of life, to seek and save the lost, the suffering, and the ignorant. And when we do this, it becomes the master-thought of life. The airs of heaven breathe through our daily labour. All is sacred, for in all that we are doing, we do Christ's work of rescuing men.

S. A. Brooke, The Spirit of the Christian Life,p. 294 (see also Christian World Pulpit,vol. xvii., p. 390).

References: Mark 1:17. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. xiii., p. 111.Mark 1:18. Spurgeon, Evening by Evening,p. 173.Mark 1:19; Mark 1:20. R. Balgarnie, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxvi., p. 214.Mark 1:21. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxx., No. 1765; Homiletic Quarterly,vol. v., p. 294; H. M. Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man,p. 25; W. Hanna, Our Lord's Life on Earth,p. 127.