Scripture Reading : Mark 1:14-20
Theme : The Beginning of the Servant’s Ministry
Mark 1:14-15 is a summary of the entire Galilean ministry of Jesus Christ, recorded from Mark 1:16-4:34. It identifies the time of its beginning, notes that Galilee was the chief scene of the work, and gives a summary of His message.
- The Charge of the Messenger. After John the Baptist was arrested (Mark 6:17-18), Jesus became the Messenger of God by proclaiming and developing the same message of repentance preached by John. Jesus was no ordinary messenger; He is God Himself delivering the message. In the person of Jesus men are confronted by the kingdom of God in its nearness. The Lord’s kingship is both a present reality, since God is exercising His authority now in the hearts of believers, and also a future hope, when God puts down all opposition at the final judgment.
- The Calling of the Disciples. Jesus called four men, Simon and Andrew, James and John, who would eventually become part of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus would make them “become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17), meaning they will lead many people to believe Jesus after His death, resurrection and ascension. The four men immediately followed Jesus.
Praying the Scripture
- To believe means more than to give credence to the message; it involves a personal commitment to, and reliance upon, that which is believed. The call to believe the Gospel, points to the good news as the basis of faith. In order to be saved, we must repent from our sins and believe the Gospel according to Jesus, as recorded in the Bible. The demands for repentance and faith run parallel. Repentance without faith leads to despair; faith without repentance from sin becomes presumption. Let us pray that we will genuinely repent from our sins and have faith in Jesus and the Bible.
- The word “immediately” occurs 41 times in the Gospel of Mark. One commentator called this “servant language”, showing the urgency of a servant’s response to the master’s command. Let us pray that we will immediately respond to Jesus’ call to follow Him, and serve Him by preaching the Gospel to the lost, so that we too may “become fishers of men.”
经文：马可福音1:14-20
主题：仆人事工的开始
马可福音1:14-15是对耶稣基督的整个加利利事工（可1:16-4:34）的总结。它记载了事工开始的时间，加利利为事工的主要地点，并给予了耶稣信息的概要。
- 使者的命令。施洗约翰下监后（可6:17-18），耶稣成了神的使者，继续宣扬并扩展约翰悔改的信息。耶稣不是一个平凡的使者；祂是神，亲自传达信息。由于耶稣到了，人必须晓得天国也近了。主掌权既是当前的事实，又是将来的盼望，因为神当今在信徒的心里掌权，也将在最终的审判压倒所有的反抗。
- 使徒的呼召。耶稣召了四人，西门、安德烈、雅各和约翰；他们最后将成为十二门徒的一部分。耶稣会叫他们“得人如得鱼一样”（17节），意思就是他们会在耶稣的死、复活及升天后带领多人信主。这四人立刻跟随耶稣。
用经文祷告
- 相信并不只是相信福音内容而已；它还包括个人委身，并对这信息有依靠。信靠福音的呼召，是要以福音为信心的根基的。为要得救，我们必须从罪中悔改，相信耶稣的福音，如圣经所记的。这表示悔改与信心必须并行。无信心的悔改只会使人沮丧；无悔改的信心只是假想。让我们祷告我们会真诚的从罪中悔改，将信心放在耶稣和圣经里。
- “立刻”在马可福音共出现41次。一位释经家称这为“仆人的语言”，表示仆人对主人命令的积极回应。让我们祷告我们也会立刻回应耶稣对我们发出的呼召，跟随祂、服侍祂，向迷失的人传福音，叫我们也能“得人如得鱼一样”。
