Mark 3:7-20  ⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.  ⁸ When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.  ⁹ Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him.  ¹⁰ For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.  ¹¹ Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”  ¹² But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.  ¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.  ¹⁴ He appointed twelve– designating them apostles–that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach  ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons.  ¹⁶ These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);  ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder);  ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot  ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.  ²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.

I.                   The Nature of Jesus

A.  Authority over the supernatural (as well as the natural)

 1. Verb in v. 12 also verb used when he rebukes the wind & waves in 4:39

B.   Jesus is one who is worthy to be followed

II.                The Ministry of Jesus

A.   His miracles gained him great popularity in Israel

       1.      V. 8- various locations show how widespread his fame became

B.  Jesus ministers to the crowds, but that is not his focus

       1.    Jesus exercises a ministry of compassion to the crowd.              

       2.      Jesus desires to stay low key (v. 7, 12, 13)

      3.      Mark seems to imply the crowd at times is a hindrance to  ministry (v. 9, 20)

III.             The Crowds

A.   At least among many, they are interested in what Jesus can do for them, but not necessarily who he is

B.   Crowds are fickle (Mark 15:11-15; John 2:23-25; 6:66)

IV.              The Twelve

A.   Significance of 12

        i.      Represents the 12 tribes of Israel and the shift in God’s people

        ii.      God’s people are now those who follow Christ

B.  Variety of the 12

          i.      They came from various backgrounds: fishermen, tax collector, zealot, etc.—followers of Jesus do not have to fit a certain look

        ii.      Often portrayed to be clueless and even incompetent—God often uses the humble over the proud, the foolish over the wise, the weak over the strong. Why? To remind us it’s his power, not ours.

C.   The focus on the 12

         i.      Jesus ministers to the crowd, but invests his time into a small group- this is an effective form of ministry

D.  The call of the 12: to be with Jesus (v. 14)

E.  The Mission of the 12

       i.      To preach and exercise the same authority Jesus displayed

      ii.      To make disciples (followers) of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20)

      iii.      Apostle: messenger, one who is sent

V.                 Application

A.    Where are you at?

           i.      The crowd? Still checking Jesus out;  interested but  not ready to commit

      ii.      An authentic follower of Jesus? Living life according to his purposes and mission

     iii.      It’s fine to begin in the crowd, to consider Jesus, but Christ calls us to more- to commit ourselves fully to him

B.   As a church; it’s exciting to see growing numbers in attendance, but it’s far more important to be building spiritual depth in those who come