Explores Jesus' call to repentance and belief in the kingdom of God, emphasizing the profound change it brings in our desires and lives.
Good morning, dear family of God. It's a beautiful day that the Lord has made and we're here, gathered together to rejoice, to learn, and to grow in His Word. It's always a joy to be in the presence of fellow believers, to share in the fellowship and unity that we find in Christ Jesus.
Today, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of an enlightening discourse as we turn our hearts and minds to the book of Mark, specifically Mark 1:14-20. Now, let's read the passage together:
After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!' As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 'Come, follow me,' Jesus said, 'and I will send you out to fish for people.' At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
In these verses, we see Jesus making his grand announcement about the kingdom of God, an announcement that has implications for all of us. We see the call to repentance, a cornerstone in the Christian life, and we see the emphasis on belief, that crucial first step in following Christ.
Charles Spurgeon, a man often referred to as the 'Prince of Preachers,' once said, 'Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved.'
Isn't that a powerful thought? That the repentance Jesus calls us to is not just a turning away from sin, but a change so profound that it alters our very desires, our loves, and our hates. That's the power of the kingdom of God at work in us.
As we continue to reflect on the words of Jesus in Mark 1:14-20, we find ourselves drawn to the call to repentance ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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