Let's Go. Now
When it comes to issues of pace, forward motion, and getting things done promptly, the Church generally finds itself on the slow end of the spectrum. So many good ideas never take off because we say, "We'll get to that tomorrow." So many kingdom actions are never actualized because we need to wait for a large number of factors to align perfectly. We justify our slowness with the defense of "it must not be God's time to do this" or with cries of "Jesus calls us to rest/Sabbath/slowness". But the reality is that scripture paints a different picture of the expediency with which we must usher in His kingdom. The beginnings of Jesus' ministry are marked with the immediacy of the task at hand – boldly saying that now is the time to get things done.
As I read through the beginning of Jesus' ministry, as told by Mark, I was struck by how often the word "immediately" is used. It is the most common word in the first chapter of Mark, used eight times, while the next couple of chapters are full of examples of how Jesus continued to live immediately. The gospel didn't begin slowly. It started with speed, passion, and intensity – it had a fast-paced immediacy about it. Consider the following –
1) There was immediacy in God's desire to launch Jesus' Ministry (Mark 1:10)
Jesus' ministry begins with His baptism. As Jesus emerges from the waters of the River Jordan, a public declaration of the start of His ministry, God immediately affirms that Jesus is His son. In a split second, he sees the heavens open, the Spirit falling on him to equip him for the task, and then immediately he hears life-defining words of affirmation and empowerment coming straight from heaven – "This is my beloved son, with you I am well pleased."
As God was immediate in His desire to affirm and encourage His son, so He is with us. Often, we think that we need to "be ready" or "manage our sin better" to hear God's words of affirmation and calling to us. But we don't. God's call and affirmation to us come immediately. If you want it… right now!
2) There was immediacy in Jesus' obedience (Mark 1:12,21,29)
When the Father said, "Go," Jesus immediately went (John 5:19). He immediately went into the wilderness for a time of testing and training (Luke 4:1). Once back, He immediately entered the synagogue and began teaching. Immediately after He was done there, He went to His subsequent assignment to heal Simon's mother-in-law.
Jesus modeled for us that obedience to God must happen immediately. We must learn to follow Jesus so faithfully that when He says, "go," we move, and when He says, "do," we accomplish it.
3) There was immediacy in the disciples' response (Mark 1:18, 20)
When Jesus cried out to His disciples, "Follow Me," we read that their response was immediate. They didn't think twice; they didn't spend a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of a decision. They made it and left straight away. There are numerous invitations that Jesus offers to us – ones that will give us incredible hope and a fantastic future (Jeremiah 29:11)- that we miss simply because we are too slow in our response. We often paralyze our decisions through overanalysis, choosing obedience based on our comfort level, priority list, or security, and by the time we are ready, the opportunity has passed.
I sense that if the disciples had waited too long to say yes to Jesus, they would never have followed Him. Other factors would have influenced them, and "common sense" would have talked them out of making such a radical decision. Their future and legacy were shaped because they responded to Jesus immediately. The question for us becomes: How immediate is your response to Jesus?
4) There was immediacy in needs being revealed and met (Mark 1:23, 30)
As Jesus was in the synagogue, immediately a man with an enormous need – an unclean spirit – was revealed. A demon inhabited this guy. As soon as Jesus walked into the temple, the need revealed itself. I believe that the closer we draw to Jesus and the more we walk in His power, the more immediately we become aware of the needs around us.
Quickly, though, Jesus wants to meet these needs. He did it with the gentleman with the unclean Spirit, and immediately after that, he healed Simon's mother-in-law. This is a significant aspect of what it means to engage fully in the kingdom. As we serve Jesus, we are immediately met with needs, and often Jesus wants to use us to bring His healing immediately.
Following Jesus is more often about "immediately" than it is about "wait". Our ability to respond immediately determines our level of faithfulness, our commitment to the things of heaven, and the amount of needs that will be revealed and met. We can no longer live in a season of procrastination. It is time for the Church, beginning with you and me, to rediscover the immediacy of the gospel.
As I read through the beginning of Jesus' ministry, as told by Mark, I was struck by how often the word "immediately" is used. It is the most common word in the first chapter of Mark, used eight times, while the next couple of chapters are full of examples of how Jesus continued to live immediately. The gospel didn't begin slowly. It started with speed, passion, and intensity – it had a fast-paced immediacy about it. Consider the following –
1) There was immediacy in God's desire to launch Jesus' Ministry (Mark 1:10)
Jesus' ministry begins with His baptism. As Jesus emerges from the waters of the River Jordan, a public declaration of the start of His ministry, God immediately affirms that Jesus is His son. In a split second, he sees the heavens open, the Spirit falling on him to equip him for the task, and then immediately he hears life-defining words of affirmation and empowerment coming straight from heaven – "This is my beloved son, with you I am well pleased."
As God was immediate in His desire to affirm and encourage His son, so He is with us. Often, we think that we need to "be ready" or "manage our sin better" to hear God's words of affirmation and calling to us. But we don't. God's call and affirmation to us come immediately. If you want it… right now!
2) There was immediacy in Jesus' obedience (Mark 1:12,21,29)
When the Father said, "Go," Jesus immediately went (John 5:19). He immediately went into the wilderness for a time of testing and training (Luke 4:1). Once back, He immediately entered the synagogue and began teaching. Immediately after He was done there, He went to His subsequent assignment to heal Simon's mother-in-law.
Jesus modeled for us that obedience to God must happen immediately. We must learn to follow Jesus so faithfully that when He says, "go," we move, and when He says, "do," we accomplish it.
3) There was immediacy in the disciples' response (Mark 1:18, 20)
When Jesus cried out to His disciples, "Follow Me," we read that their response was immediate. They didn't think twice; they didn't spend a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of a decision. They made it and left straight away. There are numerous invitations that Jesus offers to us – ones that will give us incredible hope and a fantastic future (Jeremiah 29:11)- that we miss simply because we are too slow in our response. We often paralyze our decisions through overanalysis, choosing obedience based on our comfort level, priority list, or security, and by the time we are ready, the opportunity has passed.
I sense that if the disciples had waited too long to say yes to Jesus, they would never have followed Him. Other factors would have influenced them, and "common sense" would have talked them out of making such a radical decision. Their future and legacy were shaped because they responded to Jesus immediately. The question for us becomes: How immediate is your response to Jesus?
4) There was immediacy in needs being revealed and met (Mark 1:23, 30)
As Jesus was in the synagogue, immediately a man with an enormous need – an unclean spirit – was revealed. A demon inhabited this guy. As soon as Jesus walked into the temple, the need revealed itself. I believe that the closer we draw to Jesus and the more we walk in His power, the more immediately we become aware of the needs around us.
Quickly, though, Jesus wants to meet these needs. He did it with the gentleman with the unclean Spirit, and immediately after that, he healed Simon's mother-in-law. This is a significant aspect of what it means to engage fully in the kingdom. As we serve Jesus, we are immediately met with needs, and often Jesus wants to use us to bring His healing immediately.
Following Jesus is more often about "immediately" than it is about "wait". Our ability to respond immediately determines our level of faithfulness, our commitment to the things of heaven, and the amount of needs that will be revealed and met. We can no longer live in a season of procrastination. It is time for the Church, beginning with you and me, to rediscover the immediacy of the gospel.
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