The AuthorWinter 2013 Sermon Series

w w w . e b c l a . o r g

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“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”Hebrews 12:2

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Affirmation & AccelerationMark 1:9-20

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Mark 1:9-11  At this time, Jesus

came from Nazareth in Galilee and was

baptized by John in the Jordan. The

moment he came out of the water, he

saw the sky split open and God’s

Spirit, looking like a dove, come down

on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son,

chosen and marked by my love, pride of

my life.”

12-13 At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.

14-15 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”

16-18 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.

19-20 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.

As the cool water of the Jordan River flooded over his face, Jesus wasn’t so much entrusting himself to The Baptist’s

strength as he was to his Father’s. He’d given thirty years to arrive at this place. But even as he was savoring this, he felt

himself being lifted up.

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Affirmation

What a rush! Wow! “My dad loves me and is proud of me!”But with the world still desperate for a Savior, the Spirit led newly-affirmed Jesus into the desert wilds. Once there, His

clothes quickly dried out and his trust in his Father was severely tested.

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Testing - 1 - 2 - 3

Jesus knew that he’d need more than angels and wild animals at his side now. The Baptist had ticked off King Herod Antipas

and gotten tossed in the slammer, so he was no longer around. Time to recruit some early adopters to a new life of

downward mobility.

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Backstory

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Early Adopters

A perfectly good, fully equipped fishing boat. A puzzled father with a boatload of deckhands.

All left on that lake shore because the King of kings had dropped by with an intriguingly urgent invitation.

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“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”Hebrews 12:2

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