Today’s Reading
Mark 1:1-20
[bible passage=”Mark 1:1-20″ version=”esv”]The Cost of Following
Imagine while walking home from school, a stranger comes to you and asks you to leave everything to follow him. What would you do? What questions would you ask yourself before making such a decision? From today’s reading, we see that this is almost what happened to some of the disciples when Jesus called them to follow Him. What questions do you think they might have asked before making such a commitment? From this passage, we learn that these men left everything to follow Christ. They left their homes, families, jobs, and friends to follow Him. In fact, Scripture says that they not only left, but they did it without delay. They had to be very committed in order to make such a decision. Make a list of three important things in your life. Look at them and ask yourself, “Am I willing to leave these to follow Christ?” Is there an area of your life that you are unwilling to leave behind in order to follow Christ – friends? job? car? Circle the words without delay in verse twenty to remind you of the Godly example of the disciples. God may never ask us to leave our lives behind, but we must be willing to do just that.
Today’s Questions
Say What?
What things are people unwilling to leave to follow Christ?
So What?
Why do you think it is difficult for some to leave those things?
Now What?
What areas do you need to evaluate in order to be more like the disciples in this passage?
Then What?
In light of this passage, what personal commitment can you make?