Jesus has just gotten this great boost from God, "you are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased" and then the "Spirit immediately drove Him out into the wilderness". I love that God gave Jesus something to hold onto before that happened. As Jesus is being tempted by Satan, not only did God sent angels to Him, He also gave Him that confidence boost beforehand.
Mark is rearing to get into Jesus' ministry. Mathew and Luke take much longer to develop the story, but not Mark or John. They want to get to the good stuff!
I think it's important that Mark notes Jesus didn't return to Galilee until after John was arrested. This man who has been preparing the way for Jesus has been taken captive and then Jesus, the man John has been talking about, comes into town and says, "the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom on God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." What time has been fulfilled? The time Isaiah referred to about John preparing the way? Wouldn't it be crazy to see that happen? I wonder where Jesus said this? In a very public setting? On the street to a few people? And Jesus hasn't called His disciples yet so who is He talking to? More questions than answers.
Jesus is still in Galilee, walking along the sea shore when he calls His first disciples, Simon and Andrew. They were fishing. How far out in the water were they? Were they even in a boat or casting their nets while standing in the water? I don't know, what I do know is that after Jesus tells them, "follow me, and I will make you become fishes of men" they "immediately" left their nets and followed him.
That's unreal to me!! No questions were asked, no tidying up their lives and affairs before following Jesus. Nope! They literally had just the clothes on their backs. Could you even imagine? And it happens all over again with James and John. Only James and John left their dad sitting on the boat mending nets with his servant rather than his sons; his dreams of Zebedee and Sons Fishing going down the drain as he watched them walk away. Or he could have been very supportive. I'm not sure, but in thinking about my dad, whom I have to hug and kiss on the cheek before walking out the door, that would have been hard for Zebedee!
To leave everything to follow Christ. I know I'm supposed to do that even today; be willing to drop it all and go, but that's so scary and I don't know if I could. We just got settled and as I look around our home I wonder what I would do if Jesus came up to me and said "follow me".
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