A Community Begins

Posted by Karah

Pause

Set aside anything that could distract you from God and His Word today. Pray Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wonderful things from Your instruction.”

Read Mark 3:13-19 in your Bible.

“Then He went up the mountain and summoned those He wanted, and they came to Him. He also appointed 12—He also named them apostles—to be with Him, to send them out to preach. . .” —Mark 3:13-14

List the apostles mentioned in this passage. Next to their names, jot down any facts you may know about them.

Think through these questions:

Reread verse 14 and underline the things the disciples were being called out to do. Why is spending time with Jesus an important part of being a disciple? Explain your answer.

The disciples were also called to proclaim God’s message of redemption to the world. What does that teach you about the importance of sharing the gospel for modern-day disciples?

Notice that Jesus called together a core group of men to be His apostles. How does that underscore the importance of community in believers’ lives?

Respond

Jesus has called you into community just as He did with His apostles.

How much time do you spend with Jesus? What gets in the way of you doing so? What steps will you take this week to simply spend time with Jesus? Record two action points below or in your journal.

Commit to taking a step of deeper commitment to your church community, such as becoming more consistent in attendance, finding a ministry in which you can serve, or meeting with an accountability partner.

For further study of what Christian community looks like, read Acts 4:32-36; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12; and Ephesians 4.

Behind the Story

There are three other lists of apostles in the New Testament. They’re found in Matthew 10:2-4; Luke 6:14-16; and Acts 1:13. The names and order are different in the various lists, but Peter is always listed first. The passage in Mark is the only place that mentions the nickname “Sons of Thunder” for James and John.¹

¹Holman Christian Standard® Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2010). Accessed via mystudybible.com.

The Point

Jesus called together His core group of followers to take His message to the world. He’s calling believers to do the same today.

Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions