The Time Has Come

Jesus makes a powerful announcement in Mark 1:15 when He declares, "The time has come." Those words changed everything. Nothing that was the same would ever be the same again. Four little words and all of history would become "his story" as prophecy fulfilled, Savior of the world.

Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John were simple fishermen. They were not the elite of the intellectual community. They weren't upper-crust social climbers either. They were just simple, ordinary, unschooled men (Acts 4:13). Rough handed, big armed net-haulers who worked a hard long day for a good day's wage. Likely honest, but rough around the edges, Jesus would call these four guys to the forefront of His scene because the time had come.

I often wonder if they really had any clue as to what they were getting into. "Fishers of men?" What was that supposed to mean, anyway? And would they be able to earn a living fishing for men? They had to be wondering to themselves... how did they know this Jesus could feed five thousand with five loaves and two fish? Who could know something like that?

Do you ever wonder if they even knew each other prior to being called? Both parties, the "Simon and Andrew Fishing Company" and the "Zebedee and Sons Fishing Company" must have had some awareness of each other as they worked the waters of the Sea of Galilee. But what might make it even more amazing that they would team up in this new fishing expedition (for men) is that they were likely competitors! Could they have even initially handled such a thing? Arch-rivals don't always make the best teammates! Jesus calls together the most unlikely of guys because "the time had come."

But this is what makes Jesus' proclamation so real, so authentic. "The time has come" for a lot of amazing things to happen. Not the least of which is people whom you would least likely expect to see together, teaming up and doing amazing things because "the kingdom of heaven is near. Repent and believe the good news."

God has an amazing way of bringing really unlikely combinations of people together to do amazing things. The time has come for those of us who follow Jesus to put away our comforts and participate in the authentic community Jesus has awaiting for us. Sometimes the people Jesus leads us to may not be anything like us, or they may even be our competitor, but Jesus has away of making that all come out for the good. It must be true, because "the time has come."