Episode 05: Mark 1:14-20

Translation: Common English Bible (CEB)

3 Questions:
What word, phrase or image strikes you in this text?
Toward what is God calling you in this text?
What inspires you–or would inspire you–to follow?

Additional texts:
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31

Transcript

00:34.74
nathanpile
Welcome back to tend a bible podcast. We're going to tend our faith today as we look at Mark chapter 1 verses 14 through twenty. We're going to use the common english bible translation today. As Kevin and I read it. You can find the common english bible on bible gateway or the app or on its website or you can grab whatever translation is close and follow along again. Mark. The first chapter verses 14 through 20 is our reading the 3 questions what word phrase or image strikes you in this text toward what is god calling you in this text and what inspires you or would inspire you. To follow. That's a good one. Kevin.

01:37.11
Kevin Shock
Well, we'll see. We'll see a disclaimer about who we are ah Nathan and Kevin are men married to women in financially stable households white in our late 40 s college and seminary educated. We work in the lutheran church and we're born and raised in Western Pennsylvania all of this affects how we read scripture and discuss it. But none of this makes us better able to read and discuss scripture than anyone else. Believe that the wisdom of scripture is the whole community's compiled interpretation for life with god and one another so we want to know what you hear and think from your life experience again. We always say that but we really really do mean it. Um, and so we're reading today from Mark. The first chapter after John was arrested Jesus came into galilee announcing god's good news saying now is the time here comes god's kingdom change your hearts and lives and trust this good news. As Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea he saw 2 brothers Simon and Andrew throwing fishing nets into the sea for they were fishermen come follow me. He said and I'll show you how to fish for people right away they left their nets and followed him.

02:57.58
Kevin Shock
After going a little farther. He saw James and John Zebedy sons in their boat repairing the fishing nets at that very moment he called them. They followed him leaving their father zeity in the boat with the hired workers if you are meeting with a group. We encourage you to pause the podcast now and ah talk about these 3 questions on your own. Ah, but for now I'll ask Nathan what word phrase or image strikes you in this text.

03:31.90
nathanpile
Well Kevin um now is the time here comes god's kingdom ah, it struck me in that we don't at least I don't feel like.

03:33.63
Kevin Shock
And.

03:48.88
nathanpile
I live that out right now. very ah very well um and and hearing you read it that those were the 2 sentences in verse 15 it stuck out to me it continues with a third sentence change your hearts and lives and trust this good news which is probably the part that that I'm going to talk about the most here but that those phrases of now is the time here comes god's kingdom um for us as god's people. Today I'm not positive. It seems like we lament. We look back a lot. Um as the church and think about what used to be and instead of living in the present. Um. You know, having just celebrated Christmas and New Year's here recently that idea of giving ah the gift of the present. You know we we received all kinds of presents at Christmas time.

04:58.25
nathanpile
But god has given us this time. This is our time and god's kingdom comes now so that that idea of now is the time kind of struck me today as you were reading it of of do we really hear this and and in this translation it has um. All all 3 of these sentences have exclamation point points to them. So the the interpreters um have said these are that they're they're making you know Jesus is making ah commands. Um, to those who are listening those who are those who are gathered around him whether that's a crowd or whomever he's teaching with at this moment in this first chapter of of Mark and I always love Mark Mark but probably my favorite gospel in that. Um, Mark is a go go go he wants to he wants us to hear this message and and and be activated by it and get out there and so this idea of now is the time here comes god's kingdom and do we celebrate that do we um.

06:10.68
nathanpile
Does it challenge us to live our lives and and as us continues change our hearts and live our lives and to trust the good news that god's kingdom is coming god it's all it's happening now before us as the people of the church and so instead of of. Of the all letting all of the news of of what's going on in the world or going on in the church. The decline of the church get us down. How do we flip that coin and and recognize that god is here now's the time and and to celebrate that. so um so I think that's the that that's the first part that really sticks out to me um of this passage that's where I that's where I've kind of as so as I begin a new year how do I how do I live that out.

07:06.32
Kevin Shock
Um, yeah I appreciate that um I it's the same. It's the same phrase for me or the same verse for me. Um, and 1 reason I chose this translation for this reading is because it's. Um, well as happens often in the common english bible the the phrasing and the language is not so stodgy. It's more plainspoken. Um in in both the n rsv and the net it says something more along the lines of. Ah, the time is fulfilled god's kingdom has come near ah repent and believe this gospel or repent and believe the good news. Um, which it really means the exact same thing but I think it uses I think that's a lot of language that is not as.

07:46.54
nathanpile
Um.

08:02.66
nathanpile
In our vernacular.

08:03.80
Kevin Shock
You know I mean unless you're it's not in our vernacular. Yeah, it's not It's not a language that's used outside of the bible really? um, but but now is the time here comes god's kingdom that that to me I mean not that god's kingdom is really used outside of our vern outside of the bible either. Ah, but ah I think I think that this translation makes it seem much more urgent. Um, and I think part of the reason is that um the time is fulfilled sounds like. Work that's already been completed and and I would argue that Jesus's arrival in the world is work already completed. Um but now is the time I feel like gives us a gives us permission to participate in the present moment. In what's going on here. Um, and like you said in in your reflection as well and here comes god's kingdom god's kingdom has come near sounds like okay, it's floating right out here before you so but but this is like here hear it here. It's entering into your life.

09:13.64
nathanpile
Now.

09:21.90
Kevin Shock
And um and I think that that that trust this good news. Um that that last sentence there change your hearts and lives and trust this good news I think ah a trust.

09:37.45
Kevin Shock
Or an understanding that now is really the time and this is really god's kingdom coming to us trusting that news will change our hearts and lives it. It will make us different. Um I almost think that. The way that Jesus says it here is ah I don't want to say backwards. But um, but it sounds you know a change your hearts and lives can sound like do better which I think I think Jesus does mean that think I think both John the baptist and Jesus do mean that. Um, but it's not just it's not as though the situation is staying the same and so you have to do better It's the whole world is completely changing right here before you um, and you're going to act differently because of it.

10:41.14
nathanpile
Yeah, it. It's a as you were as you were talking um describing that piece it. It was almost like I heard you know, almost some adgent themes of wake up like pay attention here here comes here comes the parade here comes the.

10:41.26
Kevin Shock
That's yeah.

10:53.52
Kevin Shock
A.

10:58.78
nathanpile
You know this is happening. Um it kind of struck me as like don't be so busy with whatever it is it get you busy. Don't be so busy that you miss the kingdom. Um, we were our family just um, spent some time together in in Williamsburg and it was over New Year's and there was a fireworks show. We all knew there was a fireworks show at nine o'clock but we were also trying to get out of the park. So that we could leave and be headed back to the hotels for the night had been a long day and and we were at Bush Gardens and so but we wanted to see the fireworks but we were like.

11:46.27
Kevin Shock
A.

11:54.10
nathanpile
Walking walking walking walking walking walking walking and it's the sound of the first firework it was like stop What we're doing everyone would pay attention now turn around look for the fireworks find the fireworks focus on the fireworks. You know, kind of a thing and and as you were describing it that it kind of gave me that feeling of.

12:04.83
Kevin Shock
Ah, ah yeah.

12:12.40
nathanpile
We Don't want to miss this like the kingdom is coming. The Kingdom is the the kingdom comes. It's not coming. It's comes that means it's happening. It's in the present. Um like make sure we're make sure we're awake make sure we're paying attention. Um, and that this king in coming Kingdom is going to have these effects. It's going to change our hearts and lives. So yeah.

12:40.20
Kevin Shock
I I heard echoes of things that you and I have been talking about recently and your and your response there about let's let's busy ourselves with the important things and not the unimportant things. Yeah.

12:47.40
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah.

12:54.19
nathanpile
Yeah, yeah.

12:58.64
Kevin Shock
And and what is what is more? What is more urgent than god's kingdom coming to change the way that we live. Um I think that I think that nearly everyone that I have that I talked to. Would say that something needs to change in our world. Well here it it I mean here it is and and I'm not and not saying like I'm I'm not saying that from a position of if everyone would just accept Jesus then things would be okay I'm not saying that at all because. A lot of the problem lies with people who claim to follow Jesus already. Ah and I'm and I'm not um I'm not I'm including myself in that group of people. Um because I'm just as guilty of letting.

13:33.91
nathanpile
Yeah.

13:51.27
Kevin Shock
Busyness overtake my life and prioritizing things that are not um, that are not helping me or the world to grow at All. So This is I'm I'm ah. Because I'm human I'm often concerned with my own little kingdom more than I'm concerned with God's Kingdom So We might talk about that a little later but my tweet but.

14:14.30
nathanpile
Might we.

14:20.36
nathanpile
All right? Let's do it a second time.

14:27.14
nathanpile
After John was arrested Jesus came into galilee announcing god's good news saying now is the time here comes god's kingdom change your hearts and lives and trust this good news. As Jesus passed alongside the sea. Ah the galilee sea he saw 2 brothers Simon and Andrew throwing fishing nets into the sea for they were fishermen come follow me. He said and I'll show you how to fish for people.

15:05.38
nathanpile
Right away they left their nets and followed him after going a little further. He saw James and John Zebed's sons in their boat repairing the fishing nets at that moment. He called them. They followed him leaving their father zebedy in the boat. With the hired workers. Well Kevin toward what is god calling you in this text.

15:32.80
Kevin Shock
Um I I don't know how to say it exactly but I I do think that there's there's a sense here in of um, leaving.

15:48.57
Kevin Shock
Leaving behind the things that are not life giving and embracing the things that are life giving. Um, and there's a lot to unpack with that reflection I I will be the first to say ah because I don't be because you could you could look at this situation in a variety of ways. Um, James and John seem to neglect their obligation to their father.

16:26.00
Kevin Shock
Ah, in order to follow Jesus which is not something that I would normally advocate for ah I think that I think that neglecting and I'm not just talking about parents I'm talking about neglecting obligation or responsibility in any human relationship that we've built. Um.

16:30.35
nathanpile
Since.

16:45.95
Kevin Shock
but ah but I think that there there's a sense here that Simon and Andrew James and John see Jesus leading them into a present and a future.

17:04.86
Kevin Shock
Is going to be life giving for all people period. The second thing that I want to unpack from what I said is that um, we really have to discern what is life giving and um, what is life giving. Can sometimes be hard. Ah it you know, ah to for for me to say when I say to leave behind all that is not life giving I don't mean. To leave behind everything that burdens us and embrace everything that makes us feel good because that's not necessarily life giving um much in the same way that like um, well. Ah, maybe it's too much to get into I I think like I think that our society has a ah really skewed vision of what it means to rest. Um and what it means to set boundaries. Um.

18:12.47
Kevin Shock
I Think that we think that self-care is about like just shutting our brains off and not doing anything and not letting anything from the outside world infiltrate our little space. Um, ah, but from my own experience that has not that has not given me life. Um, you know, ah doing doing what is easy has not given me life. Um, because sometimes what is life giving means ah leaning more into relationships even difficult relationships. Um, and.

18:50.39
Kevin Shock
Ultimately, if there is something that is just life giving for one person. It's not life giving because life is shared. We're social creatures life is common. Um.

19:01.87
nathanpile
M.

19:07.78
Kevin Shock
So something that only benefits 1 person or 1 very small group of people is not life giving it just means it's beneficial to them. That's all it means. So I I think that um.

19:26.74
Kevin Shock
I think that sometimes leaving behind what is not life giving and embracing what is life giving can be difficult a difficult thing to do um, not just the work that's involved I think can be difficult because the other thing that it involves is what. Comes earlier in the text and that is changing your hearts and your lives. So. So anyway I that was a lot of rambling Nathan um I think what I'm arriving at is that I really feel like this text is calling me to.

20:03.66
Kevin Shock
Actually changed my heart and my life. Um and and to embrace what is life giving even if it's not the easiest thing for me to do.

20:19.53
nathanpile
Think that I like about what you've said is um, use it. There's there's the way I would put it is that there's work involved in.

20:33.43
nathanpile
Even if we're trying to renew our heart. There's work in that and there's not doing doing nothing doesn't recharge us.

20:48.32
Kevin Shock
Yeah, in some situations it might reachharge some people Yes, but.

20:50.17
nathanpile
Then some like well but like like it can recharge us it can recharge us if we're physically exhausted.

20:59.37
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

21:04.37
nathanpile
But but at least as I found in my life if if like when I'm sick if I that's really the time that I lay down and don't do anything is when I'm not feeling good at all and having just lived that out at the beginning of December with covid again. Um.

21:14.38
Kevin Shock
So.

21:23.70
nathanpile
Like I was down for three days and by the end of the third day Third day I'm I'm so I'm stir crazy like like let like a lot really I just stayed in my room for 2 for 3 days I just stayed in the room I didn't the only time I came out of the room was when everybody else left the house and.

21:27.71
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

21:42.44
nathanpile
I would go down and get something to eat or drink and go back to my room and occasionally they would bring me something. Um, so that's the only time I was out of but like when and so I needed to physically mend. But as I started to feel better. Like that's how I knew I was starting to feel better on Wednesday was that I was like okay these 4 walls are starting to drive me crazy which was a good sign for me that I knew that I was starting to feel better. Um, and so physically I was able to mend.

22:11.99
Kevin Shock
Um.

22:18.11
nathanpile
But like I didn't feel you know when I come out from being sick I don't feel renewed. You know there's not ah, there's not a sense of renewal to that for me. Um, but I agree with you, You talked about the kind of interacting with other people and and even stretching yourself with those interactions.

22:21.90
Kevin Shock
A.

22:35.97
nathanpile
Um I think over the course of the last well three plus years four years now I guess we're in 2024 um, like since the pandemic there's been times that that we we had to isolate ourselves. We had to remove ourselves from from to protect each other to do you know what? what. The Cdc was saying was the best thing for for the largest number of us. Um, but there was also like coming back trying to rebuild connections and relationships has taken more energy. Um.

23:12.25
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

23:14.88
nathanpile
To Kind of rebuild those things and so doing doing nothing sounds appealing I think at times in my in my own world but I don't when I do nothing that doesn't feed me in the same way. As if I took some time off and say like clean the garage at the house I don't know why cleaning the garage at the house makes me feel good I Guess every other time I walk into the garage I don't feel the weight of oh God The garage is so packed Full. It's a pain to. Back into the garage because there's so much stuff around it I don't know but there's a but there's something there's something about like taking care of those little things that feeds me when I've done that. That thing that that's not work but it's about living and making our life better at home when I've done whatever that thing is so you know could be the garage. It could be you know, cleaning up the house. Whatever it is changing the furniture around I don't know I don't do that very often. Um. But but there's something about doing those kinds of things mowing the lawn I don't I don't know why I feel good when I've after I've mowed the lawn um is it just that my to do list has made me feel like I need to mow the lawn or does it look better I guess it looks better I don't know. 

24:44.94
Kevin Shock
Ah.

24:47.61
nathanpile
Ah, but there was something that that ah when we change our heart. It takes energy when we change our mind it takes energy when we when when it and for us to think that it doesn't isn't helpful.

24:55.34
Kevin Shock
E.

25:04.50
nathanpile
Or for other for us as as leaders to communicate that we don't think that it doesn't take energy to make those shifts and changes in others lives. That's not helpful either like that's not like just go do this thing. Well it's gonna take um, commitment. It's gonna take. Ah, willingness to go do that? Um, it's going to take first being rested enough to feel like I can go out and clean the garage on my day off you know so like how do I rest enough so that or how do I make sure that I feel good enough to be able to go on my day off to go out and.

25:24.64
Kevin Shock
Um.

25:43.12
nathanpile
And work. Well, that means that I haven't worked for 80 hours that week and then decide to take a day day off well I'm trying to catch up on all the evenings that I should have been taking some time down you know so there's there's but there's energy that that is expended in change. Um. For us and I think that's. I need to be reminded of that and and and so I appreciated your reflection of that because I heard that in in your reflection.

26:06.32
Kevin Shock
Sure, no.

26:17.47
Kevin Shock
Yeah, and I and I think um, just briefly the the energy that I'm thinking about too isn't necessarily physical energy I mean yes, crossing things off my to do list makes me feel better. That's for sure. But I think also that can be a that kind of stuff can be a fallback. For avoiding the real work of changing my heart and mind like I can tell myself well I mowed the lawn so I did something to change my harder life today. No I didn't I just I wanted to get that it somewhere down deep I wanted to get that done. What I'm thinking about. And I and that's not to negate anything that you said I like I think that I think that your examples are good but what I'm thinking about specifically is that Covid changed me. Um I'm not nearly as outgoing as I used to be and and to be fair like I've always.

26:51.93
nathanpile
Sure.

27:08.61
Kevin Shock
I've always tested as an introvert but I'm the kind of Introvert that like I like being around people and then I have to like recharge my batteries after that um I have to find a loan time. Um I'm at the point post covered I don't like being around people and I don't know what it is. Um, but I have what I have realized is that that kind of forced isolation and I'm talking like the virus forced us. Not the government be clear on that that forced isolation. Has made me feel more isolated and ah and has given me a proclivity to want to continue that isolation and so now it takes a lot more energy for me to say we've been invited to do this Thing. Let's go and do it.

27:55.90
nathanpile
Um.

28:05.12
Kevin Shock
Then it does for me to say well we could easily come up with an excuse not to go to this? Um, and so like that's the kind of energy that I think about and then like I you know I think that like ah you know Lisa and I this again just before Christmas um.

28:23.77
Kevin Shock
You know she had she had 2 holiday parties at work 1 for volunteers and 1 for staff and then there was another night that we went out with a specific group from her work just to have a couple of drinks in the early evening and I I was exhausted after all that stuff and at one point I found myself like. Thinking oh I would I would really rather not be here right now? Um, but that's but that's not really true to who I am either and that's that's what is difficult for me. So like I can continue in that way of thinking.

28:46.50
nathanpile
A.

29:02.37
Kevin Shock
And just isolate myself. But that's not going to really? It's not going to.. It's not going to help me or anybody else if I continue to do that. So There's ah, there's a sense in like there's no real harm or danger in me being social with you know people. Um, I mean you know in in those particular instances. Ah so for me to find an excuse not to do It is just me like doing the easy thing and.

29:33.50
nathanpile
Yeah, well and I appreciate you saying that because I think I was trying to sit articulate that but I got caught in my own vortex there with the working on the garage in the yard. But but you're right like working with work. It's it's it's because he I'm an extrovert but coming out of the pandemic I've had to reassert myself into places.

29:45.32
Kevin Shock
Um.

29:51.24
Kevin Shock
Sure yeah.

29:53.11
nathanpile
And and spaces where you don't and it takes there's an there's an emotional ah physical a mental um energy used in all of those in in doing that. Yeah, absolutely.

30:04.29
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, absolutely yeah, well anyway Nathan what about what about you toward what has got calling you in this text.

30:12.20
nathanpile
A.

30:17.20
nathanpile
Um, I'm I'm along with your changing of our of my heart and my life but the the thing that I felt more so in this text was that trust this good news. Um, trust that God comes.

30:33.29
Kevin Shock
You.

30:34.87
nathanpile
Trust trust that that's trust that that's happening um in ah in a world where it where anxiety is high where fear is high um where the unknown seems to be a. Ah, much more a part of our everyday life. Um, trust that god comes and so that's where I feel this passage is is um, pulling me and in that trust in that faithfulness.

30:56.66
Kevin Shock
A.

31:13.70
nathanpile
Um, allow that trust to help change my heart and and my life to help me live into um this relationship that God is um.

31:30.65
nathanpile
Is inspiring and developing nurturing within me and with the holy spirit and with the community that gathers that I gather among the different types of community that I gather among so you know god is coming into the god god comes. And being able to trust that that that's happening so that I can be a part of naming it when I see it sharing love as I see love needs to be shared. Um accepting love when I need to accept it ah to all of those pieces I think yeah. for for me but it all wells into that word. Trust All'll come. That's the source of it comes out of that trust and and not not that it's again, my action that is doing these things but that's what I'm called to is to trust that god's coming and.

32:12.34
Kevin Shock
A.

32:27.92
nathanpile
And to be looking at looking for it because God's here God Absolutely is here and is standing next to next to us in our communities. Um, and and does that work. Maybe that's that's through the local churches and maybe it's not maybe it's through someone else. Um, but to to know that God is the time is now and so um.

32:51.50
Kevin Shock
A.

33:05.15
nathanpile
How do I How do I trust that God is here and that that that helps me see what God is doing and then and then follow that follow what God is doing and and to try to bring others along with it.

33:14.31
Kevin Shock
And.

33:26.49
Kevin Shock
I I think I have um or no I know I have I know I have a response to your reflection. But I also think it's the answer to my the third question for me. So just it is ah just gonna save it. But.

33:34.90
nathanpile
Okay, so let's just go to the third question just hold on to it and we'll do it a third time.

33:41.18
Kevin Shock
Ah, ok, ah from mark 1 after John was arrested Jesus came into galilee announcing god's good news saying now is the time here comes god's kingdom. Change your hearts and lives and trust this good news as Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea he saw 2 brothers Simon and Andrew throwing fishing nets into the sea for they were fishermen come follow me. He said and I'll show you how to fish for people. Right away they left their nets and followed him after going a little farther. He saw James and John Zeedy's sons in their boat repairing the fishing nets at that very moment he called them. They followed him leaving their father zeboity in the boat with the hired workers. Ah so Nathan. Um, what inspires you or would inspire you to follow.

34:43.21
nathanpile
Listening to you read it that time through um and and knowing that this question was coming um like if I'm being honest about myself.

34:47.87
Kevin Shock
Ah.

34:58.47
nathanpile
There has to be more than what what Mark is sharing.

35:04.13
Kevin Shock
Ah, ah, ah yeah I feel that way too, but go ahead I think I know what you mean.

35:04.47
nathanpile
Ah, um, I'm not I'm not jumping out of the boat to fall a Jesus um, just because you walked up along so like something about Jesus has to draw me out of that boat now. What we're not told is you know was Jesus around galilee for a couple of months and and Simon and Andrew try to you know, see some of that happening or have heard stories about him I don't get it. We don't get any of that here from Mark Mark is Mark is. Ah Mr. Immediate give you the quick short answers and we're moving on and so this is how it happened Jesus said come follow and they did um but if I'm being completely honest, um I am going to need to.

35:44.67
Kevin Shock
Here one.

36:00.00
nathanpile
See and hear more than what Mark is telling me um and I believe that Jesus the Christ um was someone special that when other people. Encountered him that he took that he caught them off guard. He caught them like he stood out as someone who says things differently looks at the world differently has a worldview and you could ah. You could see that in those in that relationship that they even if it was a new relationship. They're just ah encountering Jesus when you encounter when we encounter one another um it gives us more information as I as I tell our summer staff when they come to camp.

36:44.70
Kevin Shock
And here.

36:59.22
nathanpile
Um, when you send a text you send 7 % of the message. Um that when we communicate as human beings the way that we've evolved and learned and grown up our body language our tone our posture. Um. You know our words are 7% of the message. Everything else that goes on around. It is more of the message and so there would be more message in meeting Jesus the christ than what we get in. Mark's text here. Um, and so knowing that um.

37:37.21
nathanpile
And allows my imagination to envision who this might be and and again having watched it recently the the chosen series I've only watched the first season so I don't know what the rest of it looks like but the first season you encounter a jesus that seems. Like that that would cause people to say this this. There's something different here I need to follow where this person leads. Um, and so um, i.

38:03.76
Kevin Shock
No.

38:11.56
nathanpile
And and my my study of scripture over all of these over these years as a pastor. All of that does it for me but my relationships in my life with my grandparents with my parents with the people in. Um, the congregations where my father served those relationships are the things that helped me to be inspired to come and see to come and follow. It's been those relationships. It's been the holy spirit lived out in them that has.

38:40.12
Kevin Shock
Okay.

38:48.67
nathanpile
Brought me that you know that inspired me to go to seminary and then I encountered a whole another fleet of of individuals who taught me and inspired me in my faith. Um, that did that and so it for me I'm a very like. Relationships mean a lot to me and that's why I talk a lot about relationships and and as Kevin and I did today before we got on. We talked for I don't know an hour. Maybe not quite that long but but talked about that idea of of one of the things we talked about in in. All of the pieces was the idea those are ideas of relationship and how relationships inspires and so there's something here for Simon Andrew James and John in their relationship with Jesus that pulls them forward I didn't live in that time and so i. Have lived through the body of Christ the saints that have come after Jesus and before me that have led me to be inspired by the holy spirit to to come and see or to come and follow the way and to um. Be inspired by other relationships then that have done that and it falls back to uniquely because of that passage change your hearts and lives trust the good news it becomes because I've trusted those individuals those individuals are the ones that I trust and see the good news in them.

40:23.55
Kevin Shock
A.

40:24.62
nathanpile
And thereby have been easy. It has been a part of helping me to then live into the good news. Um, and what that means for me. So I think that's my um, that's most of my answer to your question.

40:30.22
Kevin Shock
M.

40:41.68
Kevin Shock
Um, okay, okay, yeah I Um I think I think part of ah I So I said that my answer was a was a reflection on your yeah.

40:54.12
nathanpile
Gonna be part of your reflection on my thing. Yeah.

40:56.92
Kevin Shock
Yeah, and I I think for me the the thing that um is difficult is that Ah I Really do see trust as an outside gift. Um, ah Faith. You know I mean faith is listed in scripture as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Ah. Which really is the the way that scripture is translated trust is the same thing. Trust Trust Faith is trusting in God Um, and so. Trust trust as a gift of the holy spirit means that I can't just well that up within myself. Um, but I do think that it's one of those situations where I would Trust. If only I weren't so distracted by all of the other things around me. Um, you know you said at the beginning like you, you need to see more. You know we don't get the whole story here. You need to see more and I agree with you I'm in the I'm in the I'm in the same boat Ha pun intended.

41:57.14
nathanpile
And and.

42:07.40
Kevin Shock
Um I am I would need to see more and what that what that brings forth in me is the question. Why why would I need to see more.

42:22.22
Kevin Shock
There's there's a part of it that I mean I I I think along with you I'm assuming that um Simon and Andrew James and John this is not their first encounter with Jesus? Ah I assume that he's been in galilee at least long enough that they have also heard. Along with the other galileans now is the time here comes god's kingdom change your hearts and lives and trust this good news. Um, so ah, just I'm imagining myself in that same position. You know Jesus comes to me and says that thing. My initial response is kind of like the like the person who wants to bury their dead. You know, ok, let me yeah, let let me wrap up this portion of my life and and then I'll come with you. Ah.

43:05.62
nathanpile
If.

43:13.21
nathanpile
And.

43:17.62
Kevin Shock
And the problem with that line of thinking is I I will get I'm just speaking for myself here I will get so invested in that that other thing that ancillary thing that wrapping up this portion of my life that I'll never get to the following I'll never get to the the new life and um.

43:32.25
nathanpile
You.

43:35.90
Kevin Shock
And I'm saying that as someone who is like I've pretty much dedicated my life to the church. You know I'm a I'm a professional follower of Jesus Quote unquote and um and maybe I shouldn't be because I'm not very good at it I don't. I don't think that that's uncommon. Um, but there's a part of this that you know I think of all the excuses I've made in my life not to not to really let my life be changed too drastically.

44:12.70
Kevin Shock
Um, you know in order to preserve life as I know it? Um, and I don't think that I don't think that changing your hearts and lives necessarily means that it has to be that all of the um, all the visible parts of our lives. Need to change drastically you know I'm not in the sense of like I think I can I think I can allow my heart and life to be changed without like you know, leaving my job and my marriage and things like that and becoming this traveling disciple. Um, and I don't I don't necessarily think that those early disciples did that either I think that there was still a good portion of their life that was preserved um but they had a completely different outlook on life because of Jesus. Ah, so.

45:09.50
Kevin Shock
So I Guess I I Guess what I what would inspire me I I don't know I don't know the answer to that question. But I know what I do know is I know that God has. Been urging me in that direction my whole life long and um and there are many many times that I let all of the distractions and unimportant things get in the way of that call to follow.

45:45.54
Kevin Shock
So I don't know if that fully answers the question or not. But um, yeah I just there Well, that's all I'll say for now. Ah, yeah, that's all I'm going to say for Now. I Don't know what other rabbit hole I'll go down if I.

46:07.24
nathanpile
Well, your comments made me think about is that that the the part of this passage that I've a little bit of ignored is Jesus Jesus ' inventation to these four. Um. Guys like we have lots of scripture that tells us that god knows us better than than we know us and so that god.

46:37.35
Kevin Shock
Even.

46:44.39
nathanpile
God comes and makes an invitation to these fishermen and Mark reports it to us. Um, but we're not told how god has planted seeds up until this point.

46:50.58
Kevin Shock
A.

47:02.42
nathanpile
So that Simon and Andrew James and John are able to walk away. You know the god comes and meets them where they're at and that's just here. It's just not just ah at the the water's edge. Where their boats are but that god comes and meets has come and met you Kevin multiple times in your life along your journey and made the invitation to come and follow. Um and the same for me and and and maybe be. Same for many of our listeners. Um.

47:45.10
nathanpile
And Jesus comes when Jesus knows we're we're ready to make that to make that journey or we'll keep coming or we'll keep coming until we're ready to make that journey.

47:54.21
Kevin Shock
A. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

48:05.30
nathanpile
So so there's there's the other side of this that is interesting to me and that I didn't consider and that your question didn't consider but as you were talking it popped into my head of of um. There's god's been inspiring my whole life. Um, and and the same would be true for Simon Andrew James and John god knows Jesus knows who Jesus is calling to be his disciples like.

48:20.87
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yep.

48:35.95
Kevin Shock
Yeah.

48:38.81
nathanpile
Knows them better than they know themselves. Um, and so there's there's a power in that too of of of my my first responsive saying like I'm going to need a lot more here. Jesus? Well Jesus would have known. Nathan needed a lot more. Um.

49:00.80
nathanpile
Jesus would have been like all right I'm going to visit him 6 times on the seventh time I'm going to bring his grandmother along and then he's gonna say yes or you know, whatever like whatever he god god would know I would need to be able.

49:01.20
Kevin Shock
Ah, ah yeah.

49:10.29
Kevin Shock
Yeah, right right.

49:18.90
nathanpile
To go on the journey because God has sent all of those of the people that I've named in my past earlier God has sent all of those people already to me. That's why I'm on the path I'm on I'm here because of what God has helped inspire me to be here.

49:29.40
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I Yeah I I think you I think you hit it in that reflection there that because even some it made me think of something that I said in my response and that was you know, kind of.

49:38.41
nathanpile
So.

49:53.37
Kevin Shock
Dealing with the question. What would inspire me to follow. Um you know and I said something along the lines of you know, if even if even if Jesus came to me today and you know I would still say I have all these excuses. Ah the fact of the matter is Jesus comes to me all the time. Ah.

50:10.86
nathanpile
Right? God comes God comes.

50:11.82
Kevin Shock
But I I know that to be true I know that to be true and there have been thousands of times I think that Jesus has Jesus has ah called me to follow and there have been you know numerous times I would say that there have been times when I have answered the call. Um, but there have been numerous times when I have just said not now or or I've ignored it or you know I've just I've just turned I've turned my back and taken up my net and gone back to fishing.

50:49.73
Kevin Shock
Ah, and um and that's so so yeah I know I think what you lift up is true. The the question the question is not a good question. Ah no, no, no I I'm.

51:00.38
nathanpile
I'm not saying it's on a good question I think it I think it's good for us to think about that that that side of the question my reflect. My piece was I just wanted to kind of say ah but I also have to recognize that Jesus is god's god's here god's working on me.

51:13.34
Kevin Shock
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, not to say it's not a good question I Just I you know after us talking about it and I think it's a good question to I mean obviously the question got us to where we are now. So you know I mean there's you know. There's value in it. But I but I think the real question for me is not what would inspire me to follow. It's when are you going to get over yourself and follow. That's that's the question that I'd need to address. That's the that's the question that's going to. Um, the the pot. Yeah, of course, of course it is yes 100% now I agree I agree with that but I but I think I think an ongoing pondering of that question may lead me.

51:49.89
nathanpile
Isn't it always going to be the question though isn't it all aren't we. We're always going to be the thing that gets in the way of us following.

52:06.30
Kevin Shock
To trust this good news and actually change my heart and life. Yeah, um, yeah, so I mean that's yeah, that's kind of where I land with this I think.

52:17.65
nathanpile
Now now.

52:23.97
Kevin Shock
Ah, yeah, that it's It's not that the call hasn't been there. That's for sure.

52:25.48
nathanpile
Yeah, 5

52:32.50
nathanpile
Well, some additional texts for you to wrestle with if you like or to to read and and hear god breaking into the world in in other passages you have jonah the third chapter. Um, verses 1 through 5 and verse 10 the repentance of Ninevah so is ninevah coming to trust the good news here in Jonah not much to the chagrin of Jonah but.

53:04.92
Kevin Shock
Right? right? right? right? but that but that's a very that's a very good text to pair with this one for Mark one because the question again there is what what caused them to do that.

53:09.11
nathanpile
Ah, but.

53:19.98
nathanpile
Yeah, change their hearts.

53:22.56
Kevin Shock
It wasn't it wasn't as though Jonah gave a particularly inspiring message but ah, but yeah, but so maybe maybe that was the thousandth time that god had shown up in Nineveh and it was something about that time that the people finally said. Yeah.

53:27.76
nathanpile
Ah, it was not.

53:38.56
nathanpile
Okay, now I just the lackluster Jonah was walking through the streets of Nineveh. Yeah repent. Yeah.

53:40.34
Kevin Shock
We're going to change.

53:45.56
Kevin Shock
Oh man, right? right? right? right? Repent repent or face destruction right? It's a it's a it's a it's a question why he didn't get like strung up before he even got his message.

53:54.27
nathanpile
You you Evil Evil people.

54:05.43
Kevin Shock
Out to the middle of the city. But anyway anyway, other addition.

54:08.20
nathanpile
Anyway, psalm 62 ps so 62 verses 5 through 12 um god alone is my rock and my salvation and eyes are first corinthians the seventh chapter. Versus 59 and 31 so a short short section here of Paul living in the end times. So some additional text to to augment your ah scriptures study of scripture this week

54:42.82
nathanpile
Kevin as always thank you for your reflections and have enjoyed our time together as we've tended today and you listening we hope to tend our faith with you again soon. Grace to you.

54:55.34
Kevin Shock
And peace.