In the calming of the fierce storm, the disciples move from asking “Do you even care?” to “Who is this man?” Fearing the right thing is an essential part of maturing in faith. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom (Prov. 9:10).”

Jesus is Lord over all creation, he is with us, and he is on his throne. When things are difficult it is important to remind ourselves who Jesus is and where Jesus is. 

Jesus doesn’t want to keep us in the dark, rather He desires to illuminate us. Especially our understanding of the Kingdom.

"But…the rocky soul can in time turn into rich soil. Among souls, the wayside may come no longer to be trampled by all that pass, and may become a fertile field. The thorns may be destroyed and the seed enjoy full growth. For had this not been impossible, this sower would not have sown." - John Chrysostom

There is no such thing as "Jesus and;" it’s always "Jesus or." Jesus requires full and complete allegiance.

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? This is a question many of us have when it comes to following Jesus. Do we stay in the interested crowd or do we become an apprentice to the master. Jesus meets us where we are but is not content to leave us there. He wants us to experience life and life to the full, this is why he came.

The Sabbath was meant to be a liberating experience and a day of freedom but it had been turned into something different. By healing a man on the Sabbath Jesus shows that it is a day to be renewed and restored by God.

Jesus calls Levi, a man on the outside, to be his disciple. Levi drops everything to follow Jesus because what Jesus was offering was far better than the things he was chasing. This is the new way of God's Kingdom being brought by Jesus.

Jesus cannot be classified as only a good moral teacher or even simply a Rabbi, He has the power to forgive sin and only God can do that. Since Jesus is God, there is nothing not worth doing to get people to Him. 

The ministry of Jesus is one that calls us away from ourselves and into a Kingdom life in which everything revolves around Him.

"What do you want?" is one of the primary questions of the gospels. The gospel (good news) we believe says a lot about what we think will give us the life we want. The Gospel of Mark is the gospel; it is the good news that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God who has come to bring peace on earth.