Sermon Title : “To follow Jesus” (Mark 1:16-20)
Pastor: Brian Moore

This sermon reflects on Jesus’ call in Mark 1:16–20 and asks what it truly means to follow Him. It clears up common misunderstandings: the disciples did not make a rash, reckless choice to abandon everything for a stranger—they had already met Jesus, listened to Him, and considered His claims. Their final response was deliberate, informed, and grounded in who Jesus is. The sermon also emphasizes that following Christ does not mean copying the disciples’ outward circumstances—poverty, sudden career abandonment, or neglect of family—but embracing the same underlying principles.

At the heart of the message is the truth that Jesus calls personally and purposefully. He sees us, knows us, and summons us not because of our strengths or weaknesses, but to transform us. His purpose for every believer is clear: to become “fishers of men”—people who help rescue others from judgment and lead them into discipleship. This mission is the core of Christian life and is carried out wherever we go: in homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.

Finally, the sermon highlights the cost and the gift of following Jesus. While the call may test our loyalties and require real sacrifice, it also invites us into something far greater than the routines we cling to. Like the man who sells all to buy the treasure, following Christ costs everything—but what we gain is infinitely more. Jesus leads His people through hardship and even death, but He also leads them out again into light and glory. The question He leaves us with is simple and searching: will you follow?