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Published: April 9, 2024, 7 a.m.

Welcome to Day 2344 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to\xa0Wisdom Prepare Your Heart \u2013 Come Follow Me \u2013 Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message \u2013 03/10/2023 Prepare Your Heart \u2013 Come, Follow Me - Mark 1:16-20 Today, we continue our five-week Lenten series ending on Resurrection Sunday, March 31st. Today, our message is, \u201cCome, Follow Me!\u201d The Bible tells us that when Jesus began his ministry, he went to live in a village by the Sea of Galilee called Capernaum, right on the shore. It's a beautiful place. Galilee is a freshwater lake 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. The lake makes the air around it humid, and since Galilee is also below sea level, the humidity and the compressed air produces a warm, tropical climate that is good for growing vegetables, dates, and figs. Today, should you ever visit Capernaum, you can see the remains of some of the actual homes from the time of Jesus. Looking at those stones makes it possible to imagine Jesus walking those narrow streets and staying in one of those small, stone homes when he began his ministry by the Sea of Galilee. And there, on Galilee\u2019s shore, Jesus first spoke those words, \u201cCome, follow me.\u201d Listen to today's Scripture on Page 1552 of the Pew Bibles from Mark 1:16-20: 16\xa0As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.\xa017\xa0\u201cCome, follow me,\u201d\xa0Jesus said,\xa0\u201cand I will send you out to fish for people.\u201d\xa018\xa0At once they left their nets and followed him. 19\xa0When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.\xa020\xa0Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him. "Come, follow me." Such simple words, but what did they actually mean to those who first heard them? Let's consider six of the aspects and ramifications.

1. A Call to be Taught (Bulletin Insert)

Jesus' call, \u201cCome and follow me," was an invitation to learn from him. Jesus was a rabbi, a teacher. So, when Jesus said, \u201cCome, follow me," he was inviting people to be taught by him as their teacher. It's the same as when he said in Matthew 11:28-30: 28\xa0Then Jesus said,\xa0\u201cCome to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.\xa029\xa0Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.\xa030\xa0For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.\u201d \xa0 At that time, the Pharisees were also calling people to learn from them. But while the Pharisees taught a faith burdened with mind-numbing rules and regulations, Jesus instilled in his followers the knowledge of God as their Heavenly Father. That's why his yoke was easy and his burden light. As a teacher, Jesus also purposefully developed close relationships with his disciples. He was not like the professor living in a world of lofty thoughts but lacking genuine relationships with students. The evidence suggests that James and...