The Book of Mark: Jesus and the Disruption of Our Expectations

In this second episode of our ongoing series on the Book of Mark, we dive deeper into the raw, disruptive nature of Jesus’ ministry and how it challenges and transforms not just the people He encountered, but also us today. Pastor Gregg Garner and Mitchell Buchanan explore the profound theological implications of the Gospel of Mark and what it means for us as followers of Jesus. Their discussion highlights some of the key moments in Mark, touching on the unexpected nature of Jesus' call, His disruptive presence, and the radical ways in which He reveals the Kingdom of God.

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Jesus’ Call to the Disciples: Disruption in the Ordinary

One of the first theological insights that Pastor Gregg shares is the way Jesus calls His disciples. Unlike the traditional rabbinical system where students would apply to follow a rabbi, Jesus flips the script. He calls ordinary fishermen—Simon, Andrew, James, and John—who are adults with established lives and professions. This is not an invitation to a school of thought; it’s a complete life transformation.

These men weren’t just following a teacher; they were leaving behind careers, livelihoods, and even family legacies. Jesus’ call was an invitation to a radically different life, and this moment exemplifies what it means to follow Him: a call to disrupt the trajectory of our own lives for the sake of God’s Kingdom.

The Power of Disruption: Jesus’ Radical Presence

As we continue to explore Mark, we see Jesus as a disruptor. He didn’t just teach in synagogues or temples; He was where people were. He lived among them, ate with them, and healed them. When Jesus called Levi, the tax collector, He didn’t just interact with him from a distance; He invited himself to Levi’s home, a place that was considered unclean by the religious standards of the time. In doing so, Jesus turned the expectations of social and religious boundaries upside down.

This was not just a social faux pas; it was a theological statement. The religious elite criticized Jesus for associating with sinners, yet He saw their potential and called them into a new life. Jesus didn’t come to affirm the existing structures; He came to create a new reality—one that was built on grace, mercy, and accessibility to the Father. Jesus’ interactions were not just about breaking the rules; they were about revealing that the Kingdom of God is far more inclusive than people ever imagined.

Faith in Action: Removing Barriers for Access

A pivotal moment in the discussion between Pastor Gregg and Mitchell comes from Mark 2, when a paralyzed man is brought to Jesus. His friends, unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, decide to tear through the roof of the house to lower him down. This act of faith is a powerful example of what it means to make space for others to encounter Jesus, even when obstacles stand in the way.

Pastor Gregg explains that this story reflects the essence of discipleship: removing anything that blocks access to Jesus. In a practical sense, this means being willing to break through barriers—whether they be physical, emotional, or institutional—that prevent others from experiencing the love and healing of Christ. It’s not just about the structure of a church or the programming it offers; it’s about making Jesus accessible to people in the real, messy moments of life.

The New Wineskin: Embracing Change in God’s Kingdom

The conversation also explores the metaphor of new wine and old wineskins, found in Mark 2:22. Jesus is presenting a new way of living, a new framework for understanding God’s Kingdom. The old ways of thinking, the rigid institutional structures that people were used to, cannot contain the new life that Jesus brings. If we try to patch the old system with Jesus’ teachings, we’ll miss the full transformation He offers.

In the church today, this principle is just as relevant. It’s easy to become comfortable with the way things have always been done—traditions, routines, and systems that we’ve grown accustomed to. But Jesus invites us into something new, something living. Just as wine needs a flexible wineskin to ferment, so does the Gospel need a people who are willing to adapt, grow, and change in order to carry the life of God to a world that desperately needs it.

Jesus and the Family Dynamic: A Church Built on Relationship

Lastly, Pastor Gregg and Mitchell discuss how Jesus frames the church—not as an institution, but as a living body, a family. In Mark, Jesus constantly challenges the institutional religious structures, showing that the true church is a dynamic, relational body where every member has a role to play. The church is not a place to come for religious rites and rituals; it’s a place to come together, to be known and to know others, to bear one another’s burdens, and to grow in Christ together.

This understanding of the church as a family emphasizes the value of each person in the body. No one is just a cog in the machine; every believer is a unique, valuable part of the whole. We are all part of God’s redemptive story, and as a community, we’re called to live out that story in ways that are both authentic and disruptive. When we embrace this family dynamic, we allow God’s love to flow freely, breaking down barriers and transforming lives.

Living Out the Call: What’s Next?

As we continue this journey through the Book of Mark, Pastor Gregg and Mitchell leave us with a powerful thought: Following Jesus is not just about embracing His teachings; it’s about embracing the life He calls us to live—a life that is disruptive, transformative, and radically inclusive. In the church, we should always be looking for ways to live this out practically. How can we remove barriers and make Jesus more accessible to those around us? How can we continue to embody the love and grace He demonstrated, even when it challenges the status quo?

If you’ve missed any of our sermons in this series, or if you want to dive deeper into these theological insights, be sure to check out our YouTube channel, where all the sermons are available for you to watch or listen to. This is a journey we’re on together, and we want to continue growing in our understanding of who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him.

Stay tuned for the next episode of the Sermon Podcast as we continue to explore the radical, life-changing journey in the Book of Mark.