Embracing Unconventional Discipleship: Following Jesus Beyond Comfort

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus’ Teaching Was Unconventional

Jesus chose to teach from a boat rather than a synagogue or temple, breaking with the religious conventions of his day and meeting people where they were, by the sea. This reminds us that the message of Christ is not confined to traditional spaces or methods; it often flourishes in unexpected places and through creative approaches. In our own lives, we are called to consider how we might step outside our comfort zones and share the love and truth of Jesus in new, unconventional ways, reaching people who may never set foot in a church building. [05:50]

Mark 4:1 (ESV)
Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

Reflection: Where is one unconventional place or context in your life where you could share the love or message of Jesus this week?

Day 2: Amplifying Jesus’ Voice in Practical Ways

Jesus’ choice to teach from the boat was not only unconventional but also practical—he used the natural amplification of water to ensure his message reached the large crowd. This demonstrates that following Jesus involves using the resources and opportunities available to us to make his teachings heard. As Christ followers, we are called to amplify Jesus’ voice in our communities, using whatever means we have—technology, creativity, or simple acts of kindness—to make his words and love accessible to others. [08:00]

Mark 4:1 (ESV)
Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can amplify Jesus’ message to someone in your life today?

Day 3: Ministry at the Margins

Jesus taught from a liminal space—neither fully on land nor at sea—symbolizing his ministry among those on the margins and in-between places. He consistently reached out to those who were overlooked, excluded, or judged by society, inviting them into God’s kingdom. We are challenged to examine how we can extend our ministry and compassion to those who live on the margins in our own communities, following Jesus’ example of radical inclusion and love. [10:17]

Luke 5:30-32 (ESV)
And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Reflection: Who in your community or daily life might feel overlooked or excluded, and how can you reach out to them this week?

Day 4: The Power and Accessibility of Story

Jesus made his teaching accessible by using parables—simple, relatable stories that revealed deep truths about God’s kingdom. Storytelling has the power to reach both the mind and the heart, making spiritual truths understandable and memorable for everyone. We are invited to open our hearts to God’s Word, allowing it to take root and flourish in us, and to consider how we can use our own stories to share God’s love with others. [12:37]

Mark 4:2, 11 (ESV)
And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: … And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables.”

Reflection: Is your heart open and receptive to God’s Word today, and how might you share a story of God’s work in your life with someone else?

Day 5: Moving from Admiration to Active Discipleship

It is easy to admire Jesus from a distance, but true discipleship means stepping out in faith and getting “in the boat” with him—moving from passive appreciation to active participation in his mission. This involves a willingness to follow Jesus closely, to let his teachings shape our lives, and to act on what we have learned. The invitation is to deepen your discipleship, to move beyond curiosity or comfort, and to become a faithful follower who lives out what Jesus actually taught. [16:23]

James 1:22 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Reflection: What is one specific step you can take this week to move from simply admiring Jesus to actively following him in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

The story of Jesus teaching from the boat, as depicted in our sanctuary’s stained glass window, invites us to reflect on the heart of Jesus’ ministry and what it means to truly follow him. Jesus’ ministry was not confined to the extraordinary moments of his birth or resurrection, but was lived out in the everyday, in the midst of ordinary people, often in unconventional places. The Sea of Galilee, much like our own proximity to the water, was the backdrop for much of his teaching, reminding us that the context of our lives—wherever we find ourselves—can become sacred ground for sharing and receiving God’s word.

Jesus’ choice to teach from a boat was unconventional, breaking away from the expected settings of synagogues and temples. This act challenges us to consider where we might be called to share the good news in ways and places that defy tradition or comfort. The pandemic forced many of us to find new, creative ways to connect and share the gospel, reminding us that the message of Christ is not bound by walls or customs.

His teaching was also practical. Without the benefit of modern technology, Jesus used the natural amplification of water to reach the crowds. This is a call for us to amplify Jesus’ words in our own lives, using whatever means are available to us, ensuring that his message is heard clearly and widely.

Furthermore, Jesus’ position on the boat was liminal—a threshold between land and sea, between the familiar and the unknown. He consistently ministered to those on the margins, those who lived in the “in-between” spaces of society. We are called to do the same, to extend our ministry to those who are overlooked or excluded.

Finally, Jesus’ teaching was accessible. He spoke in parables, using stories that resonated with everyday people. The parable of the sower reminds us that God’s word is sown in every heart, but it is up to us to cultivate fertile ground within ourselves. The challenge is not just to admire Jesus from a distance, but to step out in faith, to “get in the boat” with him, moving from passive appreciation to active discipleship.

Key Takeaways

1. Unconventional Faithfulness: Jesus’ willingness to teach from a boat, rather than a synagogue, demonstrates that God’s work often happens outside our comfort zones. We are invited to seek and embrace unconventional opportunities to share Christ’s love, even when it means stepping into unfamiliar territory. Faithfulness sometimes requires creativity and courage to break with tradition for the sake of the gospel. [05:50]
2. Amplifying the Message: Just as Jesus used the natural acoustics of water to reach more people, we are called to amplify his teachings in our own context. This means leveraging whatever resources, platforms, or skills we have to make his message accessible and compelling to others. Our task is not just to hear Jesus, but to ensure his voice echoes through our lives and communities. [08:00]
3. Ministry at the Margins: Jesus’ position between land and sea symbolizes his commitment to those who live on the edges of society. He sought out the marginalized, the overlooked, and the excluded, making their stories central to his ministry. We are challenged to examine who is on the margins in our world and to intentionally extend Christ’s love and presence to them. [10:17]
4. The Power of Story: Jesus taught in parables because stories have the power to reach both the mind and the heart. Narrative invites us into transformation, not just information. We are called to let the stories of Jesus shape us deeply, and to share our own stories of faith in ways that invite others into God’s unfolding narrative. [11:31]
5. From Admiration to Participation: It is not enough to admire Jesus from the shoreline; true discipleship means getting in the boat with him. This requires moving from passive observation to active engagement, allowing Jesus’ teachings to take root and bear fruit in our lives. The journey of faith is a progression from curiosity to commitment, from distance to intimacy with Christ. [15:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Series Recap: The Life of Jesus in Stained Glass
[01:20] - Focusing on Jesus’ Ministry, Not Just Birth and Resurrection
[02:20] - The Importance of Jesus’ Teachings
[03:31] - The Red Letter Revolution: Taking Jesus’ Words Seriously
[04:43] - Four Aspects of Jesus Teaching from the Boat
[05:50] - Unconventional Places for the Gospel
[07:07] - Practicality: Amplifying Jesus’ Voice
[08:00] - The Science of Sound and Spiritual Amplification
[09:02] - Liminal Spaces: Ministry on the Margins
[10:17] - Who Are the Marginalized Today?
[11:31] - The Power of Parables and Storytelling
[12:37] - The Parable of the Sower: Is My Heart Fertile Ground?
[13:53] - From Admiring Jesus to Following Him
[15:34] - Getting in the Boat: The Call to Deeper Discipleship
[16:23] - Moving from Passive to Active Faith
[17:21] - Living Out Jesus’ Teachings Today

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 4:1-2, 11 — > Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them...
> ...And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables.”

Observation Questions

According to Mark 4:1, where did Jesus choose to teach, and what was unusual about this setting?
What method did Jesus use to teach the crowds, as described in Mark 4:2 and referenced in the sermon?
The sermon mentions that Jesus’ teaching from the boat was “liminal”—a place between land and sea. What does this word mean, and how does it describe Jesus’ position? [09:02]
What is the main story or parable that Jesus tells from the boat in Mark 4, and what is its basic message? [11:31]

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus have chosen to teach from a boat rather than a synagogue or other traditional place? What message does this send about where and how God’s word can be shared? [04:43]
The sermon says Jesus’ teaching was “practical” because he used the water to amplify his voice. What does this suggest about using available resources for ministry today? [08:00]
Jesus often ministered to people “on the margins” or in “in-between” spaces. Who might be considered “on the margins” in our community today, and why does Jesus’ example matter for us? [10:17]
The parable of the sower is about how people receive God’s word. What are some reasons, according to the parable and the sermon, that God’s word might not take root in someone’s life? [12:37]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to share the gospel in unconventional places, just as Jesus taught from a boat. What is one “unconventional” place or way you could share Christ’s love this month? What might hold you back? [05:50]
During the pandemic, the church had to find creative ways to connect and share the gospel. What is one new skill or method you have learned (or could learn) to help amplify Jesus’ message in your circles? [07:07]
Think about the “margins” in your own life—people or groups who are often overlooked or excluded. Who comes to mind, and what is one practical step you could take to extend Christ’s love to them this week? [10:17]
Jesus used stories that connected with everyday people. What is one story from your own life that could help someone else understand God’s love? How might you share it? [11:31]
The sermon asks if we are just admiring Jesus from the shore or if we are “in the boat” with him. Where do you see yourself right now—on the shore, in the boat, or somewhere in between? What would it look like for you to take a step closer to active discipleship? [15:34]
The parable of the sower invites us to consider if our hearts are “fertile ground” for God’s word. What is one distraction or “thorn” in your life that might be choking out God’s word, and what could you do to address it? [12:37]
The sermon talks about moving from passive appreciation to active participation. What is one specific action you can take this week to live out something Jesus taught, rather than just agreeing with it? [16:23]

Sermon Clips

This window in our series here reminds us that what Jesus said matters, that what Jesus taught is what we as Jesus followers should pay attention to. [00:04:27]

What if Jesus really meant what he said? And they call it Red Letter Revolution. You know why? Have you figured out why Red Letter? You ever pick up a Bible and it says, the words of Jesus printed in red. The words of Jesus printed in red. The Red Letter Revolution. [00:03:19]

Not only do we say that the red letters are more important than the black letters of the Bible, but Jesus said they were. And they dedicate the book to all of us young and old who want a Christianity that looks like Jesus again. [00:04:07]

Jesus' teaching from the boat was unconventional. It was unconventional. Most religious leaders of the day would have been teaching in the synagogues or perhaps in the temple, some established place, or kind of like I'm teaching in a nice newly remodeled church. It's conventional. Jesus' teaching from the boat was unconventional. [00:04:58]

So this begs the question for us. What unconventional places might we be called to share the gospel of Christ? [00:00:00]

And yet, despite the COVID shutdowns, we maintained a community, and we leaned on each other, and we found a way to share the gospel, not just with each other, but with the world, because now, even five years later, our broadcasts are around the universe and beyond. [00:06:47]

How might we find even more unconventional ways to share the light of Christ in the world? [00:07:25]

Our job as Christ followers is to amplify. Amplify Jesus' voice, however we can, in whatever ways we can find, amplify his words and what he taught to the world around. [00:08:31]

Jesus' teaching from the boat was liminal. You know the word liminal, right? I did a whole series on this word when I first learned it. But liminal means like a threshold, a place between places. [00:08:53]

Jesus wasn't on the land, and he wasn't exactly out to sea. He was on the shore. He was between places. And not only was he speaking to the people sort of between places when he was teaching from the boat, but Jesus centered his ministry on those on the margins. [00:09:07]

The question posed to us today because Jesus was in this liminal, this marginal place is how do we increase our ministry among those living in the margins. [00:10:17]

Jesus' teaching from the boat was accessible. Here's what I mean by that. I'm going to read to you again Mark chapter 4 verse 2. He began to teach them many things in parables. Skipping ahead to verse 11, and he said to them, to you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. But for those on the outside, everything comes in parables. [00:10:32]

Because story is powerful. Narrative transforms lives. Nothing better than a good story. It's why you like to watch movies or binge Netflix. It's why you like to read a good book. It's story. We are still captured by story. 2,000 years later, Jesus knew that story held power. [00:11:04]

And at the end of the day, if story was good enough for Jesus, then it's good enough for me. [00:12:01]

You see, some of us receive God's Word, and it can flourish in us, but God's Word is for everybody. God plants God's Word in every single human, and some people it will flourish, but others it will be choked out or squeezed out because of the, as he calls it, the cares of this world or the lure of wealth or other things. [00:12:28]

It's a simple story, but the question that we should ask of ourselves today is, is my heart fertile ground for the Word of God in my life? How accessible is God's Word to me? [00:12:50]

What our window challenges us to do is to move from being in a place where we merely admire Jesus to being in a place where we will follow Jesus. [00:13:38]

But at some point in the journey, we got to step out on faith and get in the boat with Him to truly become His follower. [00:16:06]

I think the red-letter Christians, I think they have it right. I think that what Jesus taught really matters. Distract us and tell us that Christianity is about things that Jesus never even mentioned in the red letters. [00:16:17]

Our call is to move from passive appreciation to an active participation in the life of faith. [00:16:40]

This is what it means to be in the boat with Jesus. It's an invitation to deepen our discipleship. [00:17:36]

And so may we move from simply listening from the shoreline to being faithful followers. May we find our place among the red-letter Christians who live out what Jesus actually taught. And may we do more than care about what he taught. May we act it out. [00:17:44]

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