“Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great crowd followed Him from Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan. And those from Tyre and Sidon, a great crowd, when they heard what great things He did, came to Him. He told the disciples to have a small boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they should crush Him. For He had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed on Him to touch Him. When unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him, crying out, ‘You are the Son of God.’ But He sternly ordered them not to make Him known.
“He went up into the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him. He ordained twelve to be with Him, and to be sent out to preach, and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon, whom He named Peter; James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges (meaning Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas; and James the son of Alphaeus; and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.” Mark 3:7-19
Drawn by His Power, Chosen for His Presence
We live in a world obsessed with scale. We measure success by the size of the crowd, the number of views, the frantic hustle of the day, and how many people are clamoring for our attention. It is easy to look at the opening movements of Mark chapter 3 and think that Jesus’ ultimate goal was the crowd.
The text describes a scene of absolute chaos by the Sea of Galilee. People had traveled from everywhere — Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, across the Jordan, and the coastal Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon. The text notes that “a great crowd, when they heard what great things He did, came to Him” (Mark 3:8). The scene is so overwhelming that Jesus has to keep “a small boat ready for Him because of the crowd, lest they should crush Him” (Mark 3:9). People with diseases were literally throwing themselves at Him just to touch Him.
If you stop reading there, you might think the Christian life is primarily about the commotion — the miracles, the massive events, and the frantic consumerism of people seeking what Jesus can do for them. But notice what Jesus does next. He does something that completely defies modern ministry strategies. He leaves the stadium-sized crowd behind.
Mark 3:13 records a beautiful transition: “He went up into the mountain and called to Him those whom He desired, and they came to Him.”
Jesus steps away from the multitude’s demanding voices to establish an intimate community. He ascends the mountain and selectively calls individuals by name. They didn’t vote themselves onto the mountain; they didn’t earn their spot by their resume. They were called because they were “desired” by the Savior.
When Jesus establishes this core group, Mark gives us a profound look into the heart of discipleship. He outlines a three-part mandate for the Twelve, and the order of these parameters is everything:
• “…to be with Him…” (3:14)
• “…to be sent out to preach…” (3:14)
• “…and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons…” (3:15)
Notice what comes first. Before they were sent out to preach, and before they were given divine authority to heal or drive out darkness, they were appointed to be with Him.
We often reverse this order. We try to work for God before spending time with God. We look at our ministries, our careers, our families, and our daily checklists, and we try to launch out into the world “to preach” and “to heal” in our own strength. We treat Jesus like the crowds did — as a resource to be utilized rather than a Lord to know and enjoy.
But Jesus reminds us on that mountainside that the primary call on your life today is not your productivity but your proximity.
He didn’t choose the perfect, either. The roster of the Twelve includes Simon (whom He surnamed Peter, the one who would deny Him), James and John (the “Sons of Thunder,” known for their fiery tempers), and even Judas Iscariot, “who betrayed Him” (3:19). Jesus fills His inner circle with broken, ordinary human beings, proving that the value of a disciple doesn’t lie in their intrinsic perfection, but in the transforming power of the Presence they carry.
If you are feeling crushed by the noise of life today, listen closely. The same Jesus who withdrew to the mountain is calling your name. He isn’t asking you to perform a miracle or manage a crowd. He is inviting you to pull away from the chaos, join Him on the mountain of prayer, and simply be with Him, hear Him, know Him. The work He has for you will flow naturally out of the time you spend in His presence.
Heavenly Father, thank You for calling us out of the noise and chaos of the crowd to simply be with You and hear You. Forgive us for the times we prioritize doing Your work over knowing Your heart. Lord, help us to step away from the distractions today and sit in Your presence. May our lives, our words, and our actions flow naturally out of our proximity to You. We thank You for choosing the ordinary and the broken to carry Your extraordinary love and mercy to others. May we know You and love You and rest in Your presence today. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
[Scripture taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]