When walking around Capernaum today it is hard to believe that this was Jesus’ headquarters for a movement of disciple making. Capernaum today is only a pile of rocks, but two thousand years ago it was ground zero for a movement that would change the world.
One of the things that drew Jesus to Capernaum was a handful of fishermen. Capernaum sits on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and was home to Peter, James, John and several of the other disciples that Jesus called to change the world. These unschooled, ordinary fishermen would become Jesus’ dream team. This rag tag bunch of misfits would be the men Jesus would choose to lead His movement.
During His time with the disciples in Capernaum, Jesus gave His disciples two essential ingredients for leadership. He gave them vision and tools. In other words, Jesus showed His disciples what He wanted them to do and He equipped them with the resources to accomplish it.
I once heard a story about a mother who told her son to go out and edge the driveway. After some time passed the mom went to check on her son’s progress. It wasn’t going very well. The son had taken a rounded shovel and chopped up most of the grass along one side of the driveway. Frustrated, the mother told her son to go up the street and look at a neighbors yard and then ask the neighbor to borrow a flat end shovel to finish edging with.
Now that the son had a clear vision of what needed to be done and the right tools to do the job, his mission was a success and the mother was no longer frustrated.
Jesus changed the world with unschooled and ordinary men because He gave them a clear vision and the right tools. As they traveled together in a small group throughout Capernaum, Jerusalem, and Samaria Jesus was equipping them to be disciples and build more disciples.
I find it fascinating that Jesus started a movement that changed the world in his own neighborhood. Jesus didn’t have to have the world as his stage to change it. He just need just need a few good men that would buy into His vision and use the right tools.
What are you waiting on to start making disciples?
