Jesus Calling

“One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.” (Matthew 4:1-22)

“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at his tax collector’s booth. ‘Follow me and be my disciple,’ Jesus said to him. So Matthew got up and followed him.” (Matthew 9:9)

Jesus’ calling of the disciples can happen so fast as we read through it that we miss some major details. Why were Simon and Andrew throwing a net in the water? They fished for a living. And when Jesus called them, what was their response? They left their nets at once and followed him! And it was the same for James and John. Matthew (the author of this gospel) was sitting at his tax collector’s booth when Jesus called him. How did Matthew respond? He got up and followed him. Do you see where these men were when Jesus called them? They were at work! Jesus walked into their place of work and said, “Come and follow me.” How many of us would respond like these disciples did? If Jesus walked into our place of work and said, “Come and follow me,” would we get up and leave behind the salary, benefits, health insurance, and 401k to follow Him?

For the disciples, this wasn’t a part time commitment. It wasn’t an option to become a disciple of someone and still work your 9-5 job. Disciples were with their rabbi 24/7, learning from them in every aspect of life. Their decision to follow Jesus meant they would spend every moment with him and live the way He lived. So if Jesus didn’t have a home, they wouldn’t. If Jesus was hungry, they’d be hungry. If Jesus went to Samaria, they went to Samaria. If people hated Jesus, the disciples would be hated too. It was a total commitment.

“But Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.’” (Luke 9:58)

“‘If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.’” (John 15:18-21)

“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6)

Our decision to follow Jesus carries this same weight; it is the same commitment that the disciples were making. There’s no such thing as a part-time disciple. Too often, we live like obedience to Jesus’ teaching is a part-time, optional thing. The attitude can sound like this: “I’ll obey Him on Sundays and when I’m around certain people and when I feel bad for obeying my sinful nature again.” Friends, it should not be this way. If we decide to follow Jesus it is a complete lifestyle change; it is a move from obedience to our sinful nature to obedience to Him and His teachings. So the question to consider is: Has Jesus changed the way you live or is everything still pretty much the same? Do you still watch the same shows/movies or visit the same websites or listen to the same music or podcasts? Do you still talk the same way, use the same language, tell the same jokes?

“So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.” (1 Peter 1:14a)

Life after a commitment to Jesus should look different than the life before. When Jesus calls us, we either go or we stay. There isn’t a middle ground. Following Jesus isn’t a part-time thing—it’s fulltime or not at all. So will you get up and follow Him? Will you leave behind your old way and follow His? Are you in?

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed