22010.299 Come, Follow Me!

“As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). He said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people!’ They left their nets immediately and followed him. Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Then he called them. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.” —Matthew 4:18–22

Leaving all, these two sets of brothers immediately heed Jesus’ call to follow Him. In following Jesus, they are agreeing to His right over their lives. Willing to let go of their possessions and their own aspirations, they yield to His. Smart move on their part! It is God’s desire for us to live our lives with open hands–—not holding on to any earthly treasure or endeavor.

I am reminded of our Lord’s words to us later in Matthew:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life because of me will find it.” —Matthew 10:37–39

It is Jesus who makes us fishers of men, not our own ability or creativity. In our verses for today, it is Jesus who is preparing to make disciples out of these fishermen—changing their lives as well as the course of history! When Jesus moves calls, things happen! Nothing is too hard for Him.

Jeremiah’s prayer comes to mind:

“Oh, Sovereign LORD, you did indeed make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. Nothing is too hard for you!” —Jeremiah 32:17

I am also reminded of the writer of Hebrews’ lovely benediction expressing the confidence that God through the Lord Jesus will prepare us for every good use:

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, equip you with good thing to do his will, working in us what is pleasing before him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” —Hebrews 13:20–21

This does not negate our personal responsibility in knowing and applying God’s truth to our lives. Yet, it is God who works in us to accomplish His purposes. Paul puts it this way to the Philippians:

“So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God.” —Philippians 2:12–13

Jesus’ call to His twelve disciples to follow Him goes much deeper than a mere walking with Him. This is true for every disciple! The call to follow is not a temporary following. It entails an abiding fellowship not only for the sake of learning but of doing whatever He calls us to do. It involves holding on to Him in trust and obedience and acting according to His example. It is God’s desire that we are ever in the process of being conformed to the image of His Son. His desire is that when the world looks upon Jesus’ followers, they see Jesus. We are to be controlled by the Spirit of God.

Become More

“… because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” —Romans 8:29

Further Reflections

“I make it my priority to persevere in His holy presence, wherein I maintain a simple attention and a fond regard for God.” —Brother Lawrence

A special faith in our Lord Jesus Christ’s person, work, and office is the life, heart, and mainspring of the Christian character. He sees by faith an unseen Saviour, who loved him, gave Himself for him, paid his debts for him, bore his sins, carried his transgressions, rose again for him, and appears in heaven for him as his Advocate at the right hand of God. He sees Jesus and clings to Him … He sees his own many sins, his weak heart, a tempting world, a busy devil; and if he looked only at them, he might well despair. But he sees also a mighty Saviour, an interceding Saviour, a sympathizing Saviour–His blood … His righteousness, His everlasting priesthood–and he believes that all this is his own. He sees Jesus and casts his whole weight on Him. Seeing Him, he cheerfully fights on, with full confidence that he will prove more than a conqueror through Him that loved him.” —J C Ryle

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