“Calling the Disciples” Matthew 4:18-22

“Calling the Disciples” Matthew 4:18-22

Last week we looked at the message Jesus preached “Repent the Kingdom of God is at hand.” If Jesus calls people to repent and turn away from their old life, then what are they being told to turn to? Jesus is on the north end of the sea of Galilee where the Jorden river enters it. John the Baptist is baptizing and preaching there. John’s Gospel tells us that two disciples of John the Baptist hear John point out Jesus and say, “behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” One man is identified as Andrew, Peter’s brother. The other is most likely Philip. Andrew and Philip leave John and start walking behind Jesus.

Jesus notices the men following Him and stops and ask, “What do you want?” How do you reply to this question? We are searching but for what? I love to fix things and make things. I know what I want of get done but not sure of a way to do it. I go to the hardware store and start walking around looking at things until the answer hits me. Usually a sales person will want to help me. “What are you looking for?” they ask. “I’m not sure but I will know it when I see it.”

Andrew and Philip have no idea what they are looking for, but they will know it when they see it. Andrew put on the spot says, “where are you staying?” “Come and see” Andrew and Philip spend the rest of the day with Jesus.

That evening Andrew goes to his brother Peter telling him he has found the Messiah, so Peter goes with his brother to meet Jesus. Jesus gives him the nickname “The Rock”.

The next day Jesus tells Philip “follow Me” to which Philip goes and gets his brother Nathanael. Jesus makes the proclamation that Nathanael is an “Israelite in which there is no deceit”. “I saw you under the fig tree a little while ago”. The response is “only God could know that.”

This takes place before Jesus comes walking by the boats and calls Simon, Andrew, James and John to leave their nets and follow Him full time.

As we look at the calling of these disciples we see for some a process, with time spent with questions and investigating the message of Jesus, like Andrew, Peter, James and John. For others God wow’s them into following like Nathanael. In the curious case of Benjamin button, and Old man keeps showing up saying, “I’ve been struck by lighting nine times, one time I was just walking to the mail box when pow, it hit me.

Each of us are called by God. For some there is a time of questions or spiritual struggle. Others will have a lighting bolt experience, like the old man hit by lighting. Then there are those who are born believing. They never really know anything else. God calls each of us to be a disciple in different ways, and we are wrong to insist on a formula approach to the how’s and whys of Jesus’ call to us.

Though there are different ways we receive our call to follow each of us must answer, drop our nets, leave our old life and take up a new one that is given by God. I know when I enlisted in the navy. You sign the paper, raise your hand, repeat the oath, you did it, then they tell you what to do. Each of us must join Jesus, repent, take the oath to live the new life, ask Jesus what to do and do it.

The question today is Have you answered the call? Have you made a choice to follow Jesus? Maybe this whole idea is foreign to you.  If you are unsure you can do it today.

Pray this prayer with me. “Lord Jesus forgive me a sinner. I turn away from my old life and I want to follow you from now on. Jesus, show me what you want me to do and how you want me to live. My life belongs to you now. Amen”

If you have prayed that prayer you have joined Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathanael, James and John, as disciples of Jesus. In the coming weeks Jesus is going to show us what it means to follow Him.

Matthew 8:18-22

Matthew 9:9-13

Matthew 10:1-4

Luke 5:1-11

John 1:29-34

John 1:35-51