Posted by
Jack on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 11:25:52 AM
Today's Command from Jesus
Matthew 4:19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Come
Jesus favorite word was "come". The Apostle Paul's favorite word was "believe". The prophets favorite word was 'repent'. But Jesus simply said "come".
Of course anyone who came had to believe and repent. But they had
to do more. They had to come to Jesus. It meant leaving the past behind
and coming to a person. The invitation to "come" was a powerful invitation. In most cases, anyone who was invited to "come" jumped to respond. They did not struggle with their decision. To be chosen to "come" was a privilege. Peter and Andrew "At once left their nets and followed him". When John and James heard the invitation to "come" they "immediately left the boat and their father and followed him." When Matthew heard that he was chosen he "got up, left everything and followed him."
We are prone to think that it is our choice to "come to Jesus". Jesus reminded his disciples that "many are invited, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14) He also pointed out to them that "You did not chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit...fruit that will last" (John 15:16) And again He told them, "You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." (John 15:19)
We
fail to realize that our invitation to "come, follow Jesus" is a
tremendous privilege. As such we should consider ourselves most
fortunate. But this privilege comes at a cost. In order to "come to
Jesus" we must leave something. It may be a life of sin. But more
likely it is the simple everyday activities like watching TV or
devoting so much time to our hobby. Our call to discipleship does
require that some changes will have to be made in our life. Our
priorities will have to be rearranged. But what a tremendous privilege
to have been chosen by Jesus to come and be His disciple.
Follow Me
Jesus' school of discipleship needed no building. It was on the road.
The disciples literally walked along paths over steep hills and through
villages with Jesus. They observed Him in action and listened to His
teaching. It was not a once a week class. It was 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. It was walking through the heat of the day and rowing a boat
through terrible storms. It was sleeping on hard ground and feeling
hunger pains.
We cannot travel to Israel and walk behind Jesus. We are limited to
following the written record of Him as found in the Scriptures. We can
carry a New Testament in our pocket or on a handheld computer. We must
forsake many of the activities that others enjoy so that we have the
time to follow Jesus and listen to His teachings in the Scriptures.
Our
path may involve following Jesus by reading His teachings on our
handheld computer while eating lunch at work or commuting to the city
on some kind of public transportation. It may involve taking some time
off to go camping where we will be away from the distractions of
everyday life. But it will definitely require a change. And it will
definitely mean that you will be different than the pack of humanity
around you. You have been chosen to depart from the rest so that He can
change you so that He can use you to reach others.
I will make you fishers of men
Jesus did not promise them heaven. They did not come to him so that
they could escape hell. Nor did He promise them an abundant life. These
benefits they would learn about later. The only benefit he promised
them was that they would be fishers of men. He soon taught them that to
follow Him would be a hard and narrow road filled with suffering. Yet,
through it all, in the end they would be fishers of men.
Why did they give up so much and take up a life of hardship? It wasn't
some kind of ego trip so that they could enjoy fame and fortune. It was
because of Jesus. To be chosen by Him to be His disciple was a great
privilege.
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Jack