They Followed Him

Matthew 4:17-22
Matthew 8:19
 
One definition of following is “to go after”.

Let’s take a look at these men following after Jesus.  Jesus was calling his disciples, and they went after Him. In this passage Jesus walked by the sea of Galilee.  He sees Simon Peter and Andrew his brother casting their nets into the sea.  They were fishers - in other words that was their profession.  They were professional fishers.  Jesus is calling these men and He tells them: “Follow me, I will make you fishers of men”.

They gave up their livelihood - they gave up their profession.  Even right now he’s calling people off their jobs.  He’s calling men into the vineyard, into ministry and service to work.
The scripture says “and straightway they left their nets to follow him”. In other words they gave up everything to follow Him. When we decide to follow him there are things we will have to give up. We may not give up jobs or professions.   But there are some things we are going to have to give up; some things we will have to lay aside.

It tells us in the scriptures we must lay aside every sin that so easily besets us.  This is talking about running the course set before us.  Thanks be to God that He allows us to give up those things that probably would hinder us from being the men that God calls us to be, that would keep us from following Him.

In verse 21 He talks about two other brothers, the sons of Zebedee, James and John.  They were in the ship with their father, mending their nets.  Jesus called them and it says immediately they left.  In verse 18 in speaking of Peter and Andrew it says “straightway they left”. As to James and John it says “immediately they left the ship and their father and followed him”.  In one version it says that they left their father with the hired help.  These men were professional fisherman; they fished for a living but they were willing to give it up to follow Christ.

In the Book of Acts Peter and John did some awesome work.  They linked up.  They were before the Sanhedrin council.  They were being persecuted and they were being thrust into jail. Peter and John were diligent. I guarantee you they were diligent as far as fishing and they were diligent when it came down to ministry.  They were serious and that’s what we need to be. We need to be serious when it comes down to following Christ. We have to be willing to sacrifice to follow Him.

Like I was telling my coworker this morning as we rode together – when you look around you see the Latter Day Saints; the little brothers on the bicycles, riding and sharing. You see Jehovah’s witnesses knocking on the door.

We see Islam/Muslims (I know on the west side you see them) standing on the corner, selling the newspaper - selling the Final Call.  But where are the Christians? Where are the saints of God? Why are we not out here? Why are we not visible, especially since we have what we know is the truth.

They followed Him

In our passage from Matthew 8 it doesn’t give a name but it says a certain scribe told Jesus “Master I will follow you whithersoever thou goest.” That is what we should be saying: Lord I’ll follow you forever, wherever.

Mr. Anderson, I love my job, I love this department, but if God calls me I’m going to have to leave ya’ll. I’m not going to just jump up and run off but I’m saying if I know it’s the spirit of God calling me I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.

Jesus tells this man, Jesus says to him “foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” Jesus is saying I don’t have a condo, I don’t have a beach house, I don’t have a cabin, I don’t even have a tent boat; I don’t have any of these things. You talking about sacrifice - Jesus gave up his royalty; He gave us His home in heaven. He gave up everything to bridge the gap between you/me and God. That’s what He did! He gave it up- gave up the riches, gave up wealth; He gave up everything.

Jesus gave it all up for us and we should be willing to follow Him.  If we are going to follow him there is a price that we have to be willing to pay. Just think He’s the one who paid the greatest price. He paid by the shedding of His blood out there on the hill called Calvary, on the cross.

In verse 22 of Matthew 8 Jesus said to a disciple “Follow me, and let the dead bury the dead.”  Some would say that was real cold; that was cruel.  It wasn’t cold because Jesus literally had LIFE.

Follow Him because there is a reward - there is a great reward in following Him.

A brother - Joe Kelly – (he died several years ago) gave me that little thing up there that says God’s retirement plan is out of this world.  There is a great reward for us.  If we grab a hold of the plow and follow him, I guarantee you your reward is great. 

Jesus is asking us to follow Him.  It will certainly cost us something, but the rewards are great.  Nothing that you are holding onto now compares with what He has for you in His nail scarred hands.  Put down your nets, and follow Him.
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~J. T.