The Calling to Follow

As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for   people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, preparing their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18–22 CSB

Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after   me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.  For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself?  For whoever is ashamed of me and my words,  the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.

Luke 9:23–26 CSB

1. Jesus calls us to follow, not just to believe

• Matthew 4:19–20:  “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

• John 15:5, 8: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

• Matthew 7: 16-17: You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

2. Following Jesus requires sacrifice

• Luke 9:23–24: Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it.

3. Following means immediately — no delay, no debate

• Matthew 4:20, 22:  Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ; Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

4. Following Jesus means leaving something behind

• Matthew 4:20–22:  Immediately they left their nets and followed him… Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

• Genesis 12:1–4: The LORD said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.   I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

5. Following Jesus is daily

• Luke 9:23:  Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny

himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

• Galatians 2:20:  I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

6. There is a promise in the call

• Matthew 4:19: “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.”

• Philippians 1:6:  I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.