Discipled Week 1

Follow Me: The Call to Discipleship

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22, John 14:6

Introduction

In his book Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live, David Platt says, “Making disciples of Jesus is the overflow of the delight in being disciples of Jesus.”

If you’ve been around church for a while you may have heard this word “disciple” thrown around. “The word for “disciple” is a learner who follows a master teacher. In contrast to our current Western era, learning in Jesus’ time was very relational and holistic. “Discipleship meant much more than just the transfer of information . . . it referred to imitating the teacher’s life, inculcating his values, and reproducing his teachings.”

“Christian discipleship connotes a relationship with a master teacher, following them, and adhering to their way of life.” The call to discipleship is two-fold. It's about leaving behind what we know, and it's also about embracing the incredible rewards that come from following Jesus. All of Jesus, with all your life.

For the next few weeks we’re going to explore together what it means to be Discipled, why it matters, and how a life of discipleship will cost you everything. Sounds pretty great right?

The call to discipleship is not a casual suggestion or a mere request; it's a compelling command to abandon our old ways and embrace a new life in Christ. The discipleship journey begins with a call, a divine summons that stirs something deep within us and awakens the spirit. It's a call to leave behind the familiar and venture into the unknown, a call to surrender our lives to Jesus and follow Him wholeheartedly. Here’s how it looked for Peter, Andrew, James, and John;

Read Matthew 4:18-22

Matthew 4:18–22 NKJV

18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him. 21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

The Call to Discipleship

In this passage we see Jesus calling His first disciples. These were ordinary men, fishermen by trade, going about their daily tasks. But when Jesus called them, they immediately left their nets and followed Him. They didn't hesitate or make excuses; they didn't say, "Let me finish my work first" or "Let me consult with my family." They simply dropped everything and followed Jesus. That's the essence of the call to discipleship - it's an immediate and total response to Jesus' invitation.

It’s also a call to radical transformation. When Jesus called Simon and Andrew, He said, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He was calling them to a new vocation and purpose. They were no longer going to catch fish or tend their nets; they were going to catch people for the kingdom of God. Discipleship is not just about following Jesus; it's about becoming like Him and participating in His mission. It’s a holistic overhaul where much will be sacrificed and much gained.

When James and John heard Jesus' call, they left their boat and their father and followed Him. They left their source of income, their family, their security - everything that was familiar and comfortable. They chose to follow Jesus, even if it meant leaving everything behind. Discipleship requires a willingness to give up our own desires and plans and submit to God's will. This can be a huge sacrifice depending on your life and situation

We will all have stories of sacrifice, but I want to be clear. It’s not just about the things we give up; it's also about the reward. Jesus promised His disciples that they would become fishers of men. They would participate in the greatest mission of all - bringing people into the kingdom of God. They would have the privilege of working with Jesus, learning from Him, and experiencing His power and presence in their lives. This shows that discipleship, while demanding, is also incredibly rewarding.

This is a call that every believer must answer. To follow Jesus, to become like Him, to participate in His mission, to sacrifice our own desires and plans, and to experience the rewards of being in a relationship with Him. It's a call that requires a total and immediate response, a willingness to leave everything behind, and a readiness to embrace a new life in Christ.

Leaving Everything Behind

In our passage from Matthew we see that all the men had to leave their vocations, their ways of life, and even their families behind. We must also be willing to abandon our old ways, our old lives, and our old selves to fully embrace the new life that Christ offers us.

This is not a call to physical abandonment but rather a spiritual and emotional one. It's about letting go of our worldly attachments, our sinful habits, our selfish desires, and our self-centered ambitions. It's about surrendering our will to God's will, our plans to God's plans, and our dreams to God's dreams.

C.S. Lewis once said, "The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us." This quote reminds us that it's not about being good enough or doing enough to earn God's love. It's about surrendering to God's love and allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. It's about letting go of our self-efforts and self-righteousness and relying on God's grace and mercy. It's about dying to ourselves and living for Christ.

It can and will be costly at times, but again, the reward far outweighs the loss. The eternal promise for exceeds the temporary possibility. It’s like trading dirt for diamonds.

The Rewards of Following Jesus

When we think of rewards, our minds often go to material possessions, worldly achievements, trophies and other tangible objects that we can gain. But the rewards of following Jesus are far richer and more profound than anything this world can offer, and there are several tangible things we can experience from following Him.

The first reward is a transformed life. When we choose to follow Jesus, we are not merely adding a religious aspect to our existing life. We are given a new life in Christ. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “The old has passed away, and the new has come.” This transformation is not just about changing our behavior; it's about a complete change of our heart, mind, and spirit. And along with a new heart comes new motivations and purpose.

When Jesus called His disciples, He gave them a new purpose: to become fishers of men. As I mentioned earlier, they were no longer just catching fish for a living; they were now involved in the eternal business of saving souls and their training as fishermen would come in handy in the open seas of life.

In addition to transformation and purpose we can also look forward to an intimate relationship with God. When we follow Jesus, we are not just following a set of rules or doctrines. We are entering into a personal relationship with the living God. We get to know Him, love Him, and experience His love for us. We can talk to Him in prayer, hear from Him through His Word, and experience His presence in our lives. This relationship is not just for this life; it's an everlasting one.

Remember this, Jesus promised His followers that “whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) This is not just about living forever; it's about experiencing the fullness of life in the presence of God, free from sin, sorrow, and death. This eternal life begins the moment we choose to follow Jesus and continues on and on and on. There are obstacles and difficulties in this life but in the age to come there is freedom. The book of Revelation tells us, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes! And there shall be no more death or sorrow or crying. Nor shall there be any more pain.” What an incredible promise of things to come.

What a compelling reason to answer the call.

Conclusion

It’s hard to imagine how those first disciples must’ve felt when they heard the voice of Jesus calling out to them, “Come! Follow me!” In fact, if someone were outside the church today saying the same thing, we’d probably think there was something wrong with them… We’d probably feel a little nervous around them. It’s a frightening invitation to say the least.

I can’t promise you today that following Jesus will be easy or that He’ll make everything right in your life… In fact there are a lot of things that might get even more difficult. But I can tell you, with full confidence, that He is the King. “He’s the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) and choosing to follow Jesus will easily be the best decision you’ll ever make in this life.

We’ll talk more in upcoming weeks about what it means to be Discipled and why it matters, but for now I want you to think about the promise of eternal salvation and the reality of living a transformed life.

ask people to start or renew their commitment to following Christ