Follow Me

Introduction

Prayer | Greeting | Turn to Matthew 4

Opening Illustration:

(THE POWER OF WORDS)

Martin Luther King Jr’s I have a dream speech changed the hearts of millions to join the civil rights movement.

This morning, we are going to see how Jesus’ words “Follow Me” had power to bring others to be his disciples.

Context Building:

Jesus has defeated the temptations of Satan and began his ministry.

Jesus has gone to Galilee.

Jesus is in the promised land to begin his promised redemption of the world.

Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth Don’t Be Ashamed … for the Gospel Brings Light to the World

Bible says that Galilee was where the Messiah would minister and where he would inaugurate the kingdom.

Jesus is fishing for followers and the sea he is fishing is not the religious elites or political elite, it is the every day men.

The reality of Jesus’ ministry is that he is establishing that true salvation is through him alone, so it is exclusive. Yet, at the same time, he shows us it is the most inclusive religion in the world because anyone, no mater their background, ethnic group, social or economic power.

As we will see this morning, Jesus chose everyday men to follow him.

(READ Matthew 4:18-22)

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And 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, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

1. Jesus’ call to follow is sudden.

Explanation:

These men were living their lives like normal.

Peter and Andrew were “casting a net.”

James and John were “mending their nets.”

Peter and Andrew knew who Jesus was before this moment.

John 1:35–42 ESV

35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

What we know from the gospel’s explanation of the call of the first disciples is that in the case of Andrew and Peter. Andrew was with John the Baptist and heard John declare that Jesus is the promised Messiah they had been waiting for and immediately went to follow Jesus. It is most likely that after having spent time with Jesus and introducing Peter to Jesus. They resumed their life as fishermen. It was only once Jesus returned and called them to follow him as they were fishing that they then became followers from that day on.

Why is this important? Andrew’s desire from the beginning was to follow Jesus. When he found out who Jesus was he was open to following Jesus. However, it isn’t until Jesus calls him to follow him later that Andrew and Peter truly become the disciples of Jesus.

Illustration:

Elon Musk—whether you like him or not—has an interesting story that helps paint the picture of how your life can change with a willingness to drop everything to follow something.

As a seventeen year old boy, Musk moved from his home country of South Africa to Canada. Granted, his move allowed him to skip being in the South African army. Also, Musk has admitted his move to Canada was so that he could more easily move to the United States.

His move allowed him to pursue a college degree first in Canada before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania. He would then help found Zip2 which was sold to a computer company and he was a co-founder of X.com. At the time, X.com was aspiring to be a one stop shop for banking and insurance needs. It would merge with another company that would eventual rebrand into Paypal and would be sold.

Elon’s journey would never had landed him the opportunities he experienced if he hadn’t been willing to risk it all and leave everything to follow his dream.

Application:

Yet, we are called to something far more exciting, far more lofty, and far more important than Musk’s journey and life experience. We have been called out to follow the King of kings. We have been called to the most important mission on the planet to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Are you willing to respond to Jesus’ call to follow, even if it seems inconvenient?

Jesus’ call to follow him comes often comes when we least expect it.

Not only is the call to follow Jesus sudden,

2. Jesus’ call to follow is significant.

Explanation

The text informs us that Jesus tells Andrew and Peter that he will “make” them “fishers of men.”

Keep in mind that Andrew and Peter were active fishermen. They were casting their net into the sea. The life they knew was on the water and bringing in fish. Yet, Jesus uses a familiar idea of fishing when he calls them to follow.

Jesus choice to use an analogy does not mean that he is calling them to the negative sides of being a fisherman or implying that they will need to deceive people to follow Jesus. He is pointing out that they were people who caught and gathered large quantities of fish and he was calling them to gather and bring to the kingdom of God many other individuals to follow Jesus!

While fishing was a job that provided food to the community and to some extent brought life to the people of the area. Jesus’ call to follow also meant that not only were they to gather people to Jesus. They would be providing a message of eternal life and spiritual nourishment to those who respond to the gospel.

Also, Jesus’ call to follow is one that gives us a greater purpose. Of course fishing was a good career for these men by the Sea of Galilee. It would have provided for them and their families. It did have a sense of purpose. But, nothing like serving the Son of God as his disciple.

Illustration

I love good fantasy novels. One of the premier fantasy stories of all time is Lord of the Rings. Frodo Baggins is described as a humble hobbit who was satisfied with having a quiet life in the Shire. Yet, out of the blue, he is called to something far more significant with far greater purpose, to destroy the Ring of Power. His journey is laborious and filled with peril. Yet, it is a mission filled with purpose and others were supporting him along the way.

Application

We have been called to follow Jesus. We have been given a significant mission with significant responsibility. Yet, to often, we lose sight of the great significance the call to follow Jesus is on our life. We become satisfied with our quiet lives, living in our everyday lives without thinking twice about the mission God has called us to follow. We can come into these walls and we might even amen and agree with our call but when it comes time to get to work, we simply remain silent. Don’t miss this, every person who is a true follower of Jesus is called to follow Jesus and call to the lost world to respond to the gospel.

Please do not miss hear, while some might be called to vocational ministry. Most in this room are not called to full-time vocational ministry. God has called you to be teachers, doctors, sales men, grocers, Waiters and waitress, for others retired from vocational work, of course the list goes on. No matter what vocation God has given you for our life, he has called each and every one of us to be ministers of the gospel. You have been called to share the gospel and make disciples. It is the most significant mission we have and it is worth our total devotion.

Not only do we see that Jesus’ call to follow is sudden and significant. We also see that,

3. Jesus’ Call to follow is sacrificial.

Explanation

Jesus comes to these men and calls them to follow him. Think about it for just a moment. We have already talked about how these men were in the middle of their normal daily lives when Jesus’ call to follow came to them. They were working. Yet, when Jesus comes calling they leave it all to follow him.

In verse 20, we see that Andrew and Peter leave their nets and followed Jesus.

In verse 22, we see that James and John leave their boat and father to follow Jesus.

They had to leave their job, their supplies, their homes, their family, their comfort, the known to follow Jesus.

Their life is utterly and totally disrupted. What they might have thought they would be doing that even was gone. They were not deciding their path anymore. It was going to be up to Jesus. As Jesus led, they were to follow. As Jesus instructed they were to obey. Their life was not their own anymore.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew Radical Abandonment

The early disciples left behind everything that was familiar and natural for them. They exchanged comfort for uncertainty. They didn’t know where they would be going; they only knew who they would be with. All followers of Christ must respond to this same call today: we may not always know all the details about where Christ is leading us, but we do know who we’re following.

Following Jesus is costly and requires us to understand that our security is no longer defined by this world’s definitions or security is in Christ alone.

Exalting Jesus in Matthew Radical Abandonment

Martin Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress” says it well: “Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.”

We see John and James leaving their family in order to follow Jesus. Let me be clear.

God calls us to honor our parents:

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

God calls us to love our spouse:

Ephesians 5:22-33

God calls us to provide for our family:

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV

8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

So God does not give us excuse to behave badly towards our family or to be sluggards who do not work hard to provide for our families.

These men were called to serve Jesus which was an honorable, laborious, and sacrificial responsibility.

IF we are to love our family as God intends, we must love God first and our love for God should be so great that our love for our family seems so distant in comparison.

Matthew 10:37 ESV

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Application:

As followers Jesus we ought to be to a point that we live our lives for one thing: TO HONOR THE KING.

Look, to be a follower of Jesus requires us to give up everything. Our family, careers, hobbies, friends, and most importantly, our sin must all be surrendered to Jesus.

Illustration

Jesus illustrated how we are to sacrifice everything we have to follow him in Matthew 13:44 listen to these words.

Matthew 13:44 ESV

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Application:

Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth Don’t Be Ashamed … for the Gospel Is God’s Power for Salvation

Who or what is first in your life—the fish, the nets, the boat, the career, the income, the brother, the father, the family? Are you willing to break from any or all “former loyalties”—occupation, friends, family, religion, etc.—in order to wholeheartedly serve one Master? Moreover, are you willing to do what this Master says? To go where he wants you to go? To give away what must now be given away?

We have seen how Jesus’ call is sudden, how it is significant, and how it is sacrificial. Now let’s see how we ought to respond:

4. Our response should be swift.

Explanation

When we look at both responses in verses 20, and 22, the men Immediately left everything and followed Jesus.

So why do these men follow Jesus?

They follow because they believed the truth of the message about Jesus.

According to verse 17 Jesus was preaching the message of repentance and that the kingdom of heaven is at a hand in the area. So they would have likely heard it and believed the message they had heard.

They follow because they believed the value of the mission.

Matthew—All Authority in Heaven and on Earth Three Reasons to Believe

Christ’s call is more than our own salvation; it is a call for the salvation of others

Ultimately, they followed because they trusted Jesus!

Even though they did not know where the path would ultimately lead them. They knew it would be with Jesus. They were trusting him and they were not going to delay in following him when he chose them to follow him!

APPLICATION

When Jesus says follow me, share the gospel with this person,

Follow me, feed the hungry,

Follow me, sacrifice time to serve at camp.

Follow me, go on this mission trip.

Follow me, give up your secret sin of addiction.

Follow me, give up your gossip.

Follow me, give up your bad attitude.

Follow me, give up your cursing,

are you willing to immediately give them up and follow Jesus? Will you give them immediately to the Lord and lay them at his feet? Will you surrender all to Jesus?

Conclusion | Invitation

We have seen how Jesus’ call comes to us suddenly, and how it carries great significance, how it is a call that requires sacrifice, and we are to respond to the call to follow Jesus with swiftness.

The only question left is what will we do with the call to follow Jesus?

Are you willing to give up everything to make Jesus Lord of your life?

Can I ask a few personal questions? Don’t answer out loud but do answer them to yourself.

Is Jesus Lord?

If so, is he Lord over your life so much that in his presence you recognize the spiritual difference that exists between you and him—he is holy, you are not?

In light of this difference,

do you repent of your sins? And more than understanding and embracing repentance in this first sense—repenting of sin—

do you also repent from following anyone or anything more than Jesus?

When we accept the call to follow Jesus, we are called to follow him and him alone. Have you accepted the call to follow Jesus? Will you?

For us that have said yes to follow Jesus, is there anything that is hindering you in your ability to follow Jesus? Have you allowed sin to creep in? Has someone or something taken the place of Jesus in your life?

With every head bowed and eye closed

Invitation