Come and Follow Me

Last week we started the journey to see how Jesus did discipleship. First phase was Come and See- An Invitation to Explore.

Remember Jesus invited Andrew and John to come and see where he was staying and they traveled with him for a few months. Notice how Jesus is teaching us to do discipleship: He does it through relationships!

They got to see how Jesus did life with his family, friends, social outting and even church (the temple).

Today, we look at the second phase Come and Follow Me- An Invitation to Learn.

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

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. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 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. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-22

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Out In Public

After spending some time with Jesus Andrew and Peter went back to the family business of fishing. (Remember those who where doing the family business where those who failed out of church school.)

Jesus met people where they were at in life and he does the same today. gives more details of the encounter Jesus had with Andrew, Peter, James and John.

Luke 5:1–11 ESV

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

I hope you guys are seeing how Jesus did ministry. As he was teaching the crowds he still focused on discipleship and led the Peter to get back out into the water where they had spent all night trying to catch fish and did not catch a thing. They just finished washing their nets and where ready to get some sleep.

Jesus will put you back into some uncomfortable situation that you have tried to stay away from because he has purpose behind it. You can fight if you want to but you will miss out on what God is trying to do through you.

Peter went back out on the water and caught two boat loads of fish. Peter fell down before Jesus saying, “DePart from me, for I am a sinful man.”

Do any of you feel that way today? That Jesus should just walk away from you because you have done to much to be forgiven or used by him.

Jesus told Peter along with Andrew, James and John to not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men. (Discipleship 101)

Jesus gave them a picture of the catch they would have for the glory of God that day with the fish filling up the boats. Next Jesus offered them an invitation.

The Inviation

Notice what Jesus did not say: Walk the isle of the beach, say an one time prayer and get baptized then go back to catch fish.

No that is not what Jesus said. He said Follow Me! Stop what you are doing, get out of the boat and follow me.

He gave them an oppotunity to come learn from him. Andrew and John had already seen what this would be like as they already encounter the come and see phase.

If this is how Jesus did discipleship WHY is the church not following him?

The church has settled for a method that Jesus did not use or authorize yet it wants the results Jesus had.

To have the results Jesus had we must use the methods in which Jesus used and commanded us to use. Jesus’ method was OJT (On Job Training).

Jesus gave this same invitation to James and John as they repaired the nets after a night of fishing. They too had spent time with Jesus in the Come and See phase.

They had just caught the biggest catch of their lives but yet they did not post the pictures on FB they just started following Jesus.

The Response

These four fishermen had already spent time with Jesus and gt to see what life would be like if they chose to follow him.

Look at their response when Jesus gave thgem the inviation to Follow Me:

Immediately they left their nets and boats to Follow Jesus.

As we read in Luke’s account we see that Peter, Andrew, James and John brought the boats to shore and left everything and followed Jesus.

They had just caught the biggest catch of their lives but yet they did not post the pictures on FB they just started following Jesus.

After you Come and See Jesus and he gives you the inviation to Follow Me You will have to decide to leave something behind.

What would you have to leave behind to Follow Jesus?

What is keeping you from following Jesus?

Jesus is calling you today, Will you come and follow Him?