Not Better, but Willing

Introduction

If I were to ask you to describe the picture that comes into your mind when I say the word “Christian”, what would you say? The truth is that it’s a term that comes with a lot of baggage, isn’t it? Maybe for some of you, the first thing that would come into your mind would be your godly grandmother who was always patient and kind and thoughtful, or maybe it would be your dad who always talked about being a Christian when it suited him and seemed to be able to be just as harsh and cutthroat when that suited him. Perhaps, you think of people who seem to be oblivious to the real world or maybe you think of people who live for a good boycott and political activism. For some, a Christian is something you’re born into and for others being a Christian is a way of life that you’ve chosen for your life. So, you can see that “Christian” comes with a lot of baggage.

But, did you know that the term “Christian” is only used three times in the whole Bible? In fact, “Christian” originates as an insult for the early church by which they were calling them ‘Little Christs’, little Jesus want to be’s. And so, over time, the church responded by saying, “That’s not an insult for us at all because we really do want to be ‘little Christs’” and so the term stuck. But, much more often, in fact 281 times, the early church referred to themselves as “disciples.” And, with all of the baggage that comes with the word “Christian”, “disciple” is clearer for us to understand its meaning. One of those may communicate birthright or culture or hypocrisy, but the other can only communicate devotion and piety and focus. And, my guess, is that if we went through our community or even our church, and we asked every person whether or not they were a Christian, the answers would be overwhelmingly affirmative, but if we we asked the same people if they were disciples, there would be a lot of hesitation. But, in the New Testament, these terms are inseparable. And so, this morning, what I want us to consider is what it means to be a disciple (headline) and whether or not you are one.

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The Backstory

Jesus is calling his first disciples. And, to understand what he was calling them to you need to understand what life looked like during the time of Jesus. The Jews took education in the Law very seriously. They understood that it was what their children needed most. So, they would begin them at age five by sending them to Torah school. In Torah school, their whole world was studying and memorizing the first five books of the Bible over their first five years. They’d kick off Torah school by putting honey on the tongue of each child. And since honey was a luxury item, it was the first time many of the poor Jewish boys had ever tasted its sweetness, and the purpose was to show them how sweet the Law of God was to be to them, always leaving them wanting more. At age ten, they’d have a weeding out. They’d take the top performers in school, those who showed the most promise, and they’d study the rest of the Bible over the next seven years, while the other boys went to study as apprentices under their dads in a trade of some sort. At 17, they would thin out even more, as the boys that had completed all 12 years of study in the Law would have the opportunity to apply to study under the various rabbis as a disciple. They’d find a rabbi that they admired, and they would go sit at their feet. Then, the rabbis would test those that had applied to be their disciples, and they would keep those with whom they were impressed and dismiss those whom they believed showed less promise. And, what you have to understand is that to be selected by a respected rabbi was extremely exclusive and prestigious. It was the difference in being an astronaut or a factory worker. In Jewish society, there was not standing greater than that of being an expert in the Law and becoming a religious ruler. So, the rabbis would choose those whom they believed could become just like them. Those who could know what they know and do what they do. Disciples would study the teachings of their rabbi and the mannerisms of their rabbi and the way their rabbis would respond in a given situation. They worked to imitate them in any way possible. In fact, the greatest compliment that you could give to a rabbis’ disciple was to say that he was covered in his rabbi’s dust. It was to say that the disciple was following him so closely that the dust he kicked up while he walked was all over the disciple.

Jesus chooses the “willing”, not the “best”.

v. 19 “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And, it’s against this backdrop that we have . Think about what this means that these men were fishermen when Jesus came to them. They had already been passed over by everyone. They had already missed the cut. They had been turned away by every teacher of the day and told that they were too ordinary, too mediocre to be used for anything great. But, Jesus came to them. They didn’t go and apply. They didn’t turn in admission or agree to try out. Jesus came to them with an unrestricted offer to leave behind their fishing nets and leaky boats to become his disciples. You see, when Jesus assembled His force to transform the world, He chose the B Team.

Jesus chooses the “willing”, not the “best”. Jesus sought out those who would be his disciples, and He didn’t seek out the scholars of Egypt or the philosophers of Greece or the rulers of Rome; He sought a bunch of Galilean fishermen. He invited them to come as they are to him, and when they came, Jesus would do the making. He would MAKE them into fishers of men. He would MAKE them into who they needed to be to build his Kingdom. And, this is what Jesus always does. Jesus passes over the most gifted for the most willing every time. Because the Kingdom of God is not built by man’s wisdom or man’s strength or man’s ability. The Kingdom of God is built by God’s power through God’s people for God’s glory. So, not a single one of you are disqualified to serve as Jesus’ disciples because you aren’t able enough or smart enough or prominent enough or good enough. In fact, you’re only disqualified if you believe that you are good enough or able enough or strong enough. Jesus taught that His power in the weakest vessel is infinitely greater than the greatest talent apart from Him.

This is the point that Jesus is driving at in when He’s describing the Kingdom of God. He says that, upon until that point, John the Baptist is the greatest man ever born to a woman. He preached with greater power and lived with greater holiness than any man that had lived before him and the power of God was evident upon him. But, do you know what Jesus said? He said that the one who is the very least in the his Kingdom is greater than John the Baptist. You know, somewhere out there in the Church is the person who is the very least in the Kingdom of God. There’s a person that has less ability and less wisdom and less godliness than anyone else in the whole Kingdom. And, man, a lot of the time, I think it must be me. But, even if that’s true, even if I’m the least in the whole Kingdom of God over the last 2000 years, I still have the potential for a ministry that is more powerful, more anointed, more Spirit-filled than John the Baptist himself. Because the Spirit of God himself has come to live in us and not leave. The Spirit of God has rest upon us so that we have a Spirit of power and love and self-control. The Spirit of God has come upon us and written the Law on our hearts and given us direct, unimpeded access to the very throne of God. So, now, it’s not about your abilities and it’s not about your strength and it’s not about your past obedience, now, it’s about you availability to the King. It’s about your willingness to submit and surrender yourself to his glory.

In the Kingdom, the question is never, “How able are you?” The question is always, “How available are you?” Jesus isn’t looking for you ability; He’s looking for your availability. He’ll do the making. This morning, will you stop looking at how little you can do and start considering how much Jesus can do through you?

Jesus does the “choosing”, not “us.”

v. 21b “and He called them...” Next, I want you to see that Jesus does the “choosing”, not “us.” Remember what we said about how Rabbi’s got their disciples. The disciples would apply to a particular rabbi, and then the rabbi would either choose them back or deny them the opportunity, depending upon how able he believed them to be. But, Jesus went to them at the lake. He went to them at the marina. He went to them in chapter 9 at the tax booth, “and He called them.” Jesus chose them. Do you get that? Jesus didn’t settle for the B Team; Jesus sought out the B Team. And, it was this reality, this choosing of them by Jesus that would give them the confidence they would need to press on into their Kingdom ministries, in spite of all that they would face and in spite of how far short they would fall. You know, I love sports, but I was a pretty terrible athlete. And, notice I even said that in the past tense. I wasn’t even recruited to play intramurals. I always wondered what it would be like to be recruited by somebody like Nick Saban. Can you imagine the greatest coach in college football history believing that you can make his program better? Talk about giving you the confidence that you need to get over the hump!

My goodness, Jesus came and found them when they weren’t even looking for him! And, it’s this reality that you read of the apostles reminding themselves again and again. It’s that God had chosen them, of all people, to build his Kingdom. “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified!” “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies! No, in all these things we are more through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our confidence falters because our faithfulness falters. We see these great things that Jesus has called us to do. He’s called us to disciple our children and reach our community and build his church among the nations. He’s called us to go to work every day and be his witness, and He’s called us to show every unloved child at the elementary school that they are loved by him. And then, we wake up and struggle to have a quiet time. We come home and struggle to have patience with our children, let alone teach them the Bible. We go to work and talk in a way that would shame our mother, let alone spread the gospel. So, how can we have confidence that we’re up to the task? How can we have confidence that we can accomplish anything for Jesus’ glory? It’s because of what Jesus says in “you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” Oh, if it was up to you, you would fail. If it was up to your choosing of Jesus and continuing to choose Jesus, you’d stop. If it was up to your faithfulness, the Kingdom would not be built. But, Jesus chose you! He chose you! Do you feel the confidence of that? Oh church, we’re not going to run from a word that the apostles ran to! You are chosen. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Jesus has chosen you to accomplish the purpose for which He designed you, and He’s going to walk with you every step! It will not fail! Oh, I wouldn’t still be your pastor if I didn’t believe this were true. How many missionaries would leave the field tomorrow if this weren’t true? How many student workers would quit if they needed to feel valued? You have been chosen by one greater the Nick Saban and greater than the President; You have been chosen by the King of Kings!

Following Jesus requires “forsaking” all.

v. 22 “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Next, for disciples, following Jesus requires “forsaking” all. It’s interesting how Matthew records the response of these four men. Twice, once in verse 20 and again in verse 22, he uses the word “immediately.” There was no hesitation. There was no weighing of options. There were no pros and cons lists. There was a call from Jesus and an immediate response by the men. Throughout the gospels, the word “immediately” is often used to highlight power and sovereignty of Jesus. The storm is raging, Jesus speaks, and immediately the water is flat. Immediately, the boat is on the other side. A man has leprosy or is deaf, Jesus speaks, and immediately they are well. And here, men are working and providing and doing, Jesus speaks, and immediately they obey him.

It says that they left their boat and their father. That is, they left the most significant treasures in their lives — their livelihood and their relationships — in order to obey the call of Jesus. That’s what disciples of Jesus look like. Jesus’ Kingdom holds the decision-making position for Jesus’ disciples. Jesus takes such precedence over everything else in their lives that when it is Jesus verses anything....Jesus versus boyfriend, Jesus versus dad, Jesus versus career…Jesus always wins. Every decision is made, not by what’s most comfortable or by what’s most accepted or by what’s most recommended, but by what brings Jesus the most glory. Recently, John had a teenager that came to faith and wanted to be baptized, and his parents were disappointed in him. His parents disapproved of him. And, he was baptized anyway. Jesus was in the decision-making position. I know of friends who are living on the mission field and their parents disapproved when they decided to move the grandchildren behind enemy lines, but they went any way. Jesus was in the decision-making position.

For you, if you got the right boyfriend or the right job offer or the scholarship offer or the right income opportunity, would you be willing to pull back from Jesus? That is, what or who is in the decision-making position in your life? For Jesus said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” For disciples of Jesus are so committed to following Jesus that they will say ‘no’ to every other significant person and thing in their life just so that they can say ‘yes’ to Jesus. Who are you saying ‘yes’ to, and who are you saying ‘no’ to?

Following Jesus leads to “others” following Jesus.

v. 19 “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Finally, for the disciple, following Jesus leads to “others” following Jesus. Jesus gives his disciples a very clear vision for their lives. Jesus is not making us into some aimless follower, hoping that somehow we find our way. Jesus is making us into something specific, and He’s aiming us at a clear target. He’s getting us there in different ways and equipping each of us to reach different people and gifting us to have specific abilities, but it’s all with a particular target in mind. Jesus is changing the lives of his disciples so that they might take part in the changing of the lives of others. It’s by this that Jesus says you verify that you are his disciples; it’s by bearing the fruit of the Kingdom. It’s by spiritually reproducing more disciples in your life. This is the culmination of life as a disciple of Jesus! It’s a willingness to be used by him. It’s a confidence that He is mighty to save, and He is able to work through someone like you. It’s a resolve to forsake all comfort and all convenience and all social protocol that you as his disciple might lead others to follow him and to know his grace and glory.

When I was 14 years old, Jesus came to me. Jesus changed my life. Man, I was a punk and had nothing to offer him, but He came to me and changed everything. He saved my daddy a year after that, and it changed my family forever. Jesus did that. Jesus took a kid that could hardly string a sentence together and called him to preach and to pastor. Jesus did that. And, I’ve heard enough stories by those of you in this room to know that Jesus has done the miraculous among hundreds of time over again so that now we are people we could never have dreamed of being and doing things for his Kingdom that we never could have dreamed of doing. Don’t we believe He’ll do it again? Don’t we have faith that Jesus is still saving today? There are missionaries and mommas and pastors and deacons and leaders in our community that don’t know Jesus yet. And, you’re the plan. If you’re a disciple of Jesus, then you’re the plan. It’s the call on your life and the responsibility for which you’ll one day answer. In the last five years, who has been brought into the Kingdom of God through you? Here’s what I’m asking, in following up with your connection groups, identify one person in your life and ask God to use you to bring them to Jesus this year.