Jesus Calling His Disciples
Jesus Calling His Disciples
A lot of people have a problem when it comes to knowing just when they received the “call” to the ministry. Some have been called at an altar, or a private place, a church bible camp, or wherever. We are all servants of God therefore we have all been called to minister in one way or another! That don’t just mean preach!
Matthew 4:18-22KJV
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. 21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. 22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Discipleship, something thought as undesirable or childish something left for someone else to do. But this is something we all need! Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee when he called his first disciples Simon and Andrew. He said one sentence that is all important to any Christian “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”
1. Follow me
a. put everything else aside and follow Jesus
Luke 9:59-62KJV
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
b. Answer the call now! Don’t allow your calling to slip away!!
Matthew 20:16KJV
16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
c. Never leave his side!
2. And I will make you
a. Allow yourselves to be changed! He is the potter we are the clay
Jeremiah 18:2-6KJV
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
b. Don’t think you are too old, or experienced to become a disciple.
Simon Peter and Andrew were already disciples of John the Baptist yet they weren’t above starting all over with Jesus. Even though they had already met Him before! Often people think when they come into a church they don’t need to be disciples because of their former experience in other churches! Or their age in years; but the disciples weren’t all children some were much older!
c. Don’t overlook what is already there!
Sherlock Holmes and his trusted sidekick, Watson, went camping. They had bedded down for the night and were lying in their sleeping bags on their backs. Mr. Holmes said to Mr. Watson, “Would you look up and tell me what you see.”
Mr. Watson said, “Well, I see a sky filled with stars.”
Mr. Holmes asked, “What does that tell you, Mr. Watson?”
Mr. Watson replied, “Well, theologically this tells me that
God is great and I am small. Astronomically, there must be multiplied millions of stars in our galaxy. Atmospherically, it tells me that we will probably have good weather tomorrow Why, Mr. Holmes, what does it tell you?” To which Mr. Holmes replied, “Somebody stole our tent.” It does not matter what leadership title is over your door. The obvious is this: God called you, in Jesus you are saved, and His Spirit fills
3. Fishers of men
a. We are discipled for a reason we are to win souls for Jesus!
John 15:16KJV
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
b. We are to live holy lives different from what we were living before! Just being “good people” won’t earn us a home in heaven!
Luke 14:33KJV
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
c. We are to go forth and spread the good news!
Isaiah 6:8KJV
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.