Matthew 4:18-25, 5:1-2
In our last post from Matthew 4 Jesus had just begun his public ministry whilst John the Baptist had been thrown into prison.
We now read that whilst walking by the sea of Galilee Jesus calls to two sets of brothers to follow him promising that he will make them 'fishers of men'.
The four men, who were fishermen, immediately left their fishing nets and boat and went with Jesus as he travelled all around Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and healing people from all their illnesses.
His fame quickly spread and sick people from all around Syria were brought to him for healing.
Multitudes of people now followed him around, seeing which, Jesus went up into a mountain and sat himself down. When his disciples had joined him he started to teach them.
As I read these verses my mind went back to a time when I too wanted to start 'following Jesus' - but I didn't understand how.
Even now as I think about trying to understand and explain what following Jesus means I find my thoughts stumbling.
I think the problem is that Jesus' call to the disciples included a literal getting up, leaving their nets and following him as he went around preaching and healing, and then at the end of these verses he has just sat down and started to teach them.
Jesus had also given them a reason or a promise - "follow me and I will make you fishers of men". Jesus was going to make them different - give them a 'new occupation'. He was speaking to them in a language that they could relate to - instead of going to catch fish, they were going to metaphorically 'catch' men.
Well, lets try and unpick this a little...
Why did I, and why perhaps do you, and why did those disciples want to follow Jesus?
And why even now do I sometimes wonder if I am really following Jesus? (Do you ever wonder this - and you pray to be made a 'real Christian'?)
I recall that previously I wanted to be one of his disciples because I was attracted to Jesus - I wanted to obey him, live and be like him, know him, love him and know that he loved me. I believed that he is the Son of God, the Saviour of sinners, and we should follow his teachings in the Bible. I believed that without him, without following him I would be eternally lost and sent to hell when I died.
And now? I still want to know him, be like him, love him - and the paradox is that as time goes on and he teaches me through life's journey I feel more and more how little I love him and want to love him more!
Is this your experience? Do you want to follow Jesus? Do you believe you are following him?
Well, what about these fishermen disciples - why did they seem quite happy to abandon their nets and fishing boats and in James and John's case their father?
Why did they seem happy to abandon their livelihood and follow this new preacher?
We know that this was not just a new preacher calling them to follow him. We know that this was the Son of God, and there would have been power and authority in his voice as he worked in their hearts and minds to immediately leave all and follow him.
But if we had asked them why they thought they were so willing was it partly because they had previously met Jesus before his time in the wilderness and temptation?
John 1:35-42 tells us that one of the fishermen, Andrew was previously a disciple of John the Baptist. The day after Jesus was baptized he (Jesus) was walking near John the Baptist and Andrew.
John told Andrew that Jesus was 'the Lamb of God', which when Andrew heard, he literally left John and followed after Jesus. When Jesus noticed Andrew and another of John's disciples following him he asked what they wanted and then invited them to where he was staying.
On leaving Jesus Andrew went and found his brother, Simon Peter, and said, 'We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted the Christ'. And then he took Simon Peter to meet Jesus.
So I am a little puzzled by the timing of events, as recorded in the different gospels, perhaps you can shed some light?
Did these disciples meet Jesus, believe who he was, but then whilst he was absent from them for almost 6 weeks go back to their fishing, but now gladly left it to follow him?
What we do know is that they believed he was the Son of God and they obeyed his call and turned their backs on their previous occupation to now follow him.
So how do you and I follow him? Well what a big question this is!
We perhaps first think of baptism and following his example in that way. But we then think how the disciples literally followed him around observing him, listening to him, sitting at his feet while he taught them. So we need to spend time reading our Bibles, listening to his voice through the Scriptures, and talking to him about what we read by prayer to him.
Is it enough to just read our Bibles morning and evening to satisfy our consciences?
Jesus' disciples were living with him and seeing him every day. If we were to go for a new job and learn how to do it, how far would we get if we checked in for a few minutes at the beginning and end of the day? How much more we would learn as we followed that person around all day.
But, how can we spend so much time in the Lord's presence? We have jobs to do, spouse or children to care for, housework to do, places to go, people to talk to. We can't read our Bibles all day!
No, but what can we do to be more exposed to the Lord's influence? How can we follow him more closely? Could we read our Bibles in a coffee break instead of our phones?
Could we learn a verse -write it on a card which we prop up near our desk/computer/ kitchen sink/ car dashboard- and when we have opportunity think on these words?
(I remember some years ago trying to learn a verse as I went for walks by myself and really concentrating on the words brought out a depth and sweetness of their meaning).
I think of the Psalmist who spoke of the happiness of those who 'delight..in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night' (Psalm 1:2).
Although we cannot literally and physically follow the Lord today we follow him in our hearts, in our thoughts - today his Spirit lives in the hearts of his children and we communicate with him as we lift up our hearts and thoughts to him in prayer as we go through the day.
And then there is a putting into practice what he teaches us through his word - Jesus sums it up in Mark 8:34-38,
'Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it...' .
There is a learning to lay down our natural sinful ways of doing and thinking, a laying down of those things which aren't sinful in themselves but perhaps become idols and take too much of our time or thinking from the Lord, a learning to prioritise serving the Lord, a learning to look to him for all we need and do, a learning to listen to his voice for what we should do, a learning to become more like him.
As we try to follow him it is the effect of his word, the effect of being in his presence, the effect of hearing more of his voice, and the effect of the crosses and blessing which he gives us, which teach and make us more like him, 'real Christians'.
Although we cannot literally 'leave our nets' and follow him around in person to learn how to be like him, today we follow him by faith, by the work of his Spirit living within us, attracting us to him, making us willing to obey his teachings, and moulding our characters and hearts to be more like him.
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