“Simon’s partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!’ And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”
- Luke 5:10-11
One thing has been crucial to the Church since the very moment the above verses happened. It is so crucial it has touched every generation since and has stepped foot in nearly every civilization. Something we struggle to define at times and yet every generation has to claim it for their own to fulfill it. What is so essential is the act of following Jesus.
Though the Disciples are the only ones to have truly and physically followed Jesus, joining Him in His ministry to Israel, we today are also meant to follow Christ. At times that means taking a physical walk, or other times spending an afternoon in silent meditation. Following Christ can look like a lot of things, which makes discerning it both hard and yet the most important decision you will ever make.
Jesus’ Disciples:
The above verses will serve as our little case study of what it means to follow Jesus, and we’ll look at more on our journey to Palm Sunday. For now, we will look at this initial decision of Simon Peter, James, and John.
These men were everyday fishermen. Raised in families who have been fishermen for centuries. They spent their childhoods on the boats, binding together their nets, and working with their fathers. During all that time, they saw other boys from their village be asked to follow as Rabbi and learn from them and then become Rabbi’s themselves. The opportunities for Peter, James, and John however always slipped away, thus, their lives would be determined by the family trade.
While that is not a terrible time, they would make more money that way and start families of their own. Little did they know things would change for them soon and the security of their future would slip away from them with one decision.
A word about a man named Jesus, who has been healing and teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven has been circulating. They hear the rumors, but they do not lay witness to it until just before these above verses. They may have assumed Jesus was just another false Messiah like the many before him and after him. They may have thought of Him to be a political revolutionary. And then, Jesus came to them.
Jesus was teaching along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, while Peter, James, and John were hard at work fishing but within earshot of Jesus. They hadn’t caught a single fish all day, so they go to shore and wash out their nets. When Jesus approached them, we can only assume all the thoughts they had about Him, and yet, they call Him “Master.” They head on out, to give it one more shot and they are left speechless by the number of fish they caught, to the point it was beginning to capsize their boats. Then Jesus pops His fisher for men's statement, and without hesitation, Peter, James, and John drop their nets and follow. They left behind their families and livelihoods to follow a man they only met just now. No doubt they have thousands of questions, but they follow.
Left Everything:
They hadn’t a clue what they were getting into and yet they left it all for something in them had enough faith to know Jesus was the real deal. Sadly, we can sometimes live our lives as Christians in such a way that we are not following Jesus. We read our Bibles, pray our prayers, and attend our churches. While those may indicate your faith, and that you could be considered a Christian in the eyes of man, those are not the eyes we are seeking to please. Could we all take a moment and second guess ourselves and wonder if we live our lives in a manner that truly, genuinely, follows Christ?
You might be able to teach every orthodox belief in Christianity. You might be able to recite passages of scripture. You might be generous beyond belief that it upsets your Bank or Credit Union. You might be the most “Christian” Christian on display in the area, but you still might not follow Jesus. There is a divide between the outward characteristics of a Christian and the important internal contrite heart that God so desires to see in us. A lot of different things can motivate and stir us to live a Christian life, but if we are not seeking first Christ and His Kingdom, then we are not followers.
That makes the discipline of Surrender so important. I have seen numerous Christians say that we need to take action in light of recent events, to have the courage and not be walked on by others. “Christian” Nationalist specifically are willing to take up arms to defend the church in America and pursue political control. Do tell me how that makes one a follower of Christ? How dare any of us limit the Kingdom of God to a single nation. We need to surrender our earthly desires and pick up the desires of the Kingdom.
Christ didn’t win the world by His control of it, though He could have, but instead He won the world through His surrendering of life. He left everything behind. Peter would later be crucified upside down, He left everything behind to share the Good News of Christ. James would later be beheaded, He left everything to share the Good News of Christ. John would die in exile sometime after writing Revelation, He left everything to share the Good News of Christ.
Final Blessing:
I do not want my life to fit neatly in a box of Christian expectations, nor to gain the whole world just to lose my soul. I desire to follow Christ, proclaim the Good News that He also proclaimed, and make disciples of all nations. May my heart, mind, body, and soul be like a clean mirror and reflect the heart, mind, body, and soul of Christ. He has called us to follow and seek the Kingdom first! All that I am is to be left behind and surrendered to Him, a Good Shepherd who will lead me and provide for me. I do not want to be a Christian in just appearance but with every fiber of my being be moving toward Christ.
Now may the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breathe, and every heartbeat of your journey.
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