Jesus calling us (1)

[Mathew 4:18-22]

We all want to live a life that follows Jesus more closely.  May we all write “Follow Jesus” on the tablet of our hearts.  What must we do to follow Jesus?  As we meditate on Matthew 4:18-22, we would like to receive the lesson that God gives us by meditating on the scene where Jesus calls Peter and his brother Andrew, and James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.

Look at Matthew 4:19 – “Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.”  This is the word Jesus said to the fishermen when he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting their nets into the sea while he was walking on the shores of Galilee (v. 18).  As I meditated on these words, I divided them into two categories. (1) It is Jesus’ calling.  Jesus called Peter and Andrew, “Follow me.”  (2) It is Jesus’ promise.  That promise is, “I will make you fishers of men.”  What do you think of this call and promise of Jesus?  As I meditated on these words, I thought that Jesus is giving us a higher calling.  In other words, Jesus gave Peter and Andrew the higher calling.  Peter and Andrew were Galilean fishermen, who had a job of catching fish in the Sea of Galilee, whom Jesus had promised to make them fishers of men (vv. 18-19)

Jesus is calling you, “Follow me.”  Jesus is giving you a higher calling.  Jesus is giving you the higher calling than your job.  Jesus is calling you to be fishers of men.  Jesus wants to save the dying souls by using us to share His gospel.  And Jesus wants to save those souls and make them His disciples through you.  How should we respond to this call of Jesus?  See the reaction of Peter and his brother Andrew: “At once they left their nets and followed him” (v. 20).  And see the reaction of James the son of Zebedee and his brother John: “and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him” (v. 22).  They immediately left their nets, their boats, or even their father, and followed Jesus.  We, too, must immediately leave everything behind at the call of Jesus and follow Him.  Therefore, I hope and pray that all of us will become fishers of men according to the promise of Jesus.