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True
Discipleship
The first chapter of Mark records the following about Andrew and Simon:
“And immediately they left their nets and followed Him” (v.18). Then,
this is said concerning James and John: “...and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him” (v.20).
Some have been confused as to why these four men would literally drop
everything to follow Jesus, when on the surface this appeared to be
their first encounter with the Savior. It has been pointed out (and
correctly so) by others that this certainly was not their initial
meeting with Jesus -- that at least three (if not all four) had already
become disciples of Jesus at Bethany beyond the Jordan (cf. John
1:35-42).
We should not allow our knowledge of this sequence of events, however,
to lessen on ourselves the effect of these disciples’ actions. Notice
what they did when Jesus called. They reacted “immediately” to His
calling. They left both their family and their job (they fished for a
living, not for recreation). Then, they followed Jesus.
That which characterized Simon, Andrew, James, and John must as well
characterize true followers of Jesus today. Jesus calls today through
His word (2 Thessalonians 2:14). When He calls we must do immediately
all that He says. We cannot hesitate, deciding whether or not to obey.
Nor can we approach His word “cafeteria style,“ filtering each and every
command through our minds -- accepting this one but rejecting that one,
agreeing with this one but refusing that one. True disciples completely
trust the Lord and, therefore, immediately obey when He calls.
Further, when Jesus calls we must put Him above all else. Just as these
four left their nets to follow Jesus continuously, so we must be willing
to give up our jobs (if it were to come to it) in order to follow Him.
Just as James and John left their father in the boat, we too must put
God before family. We must be willing to give up everything, even “house
or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or
lands,” Jesus said, “for My sake and the gospel's...” (Mark 10:29).
Are you a true disciple of Jesus? Would you immediately obey the Lord,
leaving all to follow Him?
--Mike Noble
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