Jesus Calls His First Disciples - Matthew 4:18-22
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Reflection: As Jesus calls His first disciples we must note several things. First he does not do it in Jerusalem, the religious courts, or by King Herod, in the fine estate of the royal place; but by the Sea of Galilee, the greatest of the seven seas it has been said. In the last chapter Jesus preached to everyone about the availibilty of the kingdom, and this instance makes a specific call on the disciples who would be the first apostles.
Jesus takes ordinary, hard working men and transforms their lives to do something for the kingdom. For it is not the wise and noble God calls, but faithfulness and obedience are what our Lord looks for. He calls them in the midst of their work. Notice they were not goofing off but working these two sets of brothers. James and John were in their boat with their dad and mending nets. Not going off and getting new ones, but being frugal and mending the old ones in faithfulness to their father.
Jesus meets them where they were at. Just as David in the Old Testament proved the faithful shepherd by defending the sheep from the bear in the field, these disciples were prepared in their diligence to what God had called them to. And we see the specific call that Jesus says "I will make you fishers of men." When Christ sets apart his workers for the gospel we become his apprentice much like James and John had followed their father. Apprentice is probably the best translation for what it means to be a disciple. An apprentice spends years learning the trade from the master and so the disciples spent three years with the master learning how to figs for people.
And still today Jesus is calling us out from our ordinary jobs to fish for people. As we train from our master and a few of his other apprentices here on earth we are equipped to fish for people. At the end of this book the Great Commission will be to go and make disciples of all nations. A large task and that is why Jesus calls us all to be part of this in some way, whether it be in full time ministry, or as you see your vocation as a way to serve Jesus in the world and fish for people.
Most importantly God uses the foolish things of the world like you and me to show that this magnificent power to change a human life comes from Him alone. To God be the glory forever and ever amen.
18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Reflection: As Jesus calls His first disciples we must note several things. First he does not do it in Jerusalem, the religious courts, or by King Herod, in the fine estate of the royal place; but by the Sea of Galilee, the greatest of the seven seas it has been said. In the last chapter Jesus preached to everyone about the availibilty of the kingdom, and this instance makes a specific call on the disciples who would be the first apostles.
Jesus takes ordinary, hard working men and transforms their lives to do something for the kingdom. For it is not the wise and noble God calls, but faithfulness and obedience are what our Lord looks for. He calls them in the midst of their work. Notice they were not goofing off but working these two sets of brothers. James and John were in their boat with their dad and mending nets. Not going off and getting new ones, but being frugal and mending the old ones in faithfulness to their father.
Jesus meets them where they were at. Just as David in the Old Testament proved the faithful shepherd by defending the sheep from the bear in the field, these disciples were prepared in their diligence to what God had called them to. And we see the specific call that Jesus says "I will make you fishers of men." When Christ sets apart his workers for the gospel we become his apprentice much like James and John had followed their father. Apprentice is probably the best translation for what it means to be a disciple. An apprentice spends years learning the trade from the master and so the disciples spent three years with the master learning how to figs for people.
And still today Jesus is calling us out from our ordinary jobs to fish for people. As we train from our master and a few of his other apprentices here on earth we are equipped to fish for people. At the end of this book the Great Commission will be to go and make disciples of all nations. A large task and that is why Jesus calls us all to be part of this in some way, whether it be in full time ministry, or as you see your vocation as a way to serve Jesus in the world and fish for people.
Most importantly God uses the foolish things of the world like you and me to show that this magnificent power to change a human life comes from Him alone. To God be the glory forever and ever amen.
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