COME! FOLLOW!

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MUSINGS - December 30, 2018

COME! FOLLOW!

Matthew 4:18-22
As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish." They immediately left their nets and followed him. As Jesus went on, he saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee preparing their nets to go fishing. He called them, and they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.

Jesus said, "Follow me." and they did! They literally dropped everything that mattered to them, their family and their livelihood. And what was their enticement? "I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish." Did they have even an inkling of what that meant? I doubt it. But when God the Son commands, "Come!" they came.

Not everyone that was called came. Matthew 19:20-22
The young man replied, "I have obeyed all these commandments. What else do I need to do?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, sell what you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!" When the young man heard this, he went away sad because he owned a lot of property. What did Jesus ask of this man that he did not ask of the others? Nothing! Jesus always asks that he be our only true treasure. Luke 14:26-27
"If people come to me and are not ready to abandon their fathers, mothers, wives, children, brothers, and sisters, as well as their own lives, they cannot be my disciples. So those who do not carry their crosses and follow me cannot be my disciples.

It is my strong belief that the gift of free will is the only thing that we have that truly belongs to us. And that is the one thing that God requires us to give the him. "Not my will but thine." We have to give Him permission to override our free will. This is what Jesus was looking for in those first disciples. And it is still what he is looking for in me and you.

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