Friday, May 25, 2012

From Routine Day Job to Following Jesus: Matthew 4 Cont'd


water cave rocks

Jesus Begins His Ministry

When Jesus heard John had been imprisoned, He went to Galilee, likely to continue John's work: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” sound familiar? Another instance in which the Savior of the world backs up ordinary people.

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John. Jesus selects the least likely to be his “co-pastors,” not those already set-up for the task at hand but those with potential. God has no great need for qualification or skill, simply a willingness to obey, which they showed. The word says they left “immediately.” Had it been most of us, one would imagine a bit more protesting and doubt. No consideration for job security or safety, just an uncanny trust in the Word, Jesus Himself (John 1:1).

Jesus Ministers to Great Crowds

If you've ever seen one of those coming-to-fame movies, then you'll recognize the “woah” moment. Its the point when people discover how talented a nobody is, and so they make them a celebrity, a somebody. Their simple life is gone, because people won't allow them a moment's rest. Jesus' early disciples must have had a few “woah” moments of their own when the healings began, one can imagine they felt proud to be associates of Jesus (thank you very much), but Jesus would not be their celebrity. He wanted to be their Lord and King, a less popular miracle.

Questions:

  1. What does it look like when Jesus is Lord over someone's life?
  2. Does your life look like that? Why or why not?
  3. We see the disciples of Jesus leave everything to follow him. If you were one of their co-workers what would it look like, their abrupt exit? How would you have advised them?
  4. What makes it difficult for you to follow Jesus wholeheartedly?

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