
Matthew 4:18-22
Introduction
Many of us here have made a personal decision to follow Jesus. We recognized that we didn’t want to walk through this life without Him any longer. We knew there had to be more than hard knocks and face plants, and for many of us, when we said yes to following Jesus though our circumstances may not have quickly changed, a miracle took place in our hearts. The most challenging areas in life are often not the things on the outside but the things that happen to us on the inside. Outward abuse is horrendous, but the pain, suffering, and agony on the inside is often the most unbearable.
When Jesus invited His first disciples to join Him, He said, “Follow Me.” Those disciples responded by dropping everything and doing just that (Mt. 4:18-22). They left everything, and by doing so, they were making a promise to complete the course and finish this new assignment. By following Jesus, they agreed to be His students. He became their Rabbi. They often called Him this, which means “teacher.” They recognized Him as their teacher and leader and committed to be His disciples.? What does it mean to follow Jesus? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus?
What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?
• The first thing Jesus said to His disciple Peter was, “Follow Me” (Mt. 4:19).
• One of the last things that Jesus said to Peter was also, “follow Me” (Jn. 21:22).
• Though they sound the same in English, in Ancient Greek, they are not.
• The first time Jesus said this to Peter (Mt. 4:19), it was a formal and persuasive invitation to become Jesus’ disciples.
• These four disciples were committed to learning from Jesus. They recognized Him as a teacher.
• When Jesus was saying, “Follow Me.” He was saying, “I want you to learn from Me.”
• The last time Jesus told Peter to follow Him, it was more like a plea. Jesus had just finished a vital conversation restoring Peter and His relationship. Just like Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked Him three times if he loved Him. Each of those statements of love from Peter to Jesus canceled his failures (Jn. 21:15-19).
• While they were walking and talking, Peter noticed John following behind them and turned his attention to John (Jn. 21:20).
• In response, Jesus gives this last word of instruction to Peter. In today’s language, Jesus responded, “It doesn’t matter about anyone else. You follow Me.”
• This last command sounds like the first, but His tone and intent differed. With love, compassion, and purpose, the Lord says, “Peter, don’t worry about anyone else. Just stay close to Me.”
What is a Disciple of Jesus?
• Simply put, being a disciple of Jesus is to be a whole-hearted follower of Jesus.
• Being a disciple of Jesus means we learn from Him and stay close to Him.
How Do We Learn and Stay Close?
- We learn by listening closely to His teachings (Mt.4:23). It is how He discipled His followers. Jesus’ final commandment to His disciples emphasized His teachings (Mt 28:19-20).
- Jesus-followers learn by hearing, studying, and applying the written Word of God to their lives.
- Jesus’ disciples learn from Him by doing what He said. He expected His followers to put what He taught them into practice in their lives. He wanted His disciples to apply the truth of what He taught.
- Jesus’ disciples stay close to Him by personally spending time in His Word. Jesus spent quantity and quality time with His disciples. Being a disciple of Jesus means spending time with Him.
- Jesus’ disciples stay close to Him by making prayer a priority. There was one other essential element of Jesus’ ministry with His followers: He prayed (Lk. 9:18), He taught them to pray (Lk. 11:1-4), and He expected them to pray (Lk 22:39-46). True disciples of Jesus will be characterized by a healthy prayer life.
Conclusion
Why Does all of this matter? Jesus expects His disciples to follow Him: to learn from Him and to stay close to Him. That’s what He wanted from His followers during His earthly ministry, and that is what He wants from His disciples today. This world is full of challenges, heartbreak, and moments of despair. However, life as a true disciple of Jesus also comes with inner peace and joy. As we continue to learn from Jesus and stay close to us, He renews our minds. With renewed minds, we are able to deal with the world around us with a new perspective. We see people differently. We love differently, and we experience life differently. In a few minutes, we will witness people who are part of our congregation walk out part of the Great Commission we read about today. They are saying I want to learn and stay close to Jesus. This is what followers of Jesus look like. Let’s celebrate with them.
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