CSSA 1-4-03 - JESUS CALLS HIS FOLLOWERS

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78. JESUS CALLS HIS FOLLOWERS

"They forsook all and followed him."

Aim To show how Jesus began to choose his followers.

Jesus was thirty years old. He had three and a half more years in which to teach the people of Israel the gospel - the good news concerning the kingdom of God. During that time he drew twelve men closely around him to hear his words and to see the miracles which God had given him the power to do. Later, when he was taken from them, these same men would have to carry on the work of spreading the gospel.

John 1:35-51; Luke 5:1-11, 27-28; 6:13-16

THE DISCIPLES OF JOHN TALK WITH JESUS: John 1:20-42

Six weeks had passed since Jesus was baptised. The leaders of the Jews were plainly puzzled by what was happening. They sent some priests and Levites down from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist if he was the Christ. John's answer was clear: "I am not the Christ" (v20). He told them of one who would come after him who was much greater than he. John knew now who that one was, but Jesus had been gone nearly six weeks and John was waiting for him to come and show himself to the people.

The day after this John saw Jesus returning from the wilderness. As he came toward him, John pointed him out to his disciples, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (v29). John's disciples listened very intently to these words.

The following day when John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples, Andrew (Simon Peter's brother) and John, he saw Jesus and once again pointed him out as "the Lamb of God" (v36). So Andrew and John followed Jesus. He invited them to come with him and they talked with him all night. Imagine how eagerly they would have listened to his words.

Andrew was anxious to find his brother and tell him the exciting news: "We have found the Messiah" (v41). When Jesus set eyes on Simon, he said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas" (v42), that is, Peter. Jesus knew that this young man would be changed by all that he heard and saw. His name, too, would be changed to Peter, meaning a stone or rock, for he would become as steady as a rock in serving the Lord and be a leader amongst his followers.

JESUS GOES INTO GALILEE John 1:43-51

The following day Jesus went north to Galilee. There he found Philip and said: "Follow me" (v43). Philip joined the little party and later went and found his friend Nathanael. Philip too was excited. "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (v45). Nathanael was doubtful. He knew from his study of the prophets that Messiah would come from Bethlehem (see Mic. 5:2, which we know was fulfilled at the birth of the Lord Jesus). But Philip had seen Christ and urged his friend to "come and see" (v46). When Jesus saw Nathanael, he recognised him at once as a godly and sincere young man. "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee", the Lord said (v48). Nathanael was an honest man and knew that Philip must be right. "Rabbi, (that is, Master) thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel", he exclaimed (v49). What a wonderful understanding Nathanael already had, to recognise Jesus as the Son of God, the one promised to David to be king over Israel (see 2 Sam. 7:12-13).

FISHERS OF MEN: Luke 5:1-11

Simon, Andrew, James and John were fishermen. They had been out fishing all night on the lake of Galilee, but caught nothing. When morning came they brought in their boats and washed and mended their nets on the shore. Jesus was preaching on the lakeside and the crowd was so large that he went and sat in Simon's boat. He asked him to move it a little way offshore so that he could teach the people from the ship. When he had finished speaking, he said to Peter, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets" (v4) Peter thought it would be pointless, but still, because the Lord had asked him, he would do it. No sooner had they let down their net than it was filled with fish and the net broke. They called to James and John to come and help them. Soon there were so many fish that both the boats began to sink. Simon saw at once that it was a miracle. How ashamed he was now for he had been busy washing and mending his nets, while Jesus taught the people. He had been too busy to listen! If he was going to follow Jesus, he must count everything else unimportant. "Fear not", the Lord said, "from henceforth thou shalt catch men € (v10). God would provide their daily food, as this miracle had clearly shown. They must spend their time with people, teaching them about God's kingdom. So they brought their ships to land and "forsook all, and followed him"

CHOOSING TWELVE APOSTLES: Luke 6:12-16

Many people followed Jesus, listening intently to his teaching These were called "disciples", meaning "learners" or "ones who are taught. Of them all, Jesus chose twelve to be "apostles". An apostle is "one sent forth" with a message. The night before he chose these twelve, Jesus went up into a mountain to pray to God It was a most important decision and he needed God to guide him. He stayed all night in the mountain, praying. Then, when the morning came, he called his disciples to him and named the twelve Lists of these apostles are found in Matt. 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19 Acts 1:13, 26 and Luke 6:13-16.

The twelve apostles are:

Simon Peter
Andrew, his brother
James, the son of Zebedee.
John, the brother of James
Philip
Thomas
Matthew

James, the son of Alphaeus.
Thaddaeus (called Lebbaeus, or Judas of James).
Simon (called Zelotes or the Canaanite).
Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus).
Bartholomew.

They were not the sort of men the world would choose for its leaders. They were not well-educated or rich, but the Lord knew their hearts and he was the best teacher they could have. Only one proved to be faithless - Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed his Lord. He was later replaced by Matthias (see Acts 1:26).

THE TWELVE SENT FORTH: Matthew 10:5-8

The Lord sent out the twelve apostles to preach, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (v7). This was the message which must be delivered to all Israel. It was not yet time for the Gentiles to hear it, but Jesus said, "Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v6). He was the shepherd and the sheep must be drawn to him. He gave them also power to perform miracles, so that those to whom they preached would be convinced that the message came from God. "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (v8).

THEIR REWARD: Matthew 19:28-29

What a great responsibility the apostles had, but what a great privilege as well. During their lifetime they suffered much for the things they believed, yet Jesus on one occasion told them of the wonderful work they would perform in the kingdom because they "forsook all and followed him". "Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (v28). What a wonderful hope this is. All who forsake the things of this life and follow him will receive many blessings, the greatest of which will be, "Ye shall inherit everlasting life" (v29).

LESSON FOR US

We must try to be disciples of Jesus, learning of his ways and listening to the word of God carefully, so that we can obey Him. To do this we must forsake those things which will take up too much of our time.

Jesus spoke of the great reward that will be given to those who "forsake all and follow him", saying that they "shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Matt. 19:29). If we forsake the things of the world and put God first in our lives and obey Him, He will care for us and bless us now. Then, when Jesus returns, we shall receive immortality in the Kingdom.

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