Welcome to another lesson from the Gospel of Mark. Today’s story is a powerful example for all of us. It is the short account of Jesus calling a few disciples. Jesus invites them to follow Him, so they immediately drop what they are doing and go with Jesus. This invitation remains open to everyone.
Today, we will examine the steps the disciples took as they decided to follow Jesus. As J Mark shares this lesson with us, think about your walk with Jesus and how you are following Him. Turn to Mark 1 and follow along as J Mark teaches from this chapter.
I’m a history enthusiast, so I’ve read numerous books and watched many films related to World War II. I recall a movie where a group of soldiers had to cross a minefield. Before they began, their commanding officer reminded them to walk very carefully, placing their feet directly in his footsteps to avoid the mines and certain death.
Unfortunately, one of the men lost his balance and stumbled. Not only did that soldier lose his life, but the explosion also gave away their position to their enemies and put the lives of the whole squad in jeopardy. One man’s failure affected the entire group.
Learning how to follow well is a skill we all need to develop. However, because we’re born with a sinful nature, our greatest motivation is to follow our desires, to pursue what we want. If that motivation is left unchecked, it will ultimately destroy us.
As we continue our study, we come to the account of Jesus calling the first disciples. Mark’s record is brief, yet it provides a clear picture for us of what following Jesus entails. So, my title is also short: “Following Jesus.” The text for our consideration is Mark 1:16-20.
16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.
20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and went after Him.
In this text, Jesus outlines a series of STEPS to put us on the path to follow Him. Those steps are the call, the commission, and the commitment. We will sift through each of these.
The First STEP (on the path to following Jesus) is,
The Call
After Jesus had overcome all of Satan’s temptations in the wilderness of Judea, He made his way back to Galilee. As our text opens, Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee. We know enough about Jesus to realize that this wasn’t a random walk. Jesus said in John 5:30, “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” His walk had a purpose; it was a divine appointment.
As he walks by the Sea of Galilee, he observes Simon and Andrew, two brothers, casting a net into the sea. That’s all the information Mark gives us in this introduction.
As they’re working, Jesus says to them, “Come, follow Me.” Come can be a word of invitation or a word of command. He was inviting them into His life—into His experience. He was saying, “Follow me and see where I’m going.” They accepted His offer.
You and I are not Jewish, we’re not fishermen, we don’t live in Galilee, and we live in a very different era of time. But this first step along the path to following Jesus is the same for us. It is the invitation, “Come, follow Me.”
Notice that Jesus initiates the call to follow. No one becomes a disciple of Jesus on their initiative. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to Me except the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him at the last day.” The invitation originates with God and Jesus; all you and I can do is respond with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. In this way, we’re no different than these four men.
Like these men, we too have our daily work. Like them, we’ve been invited to follow Jesus. If you haven’t heard Jesus’ invitation, it is still valid today. Like them, we must decide how we’ll respond to the call. Like them, we don’t know where this call may lead us. We must, like them, consider the cost. And ultimately, we too can become “fishers of men.”
Have you responded to Jesus’ call to discipleship? In the setting of our text, these men revered Jesus as a Rabbi, a Teacher. In that time, the students became followers. The teacher didn’t just impart facts; he taught by example. So, Jesus’ invitation, His call for these men to follow Him, was a call to pattern their lives after His. That call is still the same after all these years. Have you heard His call? What is your response?
The Next STEP (on the path to following Jesus) is,
The Commission
A commission is a charge or a grant of authority. So, Jesus said, “If you follow Me, I will make you become fishers of men.” They were already seasoned fishermen who knew their business. We know this because, later, when Jesus gave them specific instructions on how to fish, they did it only because it was Jesus telling them what to do.
Do you ever wonder what may have gone through the minds of these men when Jesus spoke these words, “fishers of men?” They knew a lot about catching fish. First, you need to know the habits of the fish, how they respond to changing conditions, and where they’re likely to be at any given time. In the Sea of Galilee, the fishing was mostly done at night. Then you need the right equipment, such as a boat, nets, and so on. But as any fisherman can tell you, you can have all those things and still catch nothing.
It’s interesting that this commission to “catch” men appears very near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. And He echoes the same commission in a different form just before He ascended to the Father after His resurrection. There, He said, “Go and make disciples of all peoples…” So, fishing for men or making disciples was the primary reason for Jesus’ ministry.
Some people believe that evangelism is the main work of the church. I disagree. The goal of the Great Commission and the goal of the church are the same—to make disciples, not just converts. Most people who make an initial commitment to Christ never become disciples. That’s because we tend to shy away from difficult things, from suffering, from self-denial. Jesus said the path of discipleship is hard, and only a few will persevere to the end.
On this path of following Jesus, we’ve looked at the steps of the call and the commission.
The Last STEP (on the path to following Jesus) is,
The Commitment
The call or invitation has been given. The commission has been spelled out; this is what will happen if you accept the call. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John now faced a decision. What would they do, and how would they respond?
Mark says, “Immediately they left what they were doing and followed Jesus.” Simon Peter and Andrew were working, going about their daily tasks, minding their own business. When they followed Jesus, they were leaving behind the security of their occupation and the familiarity of their daily routines. They were setting out on a journey with an unknown destination.
In the case of James and John, they were working with their father and the hired men on mending their nets. These two were leaving behind the same things as Peter and Andrew, but Mark made an additional point of commitment. They were leaving behind relationships with family and business associates to follow (at this point) a largely unknown Rabbi.
If any of these men were the oldest sons in their families, they had responsibilities to their parents and siblings that were spelled out in the Law of Moses. So, this step they were taking was against cultural norms and their religious practice. Jesus later taught them that following Him was of paramount importance. Following Him would cost them family relationships, financial security, and religious acceptance.
These men followed Jesus. Because we have the whole record of the Gospels, we know their initial commitment was tested. We know they struggled with their prejudices, selfishness, and desires for prominence. They went from riding the crest of waves of popularity to the depths of rejection and hiding in fear. But through all the ups and downs, they stuck with Jesus – all of them except Judas. And Jesus remained committed to them.
I am so grateful that Jesus is the same today. We’re no different than these men we’ve met in our text today, nor the others who joined them later. We struggle with our prejudices, our selfishness, and our desires for prominence. We feel like our decision to follow Jesus should give us certain privileges or exempt us from inevitable hardships. But hopefully, through all the ups and downs, we remain faithful to Jesus. We are assured that Jesus remains committed to us.
Where are you on this path to following Jesus? Have you heard His invitation to follow Him? If not, I am offering it to you right now. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” To believe is to follow; it is to make the same choices Jesus would make.
Perhaps you’ve already accepted the call and understand the commission. But maybe life has turned out differently than you expected, and you’re somewhat disillusioned with it all. It turned out to be more complicated than you expected to keep following.
And then, what about your commitment? Maybe you’ve picked up some of the things you initially left behind to follow Jesus—the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, or unscriptural relationships. You can lay those things down again and follow Him with renewed zeal. This has been my experience. You don’t need to be perfect; you need to be committed!
To these men, Jesus was an unknown Rabbi. But there was something about Him that commanded their attention and their response. You and I have a much fuller revelation of Jesus than they did. So, we are more responsible. How are you following Jesus?
Thanks, J. Mark, for challenging us in our walk with Jesus. Thank you for sharing these three straightforward steps to follow Him. We encourage you to take the next step with Him. Where you are, trust Him, and take the next step. You won’t be disappointed.
If you want to contact us or if you have any questions about today’s lesson, please let us know. Here are a few ways to reach us. The best way is by email. Our email address is [email protected], and our website is heraldsofhope.org. On our page, click on the contact link located at the top right. From there, you can message us directly. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
It was great to be with you today; thank you again for being there. We wish you the best as you walk with Jesus and follow Him daily. With this lesson, my mind went to Psalm 23. We truly have a wonderful Shepherd, and He is trustworthy. Have a great day following the good Shepherd.
