Normally an itinerate Jewish Rabbi didn’t invite people to become his disciples. Rather, a would-be disciple sought out the desired Rabbi. Customarily, it wasn’t “follow me” but “may I follow you?” Isn’t it interesting, then, that Jesus chose Peter, Andrew, James, John, Matthew (Mark 1:16-20; 2:13-14) and the others to become His disciples?
Jesus declared, “You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit” (John 15:16). Jesus took the initiative. This was true of the first disciples, and it’s true of you and me. “He chose us” (Ephesians 1:4).
Very early in Jesus’ earthly ministry, “as he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter), and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ‘Follow me,’ he told them, ‘and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:18–20).
With a prearranged, Heaven-planned, Divine appointment, Jesus strolled along the beach and spotted Peter and Andrew. The fishermen weren’t using graphite rods and fancy ZebCo reels, they were using a hand-made circular net, probably ten to fifteen feet in diameter. Expertly, they cast the net into the Sea to capture their prey.
As they worked, Jesus approached to say, “Follow me!” Jesus continued. “If you will follow in My footsteps, if you will be My disciples, I’ll teach, train, and transform you! You’ll become “fishers of men” (Mark 1:17, ESV).
Fishing was in their blood. It was all they knew. But when Jesus, the Messiah, invited them to become followers, students, disciples, “immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Peter was radically transformed! He sacrificed everything to become Jesus’ disciple.
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." (Jim Elliot)
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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