"Follow Me" Jesus' Invataion to Us All

"At once they left their nets and followed him" Mark:1:18

After Jesus' return form demonstrating that He and He alone is the Messiah  in theWilderness of Judea , Jesus now comes to Galilee and there upon the shores  of the sea Jesus calls His first Disciples. At His call  we are told in the Gospel of Mark that they "At once" follow Him. Many marvel  what might have spurred them to "at once" leave behind their occupations and families, all  that  has been a part of their lives for so long, leave it and  to become followers of Jesus. Some consider was it a "power"  which took them and that they would have no power to resist or was it that Jesus' personalty was such they could not say no? Understanding the answer,  answers many questions about this moment and the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Rabbinical Offer

To understand this moment of calling  of the disciples it is important that we know just a little about the  culture and spiritual climate of the day. In that day among the Jews only an "ordained"  "licensed" Rabbi could issue and invitation to become a disciple that is a special student .This was no small honor in those days to receive this invitation from a Rabbi. It was a symbol of status and prestige  and not one to be passed up, this explains why the disciples would "at once" clime out of their boats and follow Jesus, and they do so with apparently no objections from  Zebedee, he too seems to recognize that this was a great opportunity and honor for his sons to receive  the  invitation to"follow me"  issued by Jesus.

Rabbi Jesus

It is important to note that Jesus was addressed as "Rabbi" , even from John the Baptist public endorsement of Jesus as the "lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" John:1:29

We are told that some of John's disciples  became interested in Jesus after Jesus' baptism by John and decided to have a conversation with Him to see what He had to say.

"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" and He said come and see" John:1:38

At Jesus' meeting with Nathaniel, Nathaniel acknowledges Jesus  and called Him Rabbi "Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel." John:1:49

Even Nicodemus a Pharisee and a respected member of the Sanhedrin,  which was the ruling council of the Jews, grants Jesus this recognition of calling Him Rabbi.

 "He, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." John:3:2

This  title of Rabbi was acknowledged only to those to whom it belonged, it was not given to just anyone just because they claimed it,  it had to be conferred upon them by the teachers of the Word of God..  If Jesus truly were not a Rabbi they would not have called Him so,   however,  in an act of  contempt brought on by jealousy and posturing the religious leaders attempt to dismiss Jesus as being "unlearned" .

The Silent Years

Understanding that Jesus was a Rabbi answers many questions, some in regards as to what He was doing in the silent years between His  conversation with the teachers of the Temple at twelve years of age and His reemergence on the banks of that Jordan at age thirty to be baptized and to receive the Baptists' public endorsement .  

It was customary that when a boy was accepted to and entered Rabbinical school, that  they did so at about age twelve and completed the schooling at about age thirty , this accounts for the silent years of the Gospels , but we see with a little understanding of the times in which the Holy Scripture were written that they are not as silent as we may first believe.

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them" Luke:2:41-48

It is possible for us to view Jesus' conversation with Temple teachers as being His entrance interview for Rabbinical training which would  have positioned  Jesus later in life to circulate among the spiritual leadership of  Israel and to open doors to Synagogue pulpits around the nation giving Him a platform of legitimacy that His opponents could not legally reproach Him for. He was a legally ordained  Rabbi and there was nothing they could do about it.

Making the Tour 

In Israel two thousand years ago , after rabbinical student graduated and were ordained they generally received invitations  to make a tour of Synagogues preaching and teaching giving the  Jewish people an opportunity to hear  the new teachers and see what each had to say. We see that Jesus follows  this pattered after calling His first disciples.

Here at the Capernaum Synagogue Jesus provided them with not just His grasp of the word of God teaching with power  but also demonstrates His power and authority over even the demonic,  bringing forgiveness,  healing and life.

"They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee." Mark:1:21-28

"Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him." Matthew:4:23-25

Follow Me

The Disciples of Jesus recognized the great opportunity that our Lord offered them It was a true honor, they saw in His invitation to "follow me "  what they sought in life , they knew Jesus' call had a value to it so much so that they left everything and went with Him. What about us? Especially we Christians,  do we understand our Lords' invitation to be the great honor that it truly is? Are we each willing to be like the disciples who

 "At once they left their nets and followed him." Mark:1:18 

Will we leave the boats of  our lives behind and follow Jesus to join Him in His work. Consider if we each and all accepted Jesus' invitation for the great honor it is, if we did,  there would not be  an empty seat in the pews  each church would be filled to capacity. An empty seat  would be the exception not the norm. Our churchesthe world over would be filled with persons who were involved with the ministry of Jesus, we would share His invitation to any and to all as we had opportunity to do so.

Jesus has bestowed upon Christians that we can receive in this life He has given us the invitation to "follow me"  will be like his disciples who "at once left their nets and followed Him"  or do we stay in the boat of our lives pursuing our own business?

Where ever you are today hear the invitation of Jesus to "come and follow Me"   it is a great honor Jesus gives to us. Amen

Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor

The Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus

Washington, Pennsylvania.   www.gcfountainoflife.org

The Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM  in the Arden Fair Grounds area of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela, Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com