Who's Your One?: One Earth as it is in Heaven
Who’s Your One? (Part III)
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Matthew 4:18-22 (ESV)
18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.
22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
One day, a man walked at the beach after a storm. Strong tides came in and out. As he strolled the shore, he noticed a little boy grabbing starfish from the sand and passionately throwing them into the water. The man was intrigued because the beach was literally littered with starfish. So, he approached the boy and asked, “What do you hope to accomplish?” “I’m saving starfish,” the boy answered, as he continued working. “But, son,” the man replied, “There are starfish everywhere. Do you think what you are doing will really make a difference?” Calmly, the boy picked another starfish and threw it into the sea. As he tossed the starfish into the water, he said, “It will matter to this one!”
Likewise, when we consider the overwhelming number of lost people around us, it is so easy to wonder if it is possible to truly make a difference. But the reality is that we are not really responsible for the multitudes that we have no control over. We simply have to be willing to take responsibility for the ones we can help. We must learn to do for the one what we wished we could do for the many. I would like us to watch this short video:
https://www.facebook.com/whosyour1/videos/vb.270373376979928/534400427083890/?type=2&theater
If you are familiar with the life of Jesus Christ, then you must be familiar with the last commandment that He left His disciples before He went back to heaven. Here it is:
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Examining this passage, there are two parts of the passage that Christians often take for granted. First, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This statement, first and foremost, is plainly establishing the absolute authority that belongs to Jesus Christ both in heaven and on earth. Why is this important? It is because our vision of Jesus will determine our response towards His commands. You see, is it not enough to only see Him as our Savior, He must also be our Sovereign Lord whom we are willing to obey no matter how difficult His commands may be.
Second, we are all commanded “to make disciples of all nations.” This is the main strategy that Jesus Christ has instituted in order to rebuild His Kingdom or dominion here on earth. As we all know, the dominion of the Devil on earth has caused so much pain and destruction on human lives, not only while they are alive, but for eternity. So, the only way we can oppose the Devil is by making sure that we win lost people one at a time and turn every single one of them as true disciples of Jesus Christ. We cannot ignore this strategy because precious lives are at stake.
On the basis of this mandate, as we continue our sermon series on “Who’s Your One?” I want us to revisit the concept of discipleship by studying together this passage that narrates how Jesus called four of His most prominent disciples – Peter, Andrew, James, and John. I believe that there are three precious lessons here that we need to understand about discipleship. Here are they:
I CHRIST IS NOT ASKING FOR OUR ABILITY, BUT OUR AVAILABILITY
The concept of discipleship was quite common during the time of the Lord Jesus Christ. During those times, all the Hebrew boys by the age of 5 will start attending the Torah school where they will begin studying and memorizing the first 5 books of the Old Testament. By the age of 10, the school will start assessing them to separate the best ones from the rest. Most of the time, only around 20 percent of them will be allowed to continue. Now, the ones selected who were the best will continue to study the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures until they reached 17 years old (Joshua to Malachi).
Well, when the students got to 17, there was a kind of another cut, and if you wanted to go on with your religious studies after that, then you have to find yourself a rabbi—a rabbi that you admired—and apply to become that rabbi’s talmid. Rabbi just means teacher. Talmid means disciple. It’s the Hebrew word for disciple. When you found your rabbi, you would go and sit at their feet. That was your request to learn from that rabbi, and the rabbis would examine you with a series of questions and put you through a series of tests to see if you were worthy to be their disciples. You see, the rabbis were able to be really selective because in those days, becoming a religious leader was the best of all possible jobs, and so almost every Hebrew boy dreamed of becoming a religious expert someday. However, Rabbis were so picky. They only want the smartest, the most talented ones to be their disciples. Do you know why they were so picky? It is because they were choosing somebody that they believed had the capacity to become just like them.
But what is amazing with what we are going to find in our passage is that when Jesus came along and started choosing His disciples, it is evident that his primary concern is not their ability, but their availability; He chose them not because they were the best, but because they were willing. Notice, these men were all fishermen and not experts in the Scriptures. Yet, Jesus Christ was willing to invest His time in molding and transforming them, so that they can be His useful instruments. John MacArthur has some great comments about this truth:
In choosing His disciples, Jesus skipped all the why’s of the day. The great scholars were in Egypt. The great library was in Alexandria. The great philosophers were in Athens. The powerful were in Rome. He passed over Herodotus, the historian. And Socrates, the great thinker. And Julius Caesar, the great ruler. He chose men to be His disciples so ordinary it was comical. Not a single rabbi. No teachers, no religious experts, not even a synagogue ruler. Half of them were fishermen. One was essentially an IRS agent and one of them was a former terrorist. He chose the B team because His work in the world would not come from their abilities for Him. It would come from what He would do through them and … see people with a lot of talent and ability would only get in the way because they would never really learn to lean into His power. You see, Jesus taught that His power in the weakest vessel was infinitely greater than the greatest talent apart from Him.
I love it because I know that just like Christ’s disciples we also don’t have a lot to offer God. What we need to ask though, is whether we are willing and available just like the first disciples.
Another important fact that we also need to emphasize in the passage is that Jesus chose them and not the other way. Now, based on the custom during that time, the would-be-disciples were the ones looking for teachers, but for Jesus, it was Him who took the initiative; He was the One who chose His disciples. He said this Himself:
John 15:16 (ESV)
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Think about it, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” Today, we are so familiar of big colleges recruiting athletes for their team. When my kids were younger, I remember watching with them this movie – The Air Up There. I’m not sure if you are familiar with this movie during the mid-1990s starring Kevin Bacon as the coach who went to Africa to recruit the son of the leader of the village. At first, the father was opposed to the idea that his son had to leave their village to go to the United States to play basketball. Eventually, he agreed because the coach was able to convince him that his son has so much potential to be a great player. I believe this principle gives us so much confidence today.
If God has chosen us, He probably had seen some great potential in us. This is definitely a great source of confidence in us realizing that God saw something in us that He can use in expanding His dominion on earth. However, we must be quick to acknowledge that we will never reach this potential not until we are willing to totally follow Him.
II CHRIST’S PRIMARY AGENDA IN FOLLOWING HIM IS TO BE WITH HIM
If you go back to verse 19, when Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to leave their fishing business, He made it plain to them, “follow me.” For me, this should be fundamental in our concept of true discipleship. Notice, in the text, Jesus did not tell them where they were going, or what assignment He had for them. He simply told them that they should be with Him. Obviously, His primary call to them is to get to know Him in order that they can be like Him.
This calling only becomes even clearer once it became official that His disciples will be appointed as His apostles:
Mark 3:13-14 (ESV)
13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.
14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach.
I would like to specifically highlight the statement in verse 14, “And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him.” These men will be walking with Him, spending time with Him. That’s one of the most important elements of following Jesus. They just walked with Him; asked Him questions; listened to His answers. They just spent time with Him. It is quite evident that the attachment to Him takes precedence to the carrying out of assignment to go out and preach.
One more very important concept from our text that is closely connected with this agenda of Christ is that in order for these four men to follow Him, they also need to leave behind their livelihood and other significant relationship. Notice verses 20 and 22:
· “Immediately they left their nets and followed him.” (v.20)
· “Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” (v.22)
When you examine these two statements, they both help us see that as these four men decided to follow Jesus, they also had to confront the fact that they will have to leave vital areas of their lives:
1) Their nets and boat refer to their career that sustains them in life.
2) Their father refers to their significant relationship.
Well, both had to be set aside because Jesus must take precedence in the life of His disciple. I really believe that in the process of following Jesus or getting to know Him, one of the most important truths we need to acknowledge is His Lordship over us. Someone who is starting in the faith will appreciate Him as the Savior, the One who died on the cross, so that He could give eternal life. But it would take deeper knowledge of the Word to allow Him to be the Sovereign ruler of our life. Without this understanding, true surrender to Christ will never be a part of a disciple’s life. And when true surrender is absent, obedience will be nonexistent.
Allow me to quote A.W. Tozer regarding the necessity of this spiritual surrender in our churches:
The present position of Christ in the Gospel churches may be likened to that of a king in a limited monarchy. He is lauded, supported. But His real authority is small. Nominally that king is head overall, but in every crisis someone else makes the decision.... Among the Gospel churches, Christ is now in fact little more than a beloved symbol. “All Hail the Power of Jesus” Name” is her official flag. But in the week-by-week services of the church and the day-by-day conduct of the members, someone else, not Christ, makes the decision.
Yes, to follow Jesus practically means knowing Him enough to the extent that we will allow Him to lead us in our journey, that obeying Him in everything becomes a primary consideration even when it’s difficult or it doesn’t make sense.
Now, is this really expected from New Testament disciples? The apostle John puts it clearly to us that our obedience to Him will show that you really know Him and love Him:
1 John 2:3-6 (ESV)
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
The critical question now is: “How can we know Him more?” Well, the best way to really know Him is by studying the Bible. This is the main reason why here in BCI, we provide our people with lots of opportunities to facilitate the study of the Bible. Besides, our regular Sunday worship, we have our E12 Discipleship process. I hope that all of you are taking advantage of the basic doctrinal studies that is being done by our leaders. There are also some additional venues like our Icthus Group for our 12-18-year-old teens, Table Group for College, or Upper Room for our Young Professionals. Early next year, every Thursday, I will be starting a study on Systematic Theology as well. These are all great prospects being offered by our church, so we can help in leading our people to get to know Him more.
III CHRIST’S TRUE DISCIPLES SEEK SPIRITUAL FRUITS
Lastly, in verse 19, Jesus plainly defined His ultimate goal to those who will follow Him - “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
We will definitely appreciate the way Jesus communicated this truth. Since He was addressing to men whose lives had been all about catching fish because that was their livelihood, He used the same concept, but changes the object of their fishing. Instead of catching fish, He will help them become fishers of men.
Have you ever considered the similarities about catching fish and catching men? Pastor Eddy Williams of Tampa Baptist Church highlighted at least four of them:
· Fishing requires that we go where the fish are or at least where the fish should be. You are not going to catch fish sitting in your house in front of the TV. - So, we need to be more intentional in praying and planning to reach the people that we need to reach for Christ.
· If you are fishing with a rod and reel (hook and line) to catch fish, then you have to use the right bait! – So, we need to be familiar with the people we are trying to reach in order to know the best way to approach them.
· If you are fishing with nets for fish, then you have to go fishing at the right time – you normally don’t fish with nets during the daytime (because the fish can see the nets). – So, we need to be sensitive and learn the best time to witness to them. Right timing is important!
· The best fishermen usually are the ones who have spent time learning how to fish from other very good fisherman! - So, we need to be trained to share the Gospel. Let other believers teach you how to share your faith effectively.
Of course, this is not only true with them; it is also an essential part in our discipleship. Every one of us who have seriously followed the Lord Jesus must seek to win people to Jesus Christ. They are the fruits of genuine discipleship. Christ Himself said:
John 15:8 (ESV)
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
If you want to prove that you are indeed a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you have to bear fruit. Jesus also added that this would glorify the Father.
As I close, I want to go back where I started talking about Christ having all authority on earth and in heaven. The bottom line is that if we acknowledge His authority, then we will submit and obey. If we reject this authority, then we will rebel and disobey. Dr. Paul David Tripp has perfectly conveyed the importance of this for us:
You will never find fulfillment of heart on the far side of rebellion. True rest of heart is always found in submission to the Savior.
Beloved, discipleship is the heartbeat of Jesus Christ. We cannot say that we are submissive to Him without making efforts in discipling others for Him.