I have decided to follow Jesus

The disciples were a band of misfits and this is not me trying to be funny. This is a known fact. They were not your typical scholarly religious leaders. We know that they were fishermen, tax collector, terroist, racist, doubter, traitors, intreverts, extraverts among many other things.

But why did Jesus pick them and why did they follow Him?

1. The disciples were taught to look for the fulfilling prophecies.

Even though they were common folk the truth was the truth.

John 1:35–37 NLT

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

John 1:35–36

The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

John

2. The disciples wanted to investigate and even interrogate Him.

John 1:35–36 NLT

35 The following day John was again standing with two of his disciples. 36 As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and declared, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

They needed to know, wanted to know and had made up in their minds they were going to find out the truth.

John 1:38–39 NLT

Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place where he was staying, and they remained with him the rest of the day.

John 1:38

3. The disciples wanted others to know about Him.

The community at large needed to see if this is who He really claims to be.

John 1:40–46 NLT

Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, follow me.” Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, “We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth.” “Nazareth!” exclaimed Nathanael. “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “Come and see for yourself,” Philip replied.

John 1:40-46

4. The disciples saw Him prophesy to Nathanael who He had never had contact with.

Jesus was revealing himself (The Christ, Godhead, Anointed One) before He ever did one miracle for them.

John 1:47–50 NLT

As they approached, Jesus said, “Now here is a genuine son of Israel—a man of complete integrity.” “How do you know about me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus replied, “I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you.” Then Nathanael exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!” Jesus asked him, “Do you believe this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.”

John 1:47-

5. The disciples are being introduced to salvation through Jesus

to God.

You can’t reach those who are lost until you decide to get on the right path to be found.

John 1:51 NLT

Then he said, “I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth.”

Luke 5:1–11 NLT

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Luke 5:1

6. Your test is your testimony, God wants to become real to you. The question is wil you let Him?

Will you allow Him to take you to that next level in your walk with him, will you allow him to show you even when it seems like he’s not there that He is with you? God’s desire is for all to come to know Him as their personal savior. This is the only way to heaven and without you accepting Jesus into your heart as your personal savior then you will not come to know God.