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Matthew 4:18-22
INTRODUCTION:
Consider what comes to mind when you think about a politician, a CrossFit fanatic or a millennial.
Odds are you have certain mental associations with each.
Now, what comes to mind when you hear the word Christian?
Odds are you associate that word with certain characteristics as well.
The broader culture also forms impressions of what a Christian is and whether or not they are one.
The first followers of Jesus didn’t call themselves Christians.
It was a derogatory term used by people outside of the faith.
In Acts 11:26, we see that the first Christians were known as disciples.
The word Christian is used three times in the whole Bible; the word disciple is used 281 times.
Disciple is a far more accurate and compelling description of what it means to follow Jesus.
And, as we will see, the concept of a disciple exposes the fact that many who claim to be Christians are not actually disciples of Jesus.
MAIN TEXT:
Matthew 4:18-22
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
All Hebrew boys went to Torah school starting at age 5.
By age 10, all young boys knew the Torah and the best students went on to study the remainder of the Old Testament.
The rest returned home to work in their families’ businesses.
At about age 17, if you wanted to go on and make a career out of religious studies, your next step was to find a rabbi you admired and apply to become one of his disciples (Heb.
talmidim).
When you found one, you would go and sit at his feet.
That was your request to learn.
And the rabbi would examine you with questions and put you through a series of tests to see if you were worthy to be his disciple.
The rabbis could choose the smartest, most talented boys to be their disciples.
Another reason the rabbis were so picky is that when they chose a disciple, they were choosing someone whom they believed could become just like them—to not just know what they knew, but to do what they did.
For several years, these young disciples (Heb.
talmidim) would follow their rabbis, imitating them in every way.
The goal of a disciple was to be like the rabbi.
I. JESUS DOESN’T CALL THE BEST, HE CALLS THE WILLING.
(Matthew 4:18)
A- Jesus called those who were willing.
1- By men’s standards, Jesus chose the “W” Team.
(Matthew 10:1-4)
a. Jesus, called Peter, Andrew, James and John who were fishermen.
b.
Jesus also called Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus,* Simon (the zealot*) and Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
(1) They weren’t the best of the best.
They were not the kind of disciples that a normal rabbi would choose.
(2) John MacArthur: “God skipped all the wise 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.
He chose men so ordinary it was comical.
No Rabbis, no teachers, no religious experts...”
(3) These were guys without much potential or personal power—to follow Him and to become like Him, to know God like He knew God, to know what He knew, to do what He did and be filled with His power!
(4) Jesus chose the B-team because His work in the world wouldn’t come from their abilities for Him, but from what He would do through them.
People with a lot of talent and ability would only get in the way because they would never learn to lean on His power.
Jesus taught that His power in the weakest vessel was infinitely greater than the greatest talent without Him.
God wants to use you in your family, at your workplace.
Stop making excuses that you are not able.
He doesn’t need your ability; He requires only your availability.
As we often say, He doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.
Have you made yourself available?
(5) Note what the Apostle Paul says about this:
(1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
II.
JESUS CALLED US FOR A PURPOSE. (Matthew 4:19)
A- Jesus called us to follow Him.
1- The call is to be Christ’s disciple.
a- The normal way this all went down is that if you were among the best of your class, you applied to a rabbi, and if he liked what he saw, he’d choose you back.
Now, his selection gave them a great deal of confidence.
If they were struggling, they could say, “Ah, but my rabbi believed in me!
He chose me.”
Illustration: Saul of Tarsus learned from Gamaliel.
(Acts 22:3)
b- Jesus started the process back even further.
They didn’t even come to sit at His feet.
He came seeking them when they weren’t even looking for Him.
c- Jesus calls us without effort on our part to seek him.
(John 15:16)
B- Following Him means being with Him.
(John 12:26)
1- The disciple’s role was follow their rabbi, imitating him in every way.
The goal of a disciple was to be like the rabbi.
2- He didn’t tell them where they were going or what assignment He had for them.
His primary call is not to do something; it is to become like Him.
3 -For you and I, our goal is to become like Jesus.
To become like Jesus, you have to know Him.
To know Him, you have to know His Word.
Get His Word inside of you until it dominates all your thinking and all your behavior.
Until you think it and talk it and quote it.
(2 Timothy 2:15)
III.
TO FOLLOW JESUS, WE HAVE TO LEAVE ALL.
(Matthew 4:20-22)
A- Following Jesus means that we must choose Jesus and His desires above all else.
1- Why identify these two things?
Because these are usually the two most significant things in our lives:
• Boat: Our careers (the way we take care of ourselves)
• Father: Our most significant human relationships
2- To follow Jesus, He has to take precedence over both.
Most of you won’t literally lose your father and mother over Jesus ... Some might.
For some, God may tell you to change careers.
Maybe God will tell you transfer your job to be part of a church plant.
Or leave your job and carry the gospel overseas.
For many of you, it probably won’t be that dramatic.
But you’ll have moments where you decide which holds greater sway over your life.
Acts 1:8 becomes your life challenge.
IV.
HE COMMANDS US TO SPIRITUALLY REPRODUCE.
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