The First Disciples (Matthew 13:47-52; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42)
Matthew 4:18-22 “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” And at once they left their nets and followed Him.
Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.”
Before Jesus ever moved to Capernaum, he spent a lot of time in prayer, asking his Heavenly Father for guidance. On the face of it, Capernaum didn’t seem like a profitable base for ministry; however, God assured him that it had to be Capernaum. Now Jesus has moved to Capernaum and is walking along the Sea of Galilee, watching the fishermen casting their nets. The fishermen are busy and have little interest in this stranger walking along the shore. Everybody has heard about this carpenter who has moved in from Nazareth, but nobody knows what he’s up to. So far he hasn’t opened a shop, and he just seems to walk around town. But those who have met him can’t stop talking about him. There’s something about this man that draws people to him, especially children and animals, any kind of animal.
Now Jesus stops to watch as Peter and Andrew repeatedly cast their net into the sea. Peter straightens up and looks into a face with the most loving expression he has ever seen. Seeing that Peter is standing still, Andrew also looks at Jesus and is immediately entranced. “Come, follow Me,” Jesus says, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Suddenly, nothing seems more appropriate to Peter and Andrew than dropping their nets, bringing the boat to shore, and leaving it to follow Jesus.
A little further down the beach, James and John are sitting with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. As Jesus, Peter, and Andrew walk by, Jesus calls out to James and John, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Amazed, Zebedee watches as his two sons carefully finish mending the holes on which they have been working, lay the nets down, and kiss him on the cheek before following Jesus. Their fishing careers are over, and they are walking into their future.
This story is so short and so simple that it almost seems ridiculous; yet, this is the way God sometimes moves in people’s lives. One moment, those people are going about their routine tasks, and in the next moment, their lives have changed forever. When Saul the ultimate Pharisee encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, the glory of the risen Christ was so magnificent that Saul was struck blind for three days and had to be prayed for by a believe in Damascus.
One October Sunday in 1981, I walked into a double wide trailer in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. I thought I was there simply to visit that mission congregation; however, God had selected me as their pianist. A few days later, I met the man who would become my husband, and God kept bringing both of us to more decision points where He provided quiet guidance. You know when God is calling you because suddenly there seems to be only one decision you can make, and you have peace about it.
Much has been written about Jesus’ actual appearance-was he swarthy? Was he short? Was he handsome? As a Jew, Jesus probably had dark hair and black eyes and an olive-skinned complexion. As a carpenter and a stone mason, Jesus would have been muscular, although not possessing the kind of physique that would win body building contests. None of that speculation is actually important. What’s really important is that the man Jesus was one of the most charismatic figures ever known. When Jesus called people, there was an instant connection. Later we will see this same thing happen with Matthew and the other disciples, and it is Matthew, the former tax collector, who is recording this story for us.
Why did Jesus choose fishermen for his first four disciples? Those fishermen were hard-working, successful, independent businessmen who were used to rough conditions and facing all kinds of problems. But more than those physical attributes, God the Father was advising Jesus all the while. “Jesus, why not walk down by the shore? Jesus, see those two men in that boat? Call to them. Jesus, see those two men mending nets? Call them as well. These men will be your first disciples. Just wait and see what I am going to do with them! You won’t believe it.”
What’s important about this story? When you are entering a ministry, you need to be careful about your helpers, praying and asking God for guidance. You also need to realize that God’s choice of helpers and yours might be radically different. God is always working in people’s lives and He wants to bring people out of themselves so they can fulfill His perfect will for their lives. Sometimes God gives people opportunities when we would rather leave them alone! God knows the potential each person has and He is always trying to prod that person into being better than they think they can be.
These verses tell the very beginning of the story of Peter and Andrew and James and John as disciples. At this point, nobody knows that Peter will become one of the respected elders of the church, eventually being crucified upside down, or that John will write one of the Gospels and some of the most glowing letters in the New Testament, plus experiencing a revelation that will be recorded for all time. Anyone looking at the group would simply see four guys from Capernaum plus a carpenter from Nazareth. These guys certainly don’t look as if they are going to change the world, but when God begins moving in their lives, they will.
Jesus is calling each one of us to be his disciple. No matter what your profession, your level of education, your social standing, your income, your physical attributes, your talents, Jesus is calling you just as he called those fishermen. How will you answer?
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are afraid of Your call, not realizing that You want the very best for each of us. Help us to trust You and follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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