As we delve into Mark 1:16-20, Jesus’ call to follow Him, we will see how Jesus calls His first disciples with a radical invitation that still echoes today. We’ll explore what it means to leave everything, follow Him, and reflect on our response to this life-changing call.
Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost is not a lone endeavor. Yes, He is the only One who can save. However, He needs kingdom workers—His followers—to partner with Him and reach people with His love and message.
Mark begins by sharing the setting of the call: “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men’” (Mark 1:16-17). The scene is not extraordinary; ordinary fishermen are doing their daily work. What is extraordinary is that Jesus, the Son of God, invites these fishermen to be His disciples. Notice the radical nature of Jesus’ call – “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
“Follow me” is a test of trust. Jesus calls all His followers to trust and actually follow Him. Reflect on your life and identify anything holding you back from fully trusting and following Jesus. It could be a career, relationships, material possessions, or personal ambitions. It might require a change in mindset from what you want for yourself to what Christ wants for you.
Jim Elliot’s powerful proclaimed, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot was one of five missionaries killed during Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize an indigenous tribe of Ecuador on January 8, 1956. Many members of the tribe who killed Elliot and his fellow missionaries came to Christ. After the missionaries were killed, Elisabeth Elliot, Jim’s widow, along with Rachel Saint, the sister of another slain missionary, Nate Saint, continued their efforts to reach out to the Huaorani. They eventually moved into the Huaorani village, learning the language and culture. Their persistent and loving witness led to significant decisions for Christ within the tribe. Elliot encourages us to see the eternal value in following Jesus, even if it means giving up temporal comforts and securities. Ask yourself, “Is there something I struggle to trust God with and fully follow Him?”
Mark shares the disciples’ response: “And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed Him” (Mark 1:18-20). Notice that the response to Christ’s call is immediate. These men left their nets, livelihoods, and families to follow Christ. It’s important to remember that Christ does not call us to a one-way commitment. The leader-follower relationship is a covenant. If Jesus can trust us to follow Him, we can trust Him to lead us. He is our Savior and Lord, as well as our model and, through His Spirit, our mentor.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, pastor, and anti-Nazi dissident, wrote: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Bonhoeffer understood the cost of following Christ and did so wholeheartedly. We probably will never be called to die for Christ, but all believers are called to give their lives. Just as the disciples immediately followed Jesus, we are called to respond to His call without hesitation. Charles Spurgeon insightfully wrote: “Delayed obedience is disobedience.”
Let’s look closer at Christ’s invitation, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). Following Jesus is not easy, but it is worth it. Following Jesus may entail leaving behind security, comfort, and familiar surroundings. Jesus’ promise to make them “fishers of people” signifies a new mission and identity. Believers, we need to accept that, as followers of Jesus, we have a new purpose—to be “fishers of people.” This means actively sharing the gospel and living out our faith in a way that draws others to Christ.
David Platt declares: “Radical obedience to Christ is not easy… It’s not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And He is more than enough for us.” Platt speaks to the challenges and rewards of following Jesus with radical obedience. I had a classmate in graduate school from China who understood this well. He looked forward to returning to China to spread the gospel despite the probable persecution awaiting him and his family. His commitment reminds us that Christ’s call is not something we believers have to do but get to do.
Christ calls us to follow Him and, in doing so, share His love and message with others. Ask yourself: How and to whom is God calling me to share the love and message of Christ? Here are some questions for us to consider: Is there something God is calling me to leave behind to follow Him fully? Is there something God is calling me to today that I have been avoiding or putting off? Have I embraced my new identity and mission in Christ as a believer?
Jesus’ call to follow Him is as urgent and radical today as it was by the Sea of Galilee. He invites us to leave behind our old lives and embrace a new identity and mission in Him. As we leave this place today, let’s consider what it means to follow Jesus fully and respond with the same immediacy and dedication as those first disciples. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!