Be My Disciple

Scripture:  John 1:40-44  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of these men who heard what John said and then followed Jesus. 41 Andrew went to find his brother, Simon, and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means “Christ”). 42 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”). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Come, be my disciple.” 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter’s hometown. (John 1:40–44 NLT)

Four centuries of silence from God! Then, briefly, John stirred the pot with his prophetic, challenging message of heart change and preparation for God’s Kingdom! John’s message drew hungry, searching people from all over the nation. John hadn’t made it easy for them to follow him. He didn’t go to the cities of Judea, to the trade centers of Galilee or the towns of the Decapolis north along the Jordan. John went to the Jordan valley and those who were willing to get off the couch came to him there.

Now Jesus’ time has come, and he wastes no time in beginning to gather those who will walk with him for the next three-plus years. From among all the men and women of the people of God, Jesus begins to choose his disciples. He doesn’t choose from the leading priests and teachers of the law, he doesn’t choose from the politically motivated young Sadducees, he doesn’t choose from the fast-track, up-and-coming young Pharisees like Saul of Tarsus. He finds fishermen from Galilee who are already in motion, searching, hungry, learning—men who have been disciples of John, eager for God’s Kingdom Come!

Andrew was one of John’s disciples. So Andrew gets his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. Jesus gives Simon a new name, Peter, and signs both of them up. Then Jesus decides to go home to Galilee to begin his ministry in earnest. He finds Philip, another Galilean, invites him on board and they’re off! The point I see here is that Jesus is calling people who are already in motion, already hungering and thirsting for God, to take the next step in the process. I want to be “Callable”, friends! That means dissatisfied with how things are, with how we are, and ready to be directed to the next step of faith. Let’s be “Callable!”

Prayer:

Father, May we be “Callable!” Stir our hearts and our souls with hunger and thirst for what’s next, for whatever’s next in our faith journey. May we be quick to say “Yes!”