Discipleship - Come Follow Me (Part 2)

Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV) ¹⁸  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 lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹  "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

When Jesus chose His disciples, it was rather out of the norm. Instead of the disciples requesting the Rabbi/Master to allow them into the disciple-rabbi relationship, Jesus went to the disciples. He invited them to be His disciples.

Picture this: Simon and Andrew were probably teenagers when Jesus approached them. They were in the trade of their father: Fishing. I want to suggest that they were not the best according to the world at that time. They were the average joes (maybe some of them were rejected by certain rabbis). If not, they would have advanced further in becoming someone with a higher status.

Then came Jesus and invited them “Come, follow me”. While the world did not believe them, Jesus did and chose them to be His disciples.  

There is also another thing about Jesus and His discipleship ‘program’. Instead of making our lives more difficult, His yoke (teaching) is easy and light. We can be His disciple and become like Him without striving.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB) ²⁸ "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. ³⁰ "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

“Yoke” is a common metaphor for the law, both in Judaism and in the NT (Acts 15:10; Gal 5:1). When Jesus invites the people with the words, “take my yoke upon you,” he invites them to follow his own teaching. His teaching, His interpretation of the law, is easy and light. It is in contrast to the requirements of the tradition of the Pharisees which are described as ‘heavy’.

One’s wanting to follow the commandments and the laws may led oneself to be weary and heavy-laden. It could be unnecessary requirements imposed by the teachers of the law. The way of the Pharisees at those time definitely cause the followers great burden and toil. Jesus, in contrast to them, has an easy and light load. It is not because the demands of Jesus is lesser (Mt 5:20). The reason is because He bears most of the load when we are walking and working together. He is the stronger ox.

This is great news for us. We can be Jesus’ disciples and become like Him. There is rest that we can find, even when we are in this disciple-rabbi/master relationship with Him.

What are we waiting for?

Follow Him and be like Him for He said “Come, follow Me”