Although Jesus faced the cross alone, his journey to the cross was not a solo venture. Almost immediately, he began calling followers. As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea--for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. – Mark 1:17 – 20
As an itinerant preacher, he continued to call followers throughout his ministry. At any given time, he may have had several hundred followers, both men and women. The gospel writers gave special recognition to the twelve, because they represent the New Testament equivalent of the twelve tribes of Israel. Hence, the church is viewed in the gospels as the natural successor of Judaism.
I am sure that the fishing villages along Galilee were like small towns today. News spread quickly, and I would suppose that Peter, Andrew, James, and John had heard about this man Jesus. Perhaps they even knew him when he was still a carpenter. Might he have repaired their boats? Nevertheless, they left everything; their homes, their jobs, and their families and made a commitment to following this man, Jesus.
Today the call goes out to you and to me to follow Jesus. Jesus said, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.“ Not to be taken literally, this technique of exaggeration was a common teaching tool used by Jesus. Paul said, “Let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.” In other words, nothing should get in the way of a complete commitment to following in Jesus' footsteps. The commitment must be absolute and total. That is not easy.
Discipleship is not left at the church door at noon on Sunday, only to be picked up the next Sunday morning. That does not mean that we work exclusively at “church” tasks. We have a responsibility to work and to support our families. We all have responsibilities out in the world. A young minister once gave me excellent council when I was troubled by this question. He said, “Jay, you can be a churchman in everything you do, not just inside the walls of the church.” But these outside responsibilities must never be excuses for not following Jesus.
Prayer: Dear God, we hear you calling, sometimes quietly and sometimes loudly. Forgive us for pretending that we don't hear the call. Give us the courage to step out and follow in Jesus' footsteps. When you give us the task that is ours, we will reply like Isaiah of old, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” We submit this prayer in the name of the Master himself. Amen.