Day 5: Matthew 4
YOU'RE HIRED! (4:18-22)
I love the Apprentice on TV. I reckon I love it for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's got that competitive edge which makes for interesting watching, and it tests people in a much wider range of ways than something like X Factor (Week one: Can you sing a pop song? Week two: Can you sing a pop song and move? Week three: Can you sing a pop song with a saxophone in it and move? Oh, you can do all of that. World class). Secondly, there's the cringe-worthy moments where people drop huge clangers. Thirdly, there's that arrogant part of me that deep down thinks I'll be able to win it, if only I'd entered...
The calling of the first disciples is like the opposite of this, there's no initial footage of the disciples stating their credentials or throwing out their best business clichés. For me, this is one of the greatest passages in the Bible. Jesus' ministry has begun, but he needs disciples with him. It is never his aim to do things alone. Rather than scouring Jerusalem to find the greatest scholars and theologians, he goes and recruits some fishermen. No airs and graces, no refined thinking or fancy ideas, just ordinary blokes.
Jesus doesn't spend hours giving them the sales patter of why they should follow him. He doesn't spend hours painting vivid pictures of the Kingdom. He gives them the opportunity to live for something, to be part of something, and they follow him. They down tools and walk away from everything they knew. They abandon their incomes, their plans, their lifestyles. All for the chance to follow Jesus. We now know what that led to, the journey it took them on. They had no idea at the time. I believe that in Jesus they saw something like no other, and once they had seen him, they couldn't turn away.
I have been following Jesus seriously for over 15 years now, but reading this causes me to re-evaluate how I have followed him. I have the advantage of hindsight that these disciples didn't, I have the accounts in the gospels, I know about the cross and the resurrection. These guys had none of that and they still followed Jesus. In the light of that, it causes me to question how much I have let go of my own plans, security, income and how much I want to hold something back in case it's too risky or makes me too vulnerable. As I stop to think about this, I know I have encountered God many times throughout my journey with Him, but I'm challenged as to how dedicated I'm really being.
I'm not sitting here beating myself up over this, I think it's important that we regularly check ourselves to ensure we're not just coasting along comfortably. As we examine our lives, I think it's important that we ask ourselves if we've been prepared to let go of the things of this world and be followers of Christ. Do our words display our dedication to Christ? Do our finances? Does our time?
In Acts, it is these ordinary people who form the church. These were ordinary people who were devoted to God. It wasn't a hobby, or part of their lives. It was everything. They faced persecution, rejection and death. They faced opposition from educated people, and they were able to stand up and give an answer for what they believed. They were able to do all of this because they knew the King. They had eaten with him, prayed with him, cried with him.
Jesus took ordinary men. Nothing polished, nothing amazing. They were ordinary people who knew what it was to follow, and as they followed, they saw the Kingdom of God arrive. There are many of us ordinary people around these days who are trying to follow Jesus and know what it is to live as a part of that Kingdom.
Today, take some time out to lay down our lives again, to declare that we are determined to follow Jesus. Pray into any areas that we know we hold back on, and any fear we have. As Jesus called the disciples, he gave them no detailed assurances of what the future held. We so often want God to paint the whole picture out before we commit to it. Let’s determine to be people who are unafraid to leave our nets, and to follow Jesus.
It is hard to leave your "safe place" where you have say, a car, a salary, a nice home, a church you "feel good in", but you know, that's what Abraham had to do when God called him out of Ur. It's what Rebekah did when Isaac's servant said she could be the wife of his Master. Abraham didn't faff, Rebekah didn't faff, the early disciples didn't faff. The land might've been full of all kinds of weird people speaking different languages and strange customs. Rebekah's husband might've been a minger, and the early disciples had no idea what would come ahead, but the overarching theme of all these cases I think, is TRUST. How much do we TRUST Him, that he will a) provide for us, and b) protect us? :) That's something I'm working on at the moment
ReplyDeleteThat's good Alison, it really is a question of trust. Personally I think that's something I'm regularly challenged on, and I feel the temptation of slipping into comfort all the time. You leaving your job to do XL is something that is a real example of that, and you should be commended for that.
ReplyDeleteI am challenged on this at the moment. It has taken us a long time to get to our "safe place" but yet I have a calling that challenges us to leave it. I have no idea how I am going to follow my calling either and am struggling to make the first step. I know that if it is a true calling then once I start on the journey God will provide the means but it is a huge leap of faith to actually make that step.
ReplyDeleteDepression, grief and failure cloud my past and I am terrified to step out and fall flat again. This has come at the right time for me challenging me to look at all aspects of what I am doing and what I should be doing. Thank you Del so much for all the work you have put into this it has been amazing so far and I can't wait for the rest.
Alison every time I think about this issue I remember how happy you look since you joined XL. As Adam says you did trust and you did give up your safe job etc and I see the joy it has brought you. It has been a privilege to know you and be there as you walked this path and I hope I can walk mine soon. You may feel you still need to work on trust but to me you have already shown an inspiring amount of it.
I think your upcoming adventure will be equally, if not much more life-changing.... especially for the whole family. Wow, it's exciting!! What I would say is: your path does not have to shape your mindset TODAY. You woke up this morning with a NEW START, and everyday we do. "See I am doing a new thing!" Isaiah 43 v 19. Helen, you're right about XL making me feel happier. It's amazing how many people tell me how less stressed and pre-occupied I look!! It's done my soul a lot of good :) and I've still got seven months of it. Praise Him. Let's give God our firstfruits this year and see how he can use us :)
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