COME, FOLLOW ME

Matthew 4:12-25 (Key Verse: 4:19)

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

1. Where did Jesus begin his ministry and why (12-15)? What was the situation of the people (12,16)? How is Jesus a great light to those in darkness? 
2. What was Jesus’ message (17; 3:2)? What is the difference between John and Jesus speaking these words?
3. Whom did Jesus call as his first disciples and how (18-19)? How is this related to the kingdom (17)? What command and promise1 did Jesus give them? What does this mean to us? 
4. How did Peter and Andrew respond (20)? How was James and John’s call similar yet different (21,22)? What do we learn here about Jesus’ calling and how to respond to it?
5. What did Jesus do throughout Galilee (23)? What does this show about the kingdom? How did people respond to Jesus’ ministry (24-25)? Why do you think large crowds followed him? Why do you follow him?

COME, FOLLOW ME

Matthew 4:12-25 (K. V.: 4:19)

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Thank God for the great start of Matthew’s gospel! Last two weeks, we learned Jesus, Son of David, came to fulfill God’s promises given to David and John the Baptist prepared his way by preaching the baptism of repentance. Then, Jesus who became like us in every possible way, was tempted by the devil and overcame it by holding onto the written Word of God, that is, the sword of the Spirit. In doing so, he became our merciful Savior, undid Adam’s failure, and showed us how to win a victory through him. Today, we encounter one of the most celebrated passages that has inspired countless ministries in their pursuit discipleship. Not long ago, we ourselves held a conference centered on this very theme, “Follow me.” When calling people, what vision did Jesus have? And what was the response of the callees? May God richly bless our discipleship through our Lord’s calling!

1. A Great Light (12-17)

Look at at verses 12-13. Jesus heard the news that John the Baptist was imprisoned. This must have been a shocking news at that time. John was highly regarded and many people accepted him as a prophet. However, because he spoke up against Herod who married his brother’s wife, he was wrongfully detained. It was a tumultuous time when what is right and good were suppressed but evil and immorality prevailed. What did Jesus do? Instead of responding to the situation (like leading a protest march), he withdrew to Galilee. Just like he had a purpose in going to the wilderness, he had a purpose in going to Galilee. For one, Galilee was Jesus’ hometown (Nazareth was part of Galilee), so he felt at home and could gather his thoughts comfortably and thoroughly. For another, it was to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah. Verses 15 and 16 read. “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Long ago, God foretold that Galilee of the Gentiles would see a great light, that is, Jesus. People living in Galilee were literally in darkness and in the shadow of death. No hope and no meaning. Why? Historically and geographically, Galilee, the northern part of Israel, was the first to be attacked and occupied by the Gentile armies. Accordingly, Galilee was subject to foreign influence and interracialism. What made it worse and sadder was that their fellow Israelites looked at them with disdain. Perhaps, Galileans were rejected at the application level when they applied for a good job in Greater Jerusalem Area. Listen to what a fellow Israelite had to say about Galilee. “‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked.” (Jn 1:46a) To those in darkness like the people in Galilee, however, Jesus came as a great light along with every good thing! Jesus himself proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12) He gave hope, direction and meaning to Galilee! So, nowadays, many devout believers including UBFers long for the pilgrimage there (namely, the pilgrimage to the Holy Land)! Figuratively speaking, we are all Galileans who had been in darkness and in the shadow of death. With Jesus’ light, we could come out of darkness and into his wonderful light so as to declare it (1Pe 2:9). Look at verse 17. From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus fully gathered his thoughts and began his preaching ministry. He would take over John’s ministry with the focus shifted onto himself, which would be the core and presence of the kingdom of heaven. 

2. Jesus’s Calling (18-22)

Look at verse 18. As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Peter and Andrew. They recently graduated from the renowned Perry Fishing School and just started their new life as licensed fishemen. What did Jesus see in them? What was so special? They were humble, hard-working and ready to learn. They were like uncut, unpolished gems that needed proper handling and would become priceless diamonds. And for Jesus, he knew he needed workers for his earthly ministry who would be not only workers but also future leaders. So, he called them to himself with a great vision. Verse 19 reads. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

What can we learn from this calling of Jesus? First, Jesus invited them to himself with a divine initiative. In this hard world, to make a living, you have to find a good job or start your own business. For that, you may need education, skills, knowhows and trade secrets. That is a normal course of life. Perhaps, Peter and Andrew were like that: ordinary people who try to survive and lead a good life. Peter even had his wife. Jesus, then, showed his initiative to them: it meant instead of leading an ordinary life, have an extraordinary life with him as their new focal point. “Come out of ordinary, follow me extraordinarily!” To Peter and Andrew, it would be a risky move. Could they accept Jesus’ initiative-laiden invitation and start a new way of life? For that, maybe they needed something more.

Second, Jesus had a great vision for them. He promised to send them out to fish for people. It seemed like not much different from their current life-style. From fishing to fishing? However, it would be a game-changer. They used to catch fish and kill them to make a living. You live and fish die. Fishing for people is different. It means “catch people and make them live!” You live and your people also live! A win-win scenario! In our Thursday leaders’ meeting, one man of God shared his thanksgiving topic that he could begin his life that deals with people instead of just dealing with techs and non-living things. “People!” “For the people and by the people!” Before Lincoln stated his famous phrase, Jesus already realized it by calling ordinary people to serve ordinary people. 

How hard it is serving people, though! That is why Jesus said, “I will send you out.” Jesus, not they (or we), would be responsible for molding the callees into people-people or fishers of men! Our UBF ministries have been small. It has been always like that even from the beginning. It is because we we have been serving “people.” It is because our Bible teachers and missionaries accepted Jesus’ calling to be fishers of men and tried to serve people as much as possible. Serving people requires extraordinariness. Simply put, it needs Jesus’ heart, mind, love and energy. With our own strength and wisdom, we cannot do that. Msn. Mary Kim, when she was a young pharmacy student, shed lots of tears for one junior pharmacy student for a long period of time. Ask other people like Msn. Mary Bahn or Msn. Anastasia. They were probably the same. Many of us have had broken-heartedness because of the people who would not change despite our tremendous efforts. Once our late Dr. Lee, the UBF founder, had a broken-heart for a young student who rejected Jesus’ love and became wayward. He was so broken and missed him so much that when he listened to a radio station, he mistook the announcer for him and called that station to see if he were the student or not. He wanted to reach out to him one last time to serve him in doing so. Still, serving people is what makes you great! Abraham, Moses, David and all great men and women of God learned to serve people and became great! And that is what Jesus called them for!

Look at verse 20. Peter and Andrew accepted Jesus’ initiative and vision and followed him, leaving their precious nets behind. Would only Peter and Andrew accept Jesus’ calling? No. Others as well. James and John, sons of Zebedee, would also accept Jesus’ calling and immediately leave the boat and their father to follow him. It must have been a little harder for them to do so though, because of their higher social status and their attachment to their father. They were like CFOs (Chief Fishing Officers) and heirs apparent to their father’s lucrative fishing business. Nevertheless, they accepted his calling. May God richly bless our young generation to accept Jesus’ calling and renew their following just like many of our second gens and Bible students did in Vision Camp, Encounter EU and YAC (Young Adults Conference)! May God bless also our own Encounter next weekend!

3. Jesus’ Apprenticeship (23-25)

Look at verse 23. Jesus wasted no time in starting his ministry of teaching, proclaiming and healing. In doing so, he also began his apprenticeship bootcamp toward his disciples. Perhaps, that is why Jesus could call his disciples to follow him. Wherever they followed him, they could learn a lot about Jesus, their master, and how he could serve “people.” Surely, back then, people needed three-dimensional serving and now maybe more dimensionals are needed because of the complexity and complications we are dealing with currently. Listen to what Apostle Paul said about his serving people: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1Co 9:22b) It is like all-dimensional and all-around attack! It is like what our DuPage UBF is doing now such as Gen-Z Imago-Dei case studies by Mary Kim, Basement Hebrews studies by Wheaton Four, Women’s Bible studies by Fearless Two, Double-Harper by Daring Rob-Gab and Gideon Brothers. When we do our all-out efforts, God would handsomely reward us and make us grow like the disciples.

In conclusion, we learned Jesus’ withdrawing to Galilee was to fulfill God’s prophecy that He would be a great light to those in darkness. He gives meaning and direction to Galilean-like people. Jesus called his disciples to himself with a great vision to fish for people. Serving people is hard but it extends the heavenly kingdom and we become like Jesus. Our all-out efforts would be reciprocated in due time and our young people would be great people of God when they respond to the calling!