Thursday, April 2, 2015

Simplicity of following Jesus

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” Mark 1:17,18

The word that I notice as I read this verse is ‘immediately.’ It really shows the genuineness and the simplicity of following Jesus. Mark chapter 1 describes the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in a speedy manner but this scene of Jesus calling disciples seem really simple. I mean, think about it. Jesus was walking by the lake, he sees fishermen working. Jesus simply calls them to follow, then boom! There they follow ‘immediately.’

I remember when we made the decision to come here over a year ago. After making our decision, we didn’t come here immediately. I had to notify my former church of our decision, call the moving company to make arrangements, let the apartment housing know, call the internet company, and the power company. Not only that, it was series of farewell dinners with our friends we’ve made in the area. I thought we had done all that moving process in a short moment, but in reality it took us a few weeks to do all of that. It was nothing close to ‘immediate’ as the disciples did to follow Jesus as they made their commitment.

The disciples teach me what it takes to follow Jesus. To be exact, they teach me what I have to give up. Everything. In the same chapter, prior to these verses, Mark briefly describes John the Baptist: “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” (verse 6) This verse also shows the simple life of the one committed to making way for Jesus. It seems like there was nothing attached to him that when he’d be called for another task, he can go ‘immediately’ for his next mission.

Can we do the same? To follow Jesus ‘immediately?’ Wouldn’t it be awesome for us to be fishers of men and stack up our treasures in heaven?

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