What did Jesus mean when He said, “Follow me?” How can we learn to follow Jesus in obedience when we don’t understand our calling? Read on for three practices to following Jesus.

The All-Encompassing Call to Follow Jesus

The times in your life when you felt Jesus' calling the strongest, how did He speak? Was it a specific word, song, challenge, or Bible verse? Did He speak through a friend, or was it found in deep, prayerful meditation? Maybe you're still waiting for that first encounter. 

What distinguishes when Jesus calls? First, it's essential to recognize that the call of Jesus goes much deeper than who we are. When Jesus calls, the question is not, "Is He speaking," it is, "What is He trying to say to me and I listening?"

Our scripture examines a time early in Jesus' ministry. He's recently escaped the desert and His temptations by the adversary when He encounters several young fishers, Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John.

Jesus tells these future disciples to "follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." For context, these were single men in the early years of their working life. Jesus was also still relatively unknown in His ministry. But despite their age, Jesus' call to follow Him encompasses every person, young and old.  

The phrase "Follow Me" is an all-encompassing call made by Jesus to our heavenly identity, not our worldly one. This call is not limited to any age, gender, color, nationality, or other demographic-defining attributes. It is all-encompassing to everyone. 

As churches, we not only do respond to Jesus' call to follow Him with our lives, but we should also be extending a welcoming hand to all people to accept the same gift. 

The church's role is to be a welcoming community of broken people seeking to be with others who want to follow Jesus. We can learn three things from our scripture about Jesus' command to follow Him.

Learning How to Follow Jesus

1) There's Importance In the Call He Makes to All His People

“As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. ‘Follow me," he told them, "and I will make you fish for[a] people.’" Matthew 4:18-19

When I was a new pastor, I was asked to preach at a men's prayer breakfast. I was very nervous and unsure of what to say. I was grateful for the opportunity but felt unprepared for the challenge in many ways. A gentleman named Tom came into my office a few hours before the speaking engagement and spoke words of encouragement to me. 

Tom essentially adopted me as his "spiritual grandson." I was nervous, not knowing what to expect, but I got to share my heart with someone who had years of experience and wisdom. He would go out of his way to invite me to his table and encourage my spiritual growth. It was a friendship that deeply affected my spiritual journey. 

Our young adults crave this kind of relationship. They want someone to see them as Jesus saw these young fishermen. Having worked with young adults for several years now, I can tell you that every young adult desires spiritual mentors. As a church, our opportunity to do that is endless. 

Where the Pharisees rambled off head knowledge and influence, Jesus' invitation was different. However, when Jesus approached the fishers, He didn't ask them a question to reveal the extent of their knowledge. All He said was, "Follow me." 

Jesus was saying I want you to come live life with me. So let's laugh and cry together. There's beauty as He extends the fold. And as churches, we need to be people who praise God that He is still in the business of calling His people to Himself.

But we can't be people like that unless we respond to his call. Someone isn't going to see Jesus in us through our intellect or how right we can get all the answers. They're only going to see Jesus in the way we love each other.

2) Jesus Desires To Use Our Abilities for Kingdom Impact

“‘Follow me,’ he told them, ‘and I will make you fish for[a] people.’ Immediately, they left their nets and followed him.” Matthew 4:19-20

Earlier I wrote about my struggles as a new pastor. I was a young, inexperienced pastor working with leaders who'd been in ministry for years. It's hard not to compare yourself to others when you're in that company. But the Lord spoke to me through another mentor who reminded me that Jesus has equipped and prepared us to be everything He's called us to be. All we have to do is trust Him. 

Doubt captures so many young adults. They struggle with the comparative nature of older and more experienced than they are. To walk into a church to see someone who, on the outside, represents a model member of the community brings pain and anxiety rather than joy. 

Jesus approached these young disciples and told them He wanted to use their worldly abilities for kingdom impact. Out of God's grace, Jesus speaks to our heavenly identity by telling us He wants to use us as a vessel to make His name known to all ends of the earth. 

Will we make ourselves available to that?

No matter where you are in life, you need to hear that you have abilities that the God of the universe values. It's not because He sees everything you can do but because He created you in His image. Through Jesus' invitation, we are casting back the voices of the world that say you aren't enough or that you don't have anything left to offer.

Don't lose sight of the fact that the God of the universe has a plan for you. He sees you and knows you. You are cared for.

3) The Value of Our Response is Not Found in Ability But Faithfulness

“Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee, their father, preparing their nets, and he called them. Immediately, they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Matthew 4:21-22

God has gifted His people. It does not matter your age, gender, hometown, or anything else, because when we're in Christ, we are a new creation. The old is gone, and the new is here. Your wounds are healed, and your sins no longer define you. Through Christ, we have a heavenly identity that defines us. 

We have to be people that quit doing and thinking that earn our right into heaven. We aren't called to have it all together; we are called to be faithful. For some, I pray that brings an overwhelming sense of peace and a strong sense of conviction for others. 

What does the scripture say when Jesus called the fishers to follow? They immediately stopped everything to follow Him. God showed that He's looking for people who desire to be faithful to His will and way.

We must transition how we see people by identifying them from their worldly identity to their heavenly one. It is time that you and I turn away from the culture to view people as Jesus does.

If you are a young adult or single person today, hear me closely when I say this. You have a place in the church among the family of God! God wants to love you just as you are. Do not feel like you need to be something you are not; you are seen and loved not just by God but also by His community. God desires you to follow Him because He wants to use you for kingdom impact. He desires faithfulness and notability.

If you are not a young adult or single person today, hear me closely when I say this. You have a place here among the family of God too. God desires to love you just as the person that you are. He desires you to follow him because he wants to use you for kingdom impact. He desires faithfulness and notability.

Embracing Heavenly Identity

Who is around you that you can form relationships? People among the body are not going to be comfortable at church or worshipping until they know that not only does God loves them, but that we love them too. 

Who is that person who comes to church alone? Who in your workplace is new to your city and is looking for community?

The call to "follow me" is an all-encompassing call, and it is time for the church of Jesus Christ to act like it. Married people, single people, younger people, older people. The body learns and grows together as imperfect people seeking a perfect God. We speak to our heavenly identity, not our worldly one, when we do this.

TL;DR

1. When Jesus calls, the question is not, "Is He speaking," it is, "What is He trying to say to me and I listening?"

2. Learning how to follow Jesus:

   1. There's Importance In the Call He Makes to All His People

   2. Jesus Desires To Use Our Abilities for Kingdom Impact

   3. The Value of Our Response is Not Found in Ability But Faithfulness

3. Jesus has equipped and prepared us to be everything He's called us to be. All we have to do is trust Him. 

Related Reading

How Do I Find My Mission In Life by Grant Caldwell

What’s My Purpose? by Bro. Chris Carter

When God Visits You by Bro. Chris Carter

About Christ Church Memphis
Christ Church Memphis is church in East Memphis, Tennessee. For more than 65 years, Christ Church has served the Memphis community. Every weekend, there are multiple worship opportunities including traditional, contemporary and blended services