Day 10: Follow

Young kids often get a kick out of playing “follow the leader.” Traipsing through the woods in the leader's steps mimicking their motions and foolishness. But, it's rare for the game to go on very long before some “followers” lose enthusiasm and want their turn as leader. Young basketball players have the more evolved game of “horse” where you have to earn the right to keep being “leader.” How willing are you to be a follower and what standard do you put forth for someone to qualify as your leader? I'm not talking about political leaders whom we vote for, because we generally don't actually “follow” them at all. Think instead of someone you might emulate in your daily life or at least actively submit to in your routine. Sports teams do have captains who dictate the tone of the play. Design teams do have lead designers who enforce the company/client priorities. Medical residents certainly adopt a lot of behaviors from their attending doctors. But, even in an explicit master/apprentice relationship, we restrict our willingness to a pretty small part of life…a specific area. And, we are highly unlikely to emulate anything we deem “foolish” (like drop everything else to follow).

Christ is continually offering a universal invitation to follow Him. The response at any point in time can only be a simple yes or no. By “universal,” I mean the invitation is always the same. But, that invitation sounds very different to every person at every point in time. This will take a bit of unpacking…

If you compare the drop-net verses in each gospel carefully, you'll notice that there are differences in the story (and in the relative timing of surrounding events). Understand that the Holy Spirit did not intend for the gospels to be a “journal” recording every detail of Christ's calendar. Even so, I believe Luke's account to be chronological. I also believe Mark's account is easily reconciled recognizing Mark 1:21-34 as parenthetical to the drop-net event.

Here is the combined narrative that results. Christ was a relative newcomer in Simon's hometown of Capernaum (Luke 4:31, Matt 4:13). But, He had been teaching in the synagogue (perhaps for some time, Matt 4:17) before the drop-net event. Luke records more detail than the other gospels and includes that Peter already called Christ “teacher.” Prior knowledge would explain why Peter addressed Christ this way and why Peter let Him in the boat in the first place. Speculate a little more regarding those crowds gathered near Peter's boat in Luke 5:1. Do you think any of them were invited to come hear Jesus by the sea? Wouldn't you say they “followed him” to the sea from the synagogue?

After some time (perhaps many months after the drop-net event), an interesting event is recorded (Matthew 16:13-25). Peter makes a profound declaration, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Only a few verses later, Christ effectively offers the “follow me” invitation again (vs 24). This time, the invitation was to lose everything…not just a fishing career. Peter had been given much, and more was being asked. Peter would continue to grow and eventually be invited again, “follow Me,” just before Christ ascended (John 21:19).

Jesus is certainly inviting you to “follow” right now. Do you know the next level of “commitment” he's leading you toward?

How many times was Simon (Peter) asked by Jesus, “Follow me”? There was a point in Peter's life when he dropped his fishing career and followed Jesus (Matt 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, and Luke 5:8-11). I'll call this the “drop-net event.” Some refer to this as Peter's call to follow.

Life In His Presence