It's that time of year again: it's the time of year that we hear Jesus calling disciples as he walks alongside the sea. It's the beginning of his ministry. He has gotten baptized, and gone into the wilderness, and now here he is, saying "Repent, the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!" And he walks along, and he sees Peter and Andrew, and simply says, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." And they follow him.
Immediately.
This blows my mind. I mean, simply the word "immediately" blows my mind. They don't have to think it over? They don't have to make a list of pros and cons? I just can't imagine "immediately." They just leave everything they know in order to "fish for people."
They are fisherman, and some people think this is what is so attractive, this is the thing that intrigues them. They fish for fish, and Jesus says they will fish for people instead. Jesus has used exactly the right words to catch them.
Right now, though, I'm thinking about this. All they know about Jesus is one phrase: "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has drawn near." That's all. He hasn't healed anyone. He hasn't preached. He hasn't multiplied any loaves or cast out any demons. He has said this one sentence, and it is "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has drawn near." And then he calls them.
And they follow. Immediately.
He gives them no details. They don't know where he is going. There is no "strategic plan", no monthly goals to meet. I'm not saying that Jesus doesn't know where he is going, but he doesn't tell them, at least not at this point. Later on, he will let them in on the secret of his death and resurrection, but the words will not sound so clear to the disciples as they do to us.
I keep looking for something that will explain the disciples' eagerness to follow. Immediately. Perhaps when they heard the words "Kingdom of heaven" they saw a vision -- maybe those words conjured up a dream. What kind of dream could it have been? What did they think the kingdom of heaven was, that made them want to get up and start fishing for people?
What could someone say to you that would make you want to leave everything behind? What is so good that you will risk everything for it?
The Kingdom of heaven. A place where there is enough. Where you don't have to lock your doors. Where the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations, or for you. A place where those crushed by life will be restored. A place where they would finally be out of debt, forgiven, free.
Is that what it was? Is that what made them follow?
What could someone say to you that would make you want to leave everything behind? What is so good that you will risk everything for it?
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