When Jesus called His first three apostles, Peter, James and John, the last phrase of that narrative in Luke 5 simply says, “they left everything and followed Him.” They left their occupation as fishermen and took up the role of being disciples of the rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth. From then on, they travelled with Him, studied Him, watched Him, listened to Him, worked with Him, and learned to imitate Him. They were committed followers. In time, Jesus would commission them as His apostles to carry on the mission of the gospel of grace with His authority to establish His Church.
This often perplexing motley crew of men had much to learn, much dross to have consumed, much refining and growing to experience. But after Jesus had resurrected, ascended to the Father, and they were indwelt with His Holy Spirit, they were unstoppable and served His mission with abandon. Their discipleship changed the world.
As disciples, their commission was to do one thing – make disciples. It is the way of the Master that disciples would make disciples – committed followers. Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). Jesus uses people who follow Him to be instrumental in drawing more people to follow Him. This is the transforming power of the gospel’s truth (Romans 1:16) and the compelling power of the gospel lived (John 13:35).
The objective of being a committed follower of Jesus is to become like Him. Jesus does not commit Himself to occasional observers or flighty fans (John 2:23-24). He had harsh words for men of creedal obsession – more concerned with the minutia of dogmatic perfection than reflecting the character of God (Matthew 23). Theological intelligence does not make one a disciple, neither does enthusiasm. A disciple commits to a long obedience in the same direction becoming more and more like Jesus in affection, attitude and actions.
There is a cost to discipleship. “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33). What do you have that you will not commit to Jesus? As a devoted follower of Jesus, every aspect of your life is anchored in Him. At work you serve Him; at home you reflect Him; your leisure is rooted in His delight; your possessions are entrustedto you by Him to glorify Him. Anything that you will not entrust to Him becomes a weight of sin that clings to you and holds you back from becoming like Him (Hebrews 12:1). The cost of discipleship is laying that weight aside.
A disciple of Jesus hears music that the unregenerate cannot hear. The committed follower of Jesus dances to rhythms radiating from the Kingdom of the beloved Son instead of marching to the oppressive beat in the domain of darkness from which he has been rescued (Colossians 1:13). “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). A disciple has discovered that happiness does not come from a pursuit of the sensation nor indulgence in the stuff, but from serving Him and His people in the outflow of His delight.
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