He Chose Disciples (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 20, Mar 11th)

16 Mar He Chose Disciples (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 20, Mar 11th)

Read Matthew 4:18-22

Thought for the Day: Jesus calls ordinary people to live extraordinarily!

Thousands of years ago, Jesus of Nazareth approached a group of young men with a simple request: “Follow me.” Too often, we make Christianity about everything and anything other than following Jesus. Instead of seeing faith as an opportunity to point others to Jesus, we tend to cling to idols, bring politics into church, or argue about silly things. Instead, let’s explore what it really means to be a disciple.

To be a disciple is to be the student of a rabbi. When Jesus called His disciples, they saw the opportunity to travel and study with Him as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In First Century Jewish culture, every boy growing up initially hoped to be the disciple of a rabbi. However, an increasingly challenging series of tests determined who would continue and who would instead pick up the trade of his father. Each of the twelve young men Jesus chose had not made the cut. They were not disciples of other rabbis. Jesus’ disciples instead included fishermen, a tax collector, a militant, and others. So, the day those first disciples were called out of their boat, it is no surprise that “immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him”! Instead of feeling like rejects, these ordinary people had been given the opportunity to do something extraordinary!

We too have been given the chance to be Jesus’ disciples. At times in other areas of our lives, it is easy to feel like we haven’t made the cut. We all experience times we feel like ordinary rejects. However, this is not the case. Jesus not only chose disciples then, He chose us now! We have the incredible opportunity to follow Him and live life as a disciple!

Reflect & Pray – Do I read the Bible and pray each day? Am I taking my role as Jesus’ disciple seriously? God, please encourage me to walk humbly as a disciple of Jesus Christ today, tomorrow, and every day!