Part 2 - The Call to Follow (Matthew 4:18-22)

Opening / Introduction

Jesus’ calling of the disciples happens at the very beginning of His public ministry. That matters. Even in His earthly ministry, Jesus did not choose to minister alone; He called men to walk with Him, learn from Him, and labor beside Him. That shows us something important: Kingdom ministry was never meant to be carried by a single person. The body of Christ works through many members, each joined together for His purpose.

Both Mark 1:16–20 and John 1:35–42 portray this call powerfully. In John’s Gospel, Andrew first encounters Jesus and brings Simon to Him. Then in Mark’s account, Jesus gives the direct summons: “Come, follow me.” What began as an encounter became a life of discipleship.

Somewhere along the way, many people have reduced Christianity to church attendance, religious language, or simply believing certain truths about Jesus. But to be a Christian is to be a follower of Christ. Faith in Jesus is the beginning, but real discipleship means we no longer live led by ourselves—we let Him lead.

To follow Jesus means surrender. It means our plans, our direction, our work, and even the details of our lives come under His authority. We do not just ask Jesus to bless our path; we choose to walk His path. And if God is calling us into ministry, we must not only ask, “What am I called to do?” but also, “Who am I called to walk with?” Because healthy ministry is not solo ministry—it is surrendered, connected, Christ-led ministry.

Point One: Jesus Calls Ordinary People

Jesus calls ordinary people to leave their old lives and follow Him. Discipleship begins with a personal response to Christ. Following Jesus is not casual interest; it is a call to surrender, transformation, and obedience.

In Matthew 4:18, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew while they are simply doing their everyday work as fishermen. They were not powerful, polished, or publicly important. They were ordinary men, yet Jesus chose them because He had a purpose for them.

This is how God often works. In Amos 7:14–15, Amos says he was not a trained prophet, only a shepherd and caretaker of sycamore trees, yet the Lord called him. In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul reminds us that we are like fragile clay jars carrying a great treasure, so that the power is seen as coming from God, not from us.

God’s call is not based on human status but on divine purpose. He is not looking for the most impressive people, but for willing hearts. He calls ordinary people, fills them with His power, and uses them for His glory. The power is not in the vessel; it is in the God who fills it.

Point Two: The Call to Follow Is Personal

Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” Before ministry, before mission, before influence, discipleship begins with a relationship. Jesus calls people to Himself first. This call is not casual—it is intimate. It is not convenient—it is sacrificial. Again and again, Scripture shows us that following Jesus is personal.

Matthew 4:19 says: “Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’”

John 10:27 says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

John 1:43 says: “The next day, Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Come, follow me.’”

And Luke 9:23 says: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”

Discipleship is not merely believing facts about Jesus; it is personally following Him. It means He leads, and we surrender. It means we lay down our own way, our own plans, and our own desires to walk in His. And according to Jesus, this is not a one-time decision only—it is a daily one. We follow, He forms, and then He works through us.

To follow Jesus is to say, day by day and moment by moment, “Lord, not my way, but Yours.”

Point Three: Jesus Changes Our Purpose

Jesus did not just call the disciples away from something; He called them into something. He told them He would make them “fishers of people.” Their old skills would now be used for a Kingdom purpose.

That is what happens when we follow Christ. We are no longer living for ourselves, our own plans, or our own desires. We are being remade to live for God and for His purposes. In Christ, we are not just improved—we are made new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says:
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

And Ephesians 2:10 says:
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Because we have been transformed, we now live with a new purpose. From the beginning, God created humanity in His image and called us to represent Him on earth. In the Old Testament, this is seen in Genesis 1:27–28. In the New Testament, that purpose is clearly carried forward in Matthew 28:19–20, where Jesus says: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always “even to the end of the age.”

Our purpose is clear: we are disciples of Christ who are called to make disciples of others. Jesus does not just save us from sin; He sends us with purpose. He takes our lives, transforms them, and uses them for His glory. What once served the self can now serve the Kingdom.

Point Four: The Right Response Is Immediate Obedience

When Jesus called His disciples, their response was immediate.

Matthew 4:20 says:
“And they left their nets at once and followed him.”

Matthew 4:22 says:
“They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.”

And Luke 5:11 says:
“And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.”

They did not delay, debate, or negotiate. They obeyed.

This is the kind of response Jesus still calls for today. Obedience is not meant to come from empty religion or outward duty, but from a loving relationship with the Lord. When we truly love Him, we respond to His voice with surrender and action.

James 1:22 says:
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”

And Hebrews 3:15 says:
“Today, when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”

Following Jesus cannot be casual or lukewarm. Our walk with God is a covenant relationship marked by love and obedience. If there is no obedience, something is wrong in the heart. Love is not just something we say; it is something we show. Words alone are not enough. Real love responds. Real love follows. Real love obeys.

Point Five: Following Jesus Costs Something

When Jesus called the disciples, they left nets, boats, and even family business behind. That reminds us that following Jesus is a blessing, but it is also costly. Grace is free, but discipleship costs us our yes. It requires surrender.

Jesus makes this plain in Luke 14:27:
“And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.”

And again in Luke 14:33:
“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.”

Jesus is not teaching that every believer must abandon every possession in the same outward way, but He is teaching that nothing can rival His Lordship in our lives. We cannot truly follow Jesus while tightly clinging to our old life, our own way, or the things that control our hearts.

Mark 8:34–35 says:
“Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.’”

This is the call of discipleship: not just to admire Jesus, but to die to self and follow Him. Not just to confess Him with our lips, but to surrender to Him with our lives.

Paul echoes this same heart in Philippians 3:7–8: “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything
…everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.”
That is the heart of a true disciple. When Jesus becomes our highest treasure, surrender no longer feels like loss—it becomes the pathway to life. Anything we refuse to surrender can become an idol. And whatever controls us more than Christ must be laid down before Him. If something continually pulls us back into the flesh and away from obedience, it is not harmless—it is competing for Lordship.
Following Jesus costs something, but He is worth everything.

Closing Charge

Jesus is still calling people today, just as He did by the Sea of Galilee. He is still calling ordinary people. He is still calling people personally. He is still changing purpose, calling for immediate obedience, and asking for full surrender. The question is not whether He is calling—the question is whether we will follow.

This is the charge before us: do not admire Jesus from a distance while holding on to your old life. Do not settle for being interested in Him when He has called you to follow Him. Lay down your nets. Lay down your excuses. Lay down your fears, your plans, your pride, and whatever else competes with His voice. Answer Him with a full yes.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23:



And Hebrews 3:15 says:
“Today, when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.”

Today is the day to respond. Today is the day to obey. Today is the day to follow.

May we be a people who do not just hear the call of Christ, but answer it. May we follow Him with whole hearts, surrendered lives, and unwavering obedience. And may our yes to Jesus become the foundation for everything that follows.



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