Called to be a Follower of Jesus
Jesus’s first disciples called themselves “followers of the Way” and the first name given to the church is the “Way” of the “Journey” (see Acts 9:2, 19:23, 22:4, 24:14, 22). From the earliest days, faith forming was seen as a lifelong journey. To live as a follower of Jesus and the Way we are called to embrace him as our teacher, to seek wisdom and understanding for what the path and cost of discipleship entails.
Discipleship begins with a call (see Mark 1:16–20, Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35– 51). The Gospels make abundantly clear that the life of discipleship begins not with a choice but with a call. It is Jesus who initiates the life of discipleship. It is a call to follow Jesus. Those who accept the call to follow Jesus share in his mission of establishing the reign of God. The Gospel stories also make clear that the lives of those called will be transformed—lives are fundamentally changed and new commitments are required.
“Discipleship is the life’s work of all those who are baptized and then confirmed in their baptism as they are both called and sent in the name of Jesus him- self. Discipleship, then, is a one-word job description—for disciples, called and sent by Jesus. Authentic discipleship is participation in the ministry of Jesus and the way Jesus embodies, incarnates, and lives out this mission on earth” (Anthony Gittins, The Way of Discipleship). To be a follower means entering a lifelong process of learning from Jesus, to come to know who and what Jesus is, and what Jesus is claiming about God’s call to community and mission.
Called to Follow Jesus
Jesus called his disciples to follow him rather the disciples choosing to follow him. Jesus’s “way” was radical, requiring disciples to give up loyalty to job, family, friends, and nation in order to embrace Jesus’ way of life. As disciples of Jesus today, we are called in the following ways: to be a follower, a worshipper, a witness, a neighbor, a forgiver, a prophet, and a steward.
We have a common, shared calling as Christians. Discipleship is our most foundational and fundamental identity and vocation—we are called together to be a community of disciples.
(Kathleen Cahalan, The Stories We Live)
Read
Read the story of Jesus calling the first disciples,” in the Gospel according to Matthew 4:18-25.
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
The opening scene of Jesus’ ministry after his baptism is all action—he walks, calls, teaches, proclaims, cures, hikes, sits down, and speaks. If you are going to follow, you have to get and get going even if you are in the middle of something. If you don’t follow immediately, you are going to miss it: you won’t hear his teaching or witness him cure the sick or see the great crowds coming or finally sit at his feet to listen.
Reflect
Take a few moments to reflect on your life as a follower of Christ. (You might want to keep a “journal” of your reflections from the whole program.)
- What does it mean for you to be a follower of Christ today?