“…He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.” – Mark 1:19-20 (NKJV)
The call of Jesus upon our lives is not just a call to urgency, but to separation and dedication, as depicted by the above Scripture.
James and John, having heard the call of Jesus, immediately left their fishing business, family, and hired servants to follow Him. This act highlights the radical, urgent, and all-consuming nature of discipleship, prioritising Jesus over family, career, and personal security.
Thus, the urgency of the call:
1. Requires Immediate Response: James and John left immediately, indicating a decisive, urgent break from their old lives.
2. Requires Counting the Cost: Leaving their father in the boat with the hired servants highlights a significant personal and economic sacrifice. It signifies that following Jesus may require abandoning security, career, and family obligations.
3. Highlights Divine Authority: Jesus called them while they were working, and they responded without question.
4. Is a Call to Service: The call causes the brothers to shift from fishing for fish to fishing for people, a call to mission and evangelism.
5. Demands forgetting Economic Status: The mention of hired servants suggests that their fishing business was relatively prosperous. Nevertheless, they left.
The call of Jesus often disrupts comfort and demands immediate, unconditional obedience!
When Jesus called James and John, He called them to do what He did. He left His kingdom to come to earth. He chose these two brothers not for who they were, but for what He, Jesus, could do through them.
Are you willing to answer the call and do what Jesus did?
Read: Isaiah 6:8; John 8:12
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 41:1-6; Luke 9:57-62; Luke 10:1-24; Deuteronomy 1; Deuteronomy 2:1-23