1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”
5Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and,
‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”
7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
8Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”
10Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
12Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 13Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
toward the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light;
to those who sat in the region and shadow of death,
to them light has dawned.”
17From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
18Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
20They immediately left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 25Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
Don't Hesitate - Follow!
Matthew 4
Don’t Hesitate - Follow
18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, hesaw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
20 They immediately left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22 They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
The word that captures the diligent reader’s attention is “immediately”. When Jesus told Simon and Andrew to follow Him, they did so immediately. When Jesus called James and John, the sons of Zebedee, they immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him. Jesus calls each of us to Himself. Some choose to follow. Others choose to reject Him. The question is, if he called you, and you’ve put your faith and trust in Him, are you now acting with immediacy? Do you dilly-dally when He asks you to say, think, or do something?
I think we often become too busy to hear Jesus' voice. I’m talking about the wooing and direction of the Holy Spirit that dwells in every believer. Oh, we are busy indeed! But let’s not mistake busyness for doing the business of the Father. Don’t mistake busyness for productivity in the Kingdom of God. It is so easy to fool ourselves into believing that we’re doing something right or something significant. I’m fond of telling people that I counsel, “Just because you’re passionate about something doesn’t mean that you’re right or that it is the thing upon which you should be focused.” So much of our time is wasted. Some stay buried in the phone all day long, never pausing for a minute to hear the voice of God. Others stay busy so that they won’t become depressed. That’s an escape. That’s self-medication. Some turn to alcohol or drugs (including prescription drugs) to get themselves into a state where they can no longer feel their emptiness. Don’t do it! Don’t fall into that trap.
Take time to listen. Stop doing whatever it is that you’re doing that is a distraction. You’re out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, and He just may be walking by. In fact, HE IS WALKING BY. Don’t miss Him. Listen to Him and follow Him. It may be that you’re to stop doing something you’ve been doing. It may be that you’re to pick up something new and do that. Just listen, and He’ll let you know. But you’ll never hear a thing if you’ve got yourself too covered up with activity to hear God’s agenda and to make yourself part of that agenda. You won’t know how to “follow” if you never see Him, hear Him, or listen. Seek the Lord, and you’ll find Him. (Jeremiah 29:13). Then follow!