THE CALLING
The Calling Teaching Series
Week 1: The Disciples
Week 2: The Crowd
Week 3: Individuals
Week 4: You
18 While walking 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. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And 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, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Matthew 4:18-22 ESV (Mark 1:16-20)
Jesus initiated the calling with a starting point:
And he said to them, “Follow me.”
Jesus included in the calling a transformation:
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you.”
Jesus inspired the calling towards a new job:
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Simon and Andrew’s response:
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
James and John’s response:
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
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Why did these first disciples respond immediately to follow Jesus?
1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11 ESV
Jesus got into THEIR BOAT.
Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s.
Jesus spoke to them as THE MASTER.
“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”
Jesus invoked in them A RESPONSE.
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Jesus addressed their FEAR.
“Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”
Simon, Andrew, James, and John’s response:
Brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
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Did these first disciples understand who Jesus really was?
35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). John 1:35-42 ESV
Jesus is the SAVIOR from SIN.
“Behold, the Lamb of God!”
Jesus is the HOPE of NATIONS.
“We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
Jesus is the GOD of CREATION.
“You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas.”
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What did these first disciples experience after Jesus called them?
1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. Matthew 10:1 ESV
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” Matthew 15:32 ESV
25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28 ESV
7 And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. Mark 6:7 ESV
35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Mark 9:35 ESV
43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. 44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44 ESV
16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Luke 18:16-17 ESV
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What did these first disciples experience by serving Jesus?
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. John 15:15-17 ESV
Jesus called the disciples as SINNERS
Taught them to be God’s SERVANTS
Transformed them into SAINTS
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How is Jesus calling you to follow Him today?
- To leave a place of sin.
- To learn a practice of service.
- To live in His presence as a saint.
- To lead a person to meet the Savior.
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