The Word Among Us

January 2004 Issue

Follow Me

Committing our lives to Jesus is a day-by-day calling.

One day, Jesus invited Peter and Andrew to come and follow him. "At once," Matthew says, "they left their nets and followed him" (Matthew 4:19-20). Did these future apostles simply see Jesus for the first time, hear only three words, and then leave their homes, families, and livelihoods to follow him? It's possible, but somewhat doubtful. More likely, this was Matthew's way of dramatizing a radical decision that probably had more history to it than he recounted. Most commentators believe that Peter and Andrew had heard Jesus preach a few times and may well have spent time alone speaking with him before they left everything behind to become his disciples.

A year or two later, Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" In response, Peter proclaimed: "You are the Christ, the Son...

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