Sermon Title: Who is a Disciple of Jesus?
Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22
Passage Summary: Jesus calls the first four of his twelve disciples in these verses. The four fishermen drop everything and leave the securely familiar behind for the unknown with Jesus.
Main Question: What does this passage teach me about being a disciple who loves God, grows in community, serves others, and shares the gospel who makes disciples who love God, grow in community, serve others, and share the gospel?
Main Thought: This passage teaches us who a disciple of Jesus is. A disciple of Jesus is a person who has been called by Him, is following Him, is being changed by Him, and is serious about His mission.
Matthew 4:18-22 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him. 21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
HOOK: A Phone Call
It was an ordinary evening in January 1955, and Martin Luther King Jr. was at home, winding down from a long day of pastoral duties. As the new pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, his days were filled with preaching, counseling, and tending to his congregation. At just 26 years old, he had a bright future in ministry, but at that moment, he was simply focused on being a faithful preacher and family man.
Then, the phone rang.
On the other end was a request that would change his life—and the course of history. Civil rights leaders were organizing a response to the recent arrest of Rosa Parks, a Black woman who had refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. They were planning a boycott of the city buses and needed someone to lead it.
King had not been deeply involved in civil rights activism up to that point. He was young, relatively new to Montgomery, and had a family to think about. He had every reason to say no. But something in his heart stirred. After a moment of hesitation, he agreed to take on the role.
That decision turned an ordinary day into the beginning of a movement that would transform America.
Within days, the Montgomery Bus Boycott was in full force. For over a year, Black citizens of Montgomery refused to ride city buses, crippling the transit system and forcing the nation to take notice. As the boycott gained momentum, King found himself facing threats, harassment, and even the bombing of his home. Yet, he pressed on.
His powerful speeches and unwavering faith inspired not only Montgomery but the entire country. The boycott eventually led to a Supreme Court ruling that segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. But more than that, it launched King into national leadership, setting the stage for the Civil Rights Movement that would lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
King had no idea when he woke up that morning that a single phone call would change his life, the lives of others, and the nation for generations to come. But that’s how God works.
TRANSITION
Moses was tending sheep when he heard God’s voice from a burning bush (Exodus 3). Samuel was just a boy lying in bed when he heard the Lord call his name (1 Samuel 3). Today, we will see how four fishermen were casting their nets when Jesus called them to become fishers of men, transforming their lives and countless others. The impact of their answering Jesus’ call continues to transform lives while impacting the world today. Today, I pray the Holy Spirit calls you to take the next step in your walk with Jesus today.
What did Jesus call these men to? Yes, to Himself, but also to learn from Him while doing life with Him. In short, He called them to be His disciples. At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus prepared to ascend into heaven, but He gave His disciples their mission before He did – the task He had spent a few years preparing them for.
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
As Jesus prepared to return to heaven and sit in the place of honor to the right of the Father, He prepared His disciples for life as His followers until they were called home or until He returned. Just as He had made followers out of them, the remaining disciples were to make disciples who modeled their lives, lives that were modeled after His. Years later, Paul would summarize Jesus’ the heart behind His command in Matthew 28:18-20 on paper.
1 Corinthians 11:1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
It’s easy to see our Lord’s clear mission for us on this side of eternity. We are to be disciples who make disciples. But what is a disciple? Matthew 4:18-22 provides us with a foundational definition of who a disciple of Jesus is, and by the end of our time together, you will have a strategy for being a disciple who makes disciples that is easy, biblical, and reproducible.
BOOK: Matthew 4:18-22
Matthew 4:18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.
It wouldn’t have stood out as unusual for Jesus to be walking along the lake shore. The region was known for its fishing industry, which was sustained by the Sea of Galilee. The lake would have been a place of hustle and bustle daily, with perhaps the exception of the Sabbath, when it was a little less busy with the Jews observing the Sabbath. People would have gathered for community and business.
It is possible that Jesus may have been doing what rabbis of His day did. Sometimes, they would walk the shores of the lake to meditate and pray while traversing the seaside. Though no one would have thought it out of the ordinary for Jesus to be walking on the shore, it was about to be anything but business as usual for four fishermen.
A disciple of Jesus is one who has been called by Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
We can not miss this first characteristic of a disciple! Matthew says, “Jesus called out to them.” Simon and Andrew were casting their nets; it was business as usual. They were focused on the tasks at hand. They needed to catch fish so taxes could be paid, needs could be met, and the family business could stay afloat.
The text doesn’t say if they saw Jesus or not. They knew who Jesus was, for they had spent time with Him down south (John 1:35-51). If they had seen Him walking, I’d imagine they would have at least acknowledged Him and perhaps even paused and approached Him because of John the Baptist’s testimony of Him (John 1:29-37) and because of what they had found out about Him during their prior time with Him (John 1:38-42).
While I cannot definitively prove it, I bet they didn’t see Jesus as He journeyed the shores of the lake they were fishing in. If this is the case, they could have never been His disciples if He had not called them to Himself (John 6:65, 70; 15:16;)! The same is true of us today (John 17:20, 24; Acts 16:14; Romans 8:30; Ephesians 1:4-5; Colossians 3:12).
Romans tells us that none of us are righteous or seek God (Romans 3:10-11). Ephesians reminds us that we were dead in our sins because of our rebellion (Ephesians 2:2:1-5). Like Lazarus, lying breathless in a tomb, couldn’t physically revive Himself without Jesus calling Him from death to life physically; we are hopelessly helpless to revive ourselves spiritually! Thus, I am thankful for the call of God unto salvation!
2 Peter 1:3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
The Greek word kaleo, translated as “called” in this passage, signifies God’s direct action in calling sinners. When kaleo appears in the participial form with God as the subject, it always refers to His effectual call—a calling that does more than invite; it actively draws the sinner to Himself.
Today, He calls people to Himself through various means through the workings of the Holy Spirit, and more often than not, He calls people near to Him as His people call others to Him through the sharing of their faith in Jesus (Romans 10:14-15). We must arrive at a point in our life with Jesus that we know Him and the message about Him well enough to share it with others.
A disciple of Jesus is one who is following Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
The calling of these fishermen to be Jesus’ disciples or students differs from that day’s standard mode of operation in two ways. First, it was customary for one desiring to be someone’s student to approach a rabbi and ask if they would teach them. Here, Jesus calls out the men He wants to be His pupils.
Secondly, those who enrolled in a rabbi’s discipleship program were expected to keep their day jobs. For example, Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist (John 1:40), yet he didn’t leave his career to follow the Baptizer as he did here to follow Jesus. Students were to continue to work to provide for their own needs and pay their teacher something for his services. Yet, Jesus’ command to follow Him required them to leave the security of the family business, including their future inheritance, behind.
After hearing Jesus’ voice, they obeyed His command to follow Him. Jesus called Simon (Peter), his brother Andrew, and the brother duo of James and John to drop everything and follow Him. When Matthew says that they followed him, he speaks of these men becoming Jesus’ students and He their teacher. These men followed Jesus differently than those who made up the large crowds at the end of Matthew 4 followed Him. The crowds accompanied Jesus to see what He would do next, and the disciples abandoned all to learn from Him as they did life with Him so that He could eventually change the world through them – although they could have never imagined the end game as they took their first steps away from the water.
A disciple of Jesus is one who is being changed by Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Jesus loves us just as we are, but He loves us enough not to allow us to remain as we are. Jesus tells these men that He will make them fishers of men. Jesus would make them fit (qualify them) for fishing for people. I want to emphasize something for these men to become fit for Jesus’ purposes; He didn’t say to attend a class, complete a program, or memorize something. Though all those things have their place in loving God with our minds and from proper teaching live rightly – Jesus said follow Me, and I’ll make you fishers of men.
2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
By being in His presence, they would learn what was true and correct and what they looked like in everyday life. These men would experience transformation by being with Jesus. As they beheld the Son of God, they became more like Him in all ways.
On one occasion, James and John boldly asked Jesus to grant them seats at His right and left in His kingdom (Mark 10:37). However, Jesus explained that such a request was not His to fulfill. Instead, He prophesied about their future, revealing that they, too, would face suffering and persecution, just as He would (Mark 10:39). Rather than rebuking them harshly, Jesus used their ambitious request as an opportunity to teach all the disciples a lesson in humility (Mark 10:42–45). The other ten disciples were indignant—not only at the brothers’ audacity but likely because they also desired those positions of honor (Mark 10:41).
Another vivid episode highlights the thunderous nature of James and John. As Jesus and His disciples journeyed through Samaria toward Jerusalem, they faced opposition. Looking for a place to stay, Jesus was refused lodging simply because His destination was Jerusalem. This denial was a reflection of the deep-seated animosity between Jews and Samaritans. Furious, James, and John asked their Lord if He wanted them to call fire down from heaven on the Samaritans for not providing Him with a place to stay (Luke 9:54). Did they think they could do so? Either way, Jesus rebuked them, and they moved on. This reaction reveals the brothers’ passionate, impulsive, and fiery temperament—qualities that likely inspired their nickname, “Sons of Thunder.”
Yet, as years went on and these men knew Jesus more deeply, they became more like Him as they learned from His words and actions. They became more patient, loving, and humble and learned to experience and exhibit righteous anger. James, John, and Peter were Jesus’ inner three, His closest friends and disciples. His presence and Spirit’s work transformed these short-tempered fishermen into patient, powerful shepherds of His Church.
Little is known about James after the death and resurrection of Jesus. He was present on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14) and did his part in fulfilling the great commission. James’ death is recorded for us in the Bible (Acts 12:2). King Herod had James “put to death with the sword,” likely a reference to beheading.
Despite his early displays of misdirected passion, John matured into a man of deep humility and wisdom. He came to understand that true greatness required a servant’s heart. His Gospel alone records Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:4–16), an act of humility that must have profoundly impacted him. By the time of the crucifixion, Jesus trusted John enough to entrust him with the care of His mother—a responsibility John embraced wholeheartedly, caring for her as if she were his own (John 19:25–27).
John’s youthful ambition for honor in the kingdom had been transformed into a ministry marked by compassion and humility. Though he remained bold and courageous, his ambition was tempered by the lessons he learned at Jesus’ feet. This change in John is evident in his fatherly tone as he writes believers in Asia Minor in 1 John.
This servant-hearted spirit likely sustained him through his final imprisonment on Patmos, where, according to historical accounts, he lived in a cave, isolated from his loved ones and subjected to hardship. Yet, even in suffering, John’s perspective had shifted. In the opening of Revelation, which he received during this exile, he humbly identified himself as “your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (Revelation 1:9). He had learned to look beyond earthly trials to the eternal glory awaiting those who faithfully endure.
The Spirit’s transforming work in our lives may be quick and drastic in some areas but slow in others. Yet, one thing is sure: we will become more like Him as we abide in Him (John 15:4-5; Romans 8:28-29; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
A disciple of Jesus is one who is committed to the mission of Jesus.
Matthew 4:19 Jesus called out to them (Simon and Andrew), “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Matthew 4:21-22 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
You can’t go more all in then these four men did in following Jesus on that day. They left the familiar lake they had fished all their lives, their families, routines, financial security, and comforts, for the unknown. They didn’t know what the road looked like ahead but they knew Who they would be traveling the unknown with!
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Adoniram Judson, missionary to Burma
Adoniram Judson (1788–1850) served as a missionary to Burma for nearly 40 years, demonstrating an extraordinary level of commitment to the cause of Christ—one that is both humbling and deeply inspiring. Before embarking on his mission, he fell in love with Ann Hasseltine. Aware of the immense challenges they would face on the mission field, he wrote a letter to Ann’s father, asking for her hand in marriage while fully acknowledging the hardships that lay ahead. This letter is worth reading slowly and reflectively.
Judson’s Letter to Mr. Hasseltine Asking for His Daughter’s Hand in Marriage
“I have now to ask whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world ? Whether you can consent to her departure to a heathen land, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of a missionary life? Whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean; to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death? Can you consent to all this, for the sake of Him who left His heavenly home and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with a crown of righteousness brightened by the acclamations of praise which shall resound to her Saviour from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair?”
Judson’s words proved prophetic. Ann endured tremendous suffering as a missionary. She experienced three pregnancies: the first ended in a miscarriage while they traveled from India to Burma; their second child, Roger, was born in 1815 but died at just eight months old; their third, Maria, lived only six months after Ann’s own death in 1826 from smallpox. Adoniram himself endured unspeakable loss, burying two wives and six of his thirteen children during his years of ministry. Their journey was marked by suffering, yet they endured it all for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of “Him who left His heavenly home,” as Judson once wrote. They left behind the comforts of home and family to bring the message of Christ to an unreached people.
But their sacrifice was not in vain. In Judson’s first twelve years in Burma, he saw only 18 converts. Yet by the time of his death, there were 100 churches and over 8,000 believers. Today, his legacy continues—Burma (modern-day Myanmar) is home to 2.5 million evangelical Christians. In fact, Myanmar has the third-largest Baptist population in the world, following only the United States and India. Beyond evangelism, Judson made lasting contributions to the Burmese people, including a Burmese grammar still in use today and a complete Bible translation that took him 24 years to finish.
Jesus’ last words should be our first work.
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Disciples are handmade, not mass produced.
LOOK: The Discipleship Pathway
Taken together, these will help you experience new life in Christ as you become a committed disciple of Jesus who loves God, grows in community, serves others, and shares the Gospel and who makes disciples who love God, grow in community, serves others, and shares the Gospel.
2 Things to Note: (1) You cannot lead anyone where you hadn’t already been. (2) Be a disciple first, then make disciples.
TOOK: Jesus is Calling…”Follow Me”
Crossroads Church is a multisite megachurch in Cincinnati, Ohio. Led by Senior Pastor Brian Tome, it is one of the fastest-growing and largest churches in America, consisting of nearly 40,000 members spread across fourteen locations in the Ohio and Kentucky area.
Each year, they transform their church lobby into a stadium or a tailgate party and stage a ‘Super Bowl of Preaching contest’ between pastors, who enter the arena like MMA fighters or boxers and play secular songs during the intermission.
During their 2020 service, teaching pastor Allie Patterson famously punted the bible across the stage and into the crowd.
At the 2023 production, ‘The Super Bowl of Preaching,’ Pastor Matt Castleman, playing the part of the referee, recreated Miley Cyrus’ viral ‘wrecking ball’ moment’ during the sermon’s ‘halftime show.,’ which saw the band playing several secular songs including Usher, AC/DC, and Toby Keith.
Kyle Idleman, Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
“My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. And every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following him. The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ.”
Which is horrific…
“When Jesus defines the relationship he wants with us he makes it clear that being a fan who believes without making any real commitment to follow isn’t an option.”
Just minutes after expressing their willingness to die for Christ, half the children from one Sunday School class at Zion Church in Batticaloa were reportedly killed in the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks in Sri Lanka.
“Today was an Easter Sunday school at the church and we asked the children how many of you willing to die for Christ? Everyone raised their hands,” Caroline Mahendran, a Sunday School teacher at the church, said, according to Israeli public figure Hananya Naftali. “Minutes later, they came down to the main service and the blast happened. Half of the children died on the spot.”
The report comes as the death toll from the bomb attacks on several churches and luxury hotels in the island nation, where Christians make up less than 10 percent of the 20 million population, rose to nearly 300 Monday with at least 500 wounded.
Jesus is calling…”Follow Me.”
Which worship gathering best reflects your commitment to Jesus? Super Bowl of Preaching or Sri Lanka Easter Bombing?
Calling for you to take your first step. (Salvation)
Calling for you to take your next step.
Identify where you are on the Discipleship Pathway and take the next step.
How do I take that next step?
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