Come and See

Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed. Matthew 4:16-20

Walking by the sea of Galilee, these men were diligently doing their job, minding their own business, fishing. Jesus said to them, "Follow me." Without hesitation they left everything to follow. The NIV version says, "Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." [Immediately.] They didn't know all the details. They didn't know ANY of the details. They didn't ask questions or hesitate. They didn't sit and wonder if it was the right thing. They got the invitation and they were ready at the drop of a hat. I wonder if they even knew what being a fisher of men meant? Probably not. They certainly didn't know that this man, Jesus, who they left everything for, would flip their whole world upside down.

They left everything they knew and had no idea what they were trading it for.

Their nets. Their boat. Their job. Their families. Their comfort. Everything that was familiar to them...

The invitation: Come and See.

And they did. They came, and in amazement saw Kingdom come. The sick were healed. The blind received sight. The paralyzed were able to walk. The dead were raised. And they were transformed.

Come and See.

This is the same invitation we have been given. The invitation of a lifetime: come and see! To come and follow this man, Jesus of Nazareth. This invitation is an open invite and it's the adventure of a lifetime. We may not have all the details up front. We may need to leave some things behind...or like the disciples, leave everything behind. We may not know who we will meet along the way, what we will be involved in, where we will go. If we choose to follow, we will see Kingdom come. And it will be worth it!

This invitation may look like reaching out to a neighbor in need, setting up a lemonade stand and giving the money made away, or visiting someone in the hospital who is sick. It may even look as radical as moving to a new country to share the Love of Jesus. But for each of us, this invitation is about following hard after Jesus. Full speed ahead. No turning back. To be like the disciples ... IMMEDIATELY... following after Jesus.

Have you accepted the inviation to come and follow Jesus? What does this look like in your life today? Where is God asking you to follow him? Come and see!