Matthew 4:18 — Take This Job and Quit It?

By David Ruzicka, CP Op-Ed Contributor Sunday, January 22, 2017

One day in the land of Matthew 4:18, Jesus is walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He sees two brothers — Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew — throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.

Wait a second! Do not read ahead! Don't gloss over that because it's really significant.

They fish for a LIVING.

You got that? Are you sure? Because it's a really, really big deal.

This is how they pay the bills, bring home the bacon, earn their keep, support themselves (ok — not bring home bacon — they are Jews. That doesn't happen until Acts 10:13. Still way before I was born — praise God! Bacon=happiness).

They fish. It's a job just like the job you have that pays the mortgage/rent, the electric bill, pays for gas and food for you.

So Peter and Andrew are doing their JOB.

Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!"

I can imagine many possible excuses people might offer.

Sure Jesus! I'll get right on that —

1. When I'm done making a living!

2. When I'm done paying the bills!

3. When I'm done catching all these big fat scaly stinky fish!

4. When I'm done taking the fish to town!

5. When I'm doing selling them!

6. When I'm done binge-watching on Netflix!

7. When I've paid off the mortgage, got a nice nest egg set aside, the kids are grown, and college is paid for.

8. How about I just follow you on Twitter?

But the Bible doesn't say any of that! It says something really amazing:

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:20

As in ... they left their JOB at once and followed him. Just think about that!

Peter and Andrew

walked ...

off ...

the job.

WHO DOES THAT? WHO WALKS OFF THE JOB BECAUSE SOME GUY WITH A MESSIAH COMPLEX SAYS, "COME FOLLOW ME?"

Positively insane. Nobody gives up everything! You pray a prayer, you tell Jesus you love Him, sing songs to Him, and you go to church when:

it's not inconvenient,

it's not raining,

it's not so pretty that you want to get outside.

But they just walked off the job because that's what Jesus told them to do!

Truly insane. Unless ....

Unless what, David?

Unless ... instead of HAVING a Messiah complex, He really IS the Messiah. Then ... leaving everything behind and following Him is the absolute sanest thing you can do!

And because they, "walked off the job" to follow Jesus, they changed the course of history. All of history after this, "following of Jesus" bit would be different than all of history before. They walked off the job to follow the one who divided history (BC and AD, or if you're a secularist, BCE, and CE — sorry! Jesus still divides it).

So ... Jesus may not be calling you to quit your job (although He may!). But guaranteed 100%, Jesus is calling you to follow Him in some real and tangible and concrete ways that change your world and life, for the rest of your life. He's calling you to put all of your trust and faith in Him as your Lord — King — Savior ... and your Leader.

Follow Him.

Amen, amen.

Originally posted at ilikemycoffeeblack.com.

David Ruzicka is senior pastor at Fort Bend Fellowship.