The Call of Jesus to His disciples comes very early on in the gospel narrative. It also comes very simply. As Jesus begins His ministry of preaching the kingdom and teaching the Jews, He calls His first few disciples.
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. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. - Matt 4:19-20.
Their business was now going to be Jesus' business. Previously their lives were spent devoted to supporting themselves and their families with fishing, but now, whether they knew it or not, their lives would be spent on the purposes of Jesus their Master. Also, what is interesting to note is that it is Jesus who initiates the call to follow, and not the other way around.
As these disciples continued to follow Jesus, they would come to find just how great and intense of a calling it was to be a follower of Jesus. There were several other would-be disciples who come into the scene at one point and their course didn't seem to be the same.
... another said, "I will follow you Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." - Luke 5:61-62.
Jesus' ministry and calling of disciple is a serious thing. He makes it clear that it will be on His own terms and not the terms of His followers. When this man wanted to negotiate the terms of discipleship, Jesus quickly tells him that this kind of thinking is unworthy and unfit for the kingdom of God.
With these two scenes from the ministry of Jesus, these men are given no say in the matter. It is Jesus who calls. It is Jesus' direction that will be taken. One who would consider himself called to be Jesus' disciple is up to a high and costly task. But Jesus is to be the one who leads - always. And there is no renegotiating. We who are His disciples have some very stiff but also very clear conditions. Since it is His call to us, it is His way all the way.
This is why Paul writes what he does to his church,
"I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called... for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Eph 4:1; 2:10.
It is the purposes of Jesus that we are now living for. We are to lay down our will and take up His own. This is the nature of the calling.
However, this is the ultimate goal of the calling: knowing Jesus and God the Father.
There is certainly joy and fulfillment in this if our aim is the same as Jesus'. Jesus again tells His disciples, "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him." John 12:26.
We are not to merely forsake all our own thinking and desires, but to submit them and seek to place them in Him. We must have our hearts and desires transformed to be like that of Jesus. Jesus' own purpose was to honor the Father and serve Him alone. And so it goes, If we take up the same purpose for our own lives, the same reward Jesus received will be ours as well - honor from the Father. What this means for us is: seeking to have His desires and purposes actually be made our very own desires and purposes. This is the nature of following.
The call to follow Jesus is a call to know Him. And when we know Him the more willing we are to follow Him. And we will be where He is.
