“As Jesus was getting into the boat the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.” Mark 5.18-20

     “Come, follow me.” Discipleship begins when we accept the invitation of Jesus to follow him. For each disciple, the “following” takes its own personal form. After all, we each find our source and motivation for living in different things. For some it is money, for others power, for some security or even family. The Bible generically calls this type of living idolatry. For included in Jesus invitation is the need to put aside our trust in things and to look to Jesus for the source and motivation of our living.

     For some disciples this means a physical removal from a barrier that would keep us from developing this trust in Jesus. Peter and Andrew were called from their business. They needed to give up their livelihood so that they could find their life in Christ. James and John were called from their father Zebedee’s side so that they could experience the acceptance of the family of God. Levi, the tax collector, walked away from his practice of extortion to discover the lavish power of the Holy Spirit.

     Yes. Jesus’ call to “Follow Me” quite often demands sacrifice. More about this sacrifice next time. (To be continued…)

     See you Sunday,

  Pastor Dave

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