Leaving the nets (Pt.2)

Part 2

“So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you.”-John 6:24-27

When it came to following Jesus, some wanted be near Him while others wanted to be with Him. The crowds wanted to be near Him when it benefited them. They would hover around waiting for the next miracle, while the disciples simply wanted to be with Him. Crowds followed Jesus as long as they were getting from Him what they felt they need, but when the teaching got hard, the crowds departed:

 “Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”-John 6:56-60

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”-John 6:66-69

Jesus’ question was concise: Are you going to leave when it gets hard? When persecution comes the crowds go home, while disciples go to the cross! His disciples would go on to be crucified, boiled in oil, beheaded, speared, stabbed, clubbed and burned to death. You don’t develop that level of devotion from a casual commitment to being near Jesus. That comes from being with Him. 

Even the religious leaders of that day could tell the difference:

“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.”-Acts 4:13

Discipleship begins with leaving our nets. Jesus commanded us in Matthew 28:18-19: 

“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations.” 

Jesus told us to go out and make disciples, not try and figure out how to draw bigger crowds. Jesus wasn’t looking to become popular, He was looking for people willing to leave their nets and follow Him. You want to draw big crowds? Heal the sick, raise the dead, and work miracles. The crowds will chase that. You want to make disciples, you start by teaching them how to leave their nets. As the church, we’ve focused more on drawing bigger crowds than we have teaching people how to pursue Jesus. 

Why do we tell people that they don’t have to give up anything to follow Jesus, when the men Jesus invited to be with Him gave up everything. It wasn’t the crowds that turned the world upside down, it was the 12 men that left everything to follow Him. (Acts 17:6)

If the only thing different about your life, since coming to Jesus, is where you spend an hour of your day on Sunday mornings, you are solidly in the crowd camp. But if your life is being radically changed, the Bible will be water to your soul, prayer a priority, worship your warfare, sharing your faith a necessity, and church will no longer be optional 

Do you have to sell everything you own and go to the mission field to be His disciple? No. But if your life isn’t radically different in priorities, purpose and passion, perhaps you need to ask yourself today, which camp you are really in. If you still live like you lived before you met Jesus, you may ask yourself, which camp am I really in. Some of you need to leave the nets! 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church