The call to follow Jesus is not an ordinary call. It is associated with many challenges and it demands a great deal of sacrifice, consecration and commitment. From that time Jesus began to preach and to say Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. Mat 4:17-22
The challenge the call of Jesus placed on Peter was different from what it placed before the sons of Zebedee. Though the calls had different challenges on these men, yet it demands sacrifice and commitment from them if they will follow him. Today, Christ is still calling men and women to follow him. This call has its challenges. Will you follow him despite the challenges associated with the call or will you go away and reject his call? Yesterday, it was Peter and others that were called but today, it is me and you that is being called.What will be your response? A Yes or a No? Take a positive decision NOW and you willreap it in great abundance both now and in eternity.
TAKE HIS YOKE
Following Christ requires answering his call upon your life. Come unto me all you that labour (under the yoke and slavery of sin) and I will give you rest from your fruitless labour. Many labour endlessly in self-righteousness and achieve nothing but condemnation. Unless you resign from self-labour and answer Christ’s call you will achieve nothing in the sight of God.
Christ’s call is first a call to genuine repentance from sin. Answering this call means taking all your sins to him for forgiveness and total cleansing. Your positive response is not a one-off thing. It requires continuity. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. When you answer his call, you become a student under him. May you not be a drop-out from his school of learning. May you continue and complete his course to enable you to graduate into his eternal bliss in Jesus name. You learn of Christ’srighteousness when you take his yoke. You cannot learn of Christ without taking his yoke upon you. If you dodge his yoke, you will miss his grooming process and eventually go back to the world of sin. Take his yoke and follow him, so you can constantly learn of him. May God give you the grace to take his yoke upon you in Jesus name.
