How could they do it?  How could they just leave like that?  Peter and Andrew, James and John, the Lord's first disciples, walked away from their homes, their fishing jobs, their business partners, their parents and in Peter's case, even a wife and family.  And to do what?  To follow an itinerant preacher they knew little of.  What did they say when they walked away, and were there words of anger or tears or complaints as they walked out the door?  If you or I did this today, wouldn't we fear debtors repossessing our car or family telling us we were crazy?  Wouldn't we be shirking our familiar duty, and wouldn't our friends think us irresponsible?

          It wasn't as difficult as we might think.  Tradition tells us Andrew was not married and Peter's mother-in-law was a woman of means, having her own house where Peter and his family lived.  James and John were also unmarried, and tradition says their father had other sons to carry on the fishing business.  Chances are it was high time for them to strike out on their own, those two brash "Sons of Thunder" who would be changed forever by the words of a quiet Rabbi.

          Chances are also that they knew Jesus well enough to trust Him.  Since He'd begun His preaching in the area towns, they'd certainly heard Him or heard of Him, for even then no one followed an unknown Rabbi.  There were other Rabbis and most of them were not worth following.  But Jesus had set the stage for selecting His twelve followers would represent the twelve tribes of Israel which had forsaken from the Old Testament covenant with God, twelve chosen men through whom the Christ would usher in the new kingdom of God.

          The others who eventually followed the Lord -- Philip and Batholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James and Thaddeus, Simon and Judas -- all were chosen by the Lord to usher in the new Kingdom.  One would fail miserably, but the rest would faithfully follow the Lord, doing their Gospel work as best they could among people all over the middle East, Africa, Europe and even parts of Asia.  It all started with Jesus inviting fishermen to follow, so He could make them, "Fishers of men."

          "At once they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:20)   Sometimes you just know it's right immediately.  Most other times you need to talk it over, weigh the pros and cons, and consider all options.  But sometimes there's no need to wait.  You know what needs to be done.  Making quick decisions like that is a luxury not all people have, but there are some invitations you just can't turn down.

          Like last Friday when Carol and I attended the annual Gideon's banquet, for about the fifteenth year in a row, going every year except the one two years ago we forgot.  I never turn down a Gideon's banquet unless I'm sick and that hasn't happened yet, at least not before the banquet.  (We always eat too much when we go and pay for it that night.)  But that's small potatoes.

          What about the big decisions?  He asks you to marry him!  She decides to quit work, so now what?  A great job is offered you, but it's clear across the country!  Invest all your money in that new business or not?  Some decisions aren't so simple -- your daughter tells you she's pregnant.  The doctor tells you it's cancer.  Bail out your immature child or not?  And for some of us, the biggest one of all -- do we follow Jesus or not?  It's not so easy because it means leaving things behind we want, such as an ungodly lifestyle, an immoral habit or cherished beliefs that are just plain wrong.

          In the recent film, "Sins of the Father," Jimmy Cherry, son of Billy Frank Cherry, murderer of four black girls in 1964, tried to win the love of his father.  He came back home to nurse the ailing old man, started building him a new house to get him out of that stinking old trailer, and spent hours showing him in every way that he cared.  But his father was immovable.  No matter what Jimmy did, it was never enough.  The old man still criticized his every move, still lied and lied, still viciously hated blacks, and still used and abused people for his own purposes, including Jimmy himself.

          Finally Jimmy could take no more, so he told the police the secret he'd been keeping since he was ten.  Yes, his father was gone from home that morning of the explosion and also the night before.  And yes, he had heard him talk of placing a bomb outside that church.  "But I thought that's what a man did back then," he said.  "And I really thought he'd change by now, despite all the bad he'd done me and Mom.  But I see now he can't see the truth at all, so I can't deny the truth any longer."  As the old man was taken away, he pleaded with the police, "Wait!  Jimmy'll come get me out of this -- that's what family's for."  And now finally, Billy Frank Cherry, a bitter, old hateful man, will answer for what he did 37 years ago because his son was changed by facing up to the truth.

          There was no mention of Jimmy's conversion to Christ, but you had the feeling God's goodness played a big part in his change of heart.  Following the Lord means taking some big risks, especially in today's climate that seems ever more hostile to Judeo-Christian morals and beliefs.  Many moral principles that fifteen or twenty years ago were respected are now held in contempt.  The Christian faith that's based on forgiveness now seems outlawed in public places while eastern religions that recognize no forgiveness are honored in the halls of academia.  The Bible is scorned and the Koran is studied.  It all seems backward and inside out.

          But make no mistake about it, God is still in charge.  His Word will not fail.  His people may disappoint us, but He will not.  No matter what anyone may require of us, following Christ and His Word is still the best way for this earth.  And it's the ONLY way for heaven!  All paths do not lead to heaven.  Allah is not another name for the True God, and there is only ONE WAY to heaven, through faith in the One Lord Jesus Christ.  You can't follow any other god and get there.  As St. Paul said clearly, in Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved."

          Yes, God is still in charge of this world.  His Word will not fail.  But have you ever wondered if the Lord really knows what you want or even cares?  Does He take time from His busy schedule to pay attention to our meager needs?  David Smallbone, an astute business man in Australia, learned the truth.  This man felt God was leading him to promote Christian concerts in his homeland, where only 5 percent of the people believed in Christ.  When too few fans filled his seats during one major tour, however, David took a $250,000 bath in red ink.

          Creditors repossessed his home, he spent every penny paying off the debt, and this father of six had to look for work elsewhere.  A top artist offered him a job in Nashville, so David sold their furniture and other possessions and purchased tickets, coming to the United States with a few suitcases and far too little money.  A few weeks after they arrived, however, David was informed that his position was "no longer available."  The news hit him so hard he literally could not get out of bed for days.  When he and his wife explained to their children what happened, they all got on their knees and asked God to help them.  It was all that was left for them to do.

          But then interesting things began to happen.  Through new friends God provided bags of groceries, small paying jobs, a nicer apartment, and even an old minivan to drive.  Then came the biggest surprise of all‹a recording contract for David's oldest daughter, Rebecca, at the tender age of only fifteen.  She recorded her first album using an old family name, St. James.  That was ten years ago.

          Flash forward to today.  David promotes his daughter's sold-out concerts.  Rebecca St. James has become one of the hottest Christian artists in America.  Christianity Today magazine named her one of the top fifty emerging young evangelical leaders.  It wasn't what David had planned, but it was what God had in mind.  All along, God knew what He was doing!  Like him, we just need to trust in God to show us what His will is for us, and then to follow Him!

          But back to the disciples.  Soon after the first four signed on, there were eight others who followed Jesus, and all of them left behind the predictability of daily life to follow an unpredictable teacher and leader.  He challenged their basic beliefs.  He continually spoke in parables.  He often angered the authorities.  The masses loved Him but the church leaders despised Him.  Kings feared Him but children adored Him.  His own disciples didn't always know what He was talking about, but the priests and scribes knew all too well that their way of life was being threatened, so they decided He must be stopped at all costs.

          And they did stop Him, but not for long.  The trial didn't break Him and the thorns didn't phase Him.  The cross couldn't kill Him forever, and the grave barely held him three days.  In the flash of a resurrection He was back, stronger and more powerful than ever, with authority for them to do the unimaginable.  They followed the Lord, and because they did, the world has never been the same.

          So also we must follow the Lord, no matter what.  No matter what society may throw at us, no matter if they laugh at us, no matter if we feel like a failure, let's never stop following the Lord.  His way is the best way, actually the only way.  No matter if life tosses us a hardball that bruises and hurts, let's never stop following the Lord.

          Country music star Travis Tritt spent years playing beer joints before he made it big.  Many of the bars were dangerous with drunken fans starting fights over the littlest things.  When fights broke out, Tritt found a unique way to keep the peace.  "I'd sing 'Silent Night'," he said.  "When fights started, when bikers were reaching for their pool cues and rednecks were heading for their guns, I'd start singing 'Silent Night.'  It usually stopped them cold.  Sometimes they started singing along and some of those mean guys even started to cry."

          Never stop following the Lord, friends, no matter what.  Nothing we ever do for the Lord is useless.  Amen

Copyright © 2002 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.