What Does Jesus Want?

“What does Jesus want from me?”  At some time or another, I believe that most, if not every person, Christian or not, must address this question.  You see, Jesus will come calling, he always does.  He calls to us in the midst of life, but what does he want?  Why does he call when and as he does?  What does he expect of me?  Perhaps a brief examination of Matthew's account of the calling of two sets of brother (Simon and Andrew, James and John) may be helpful at this point.  

“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. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”

At the time of Jesus’ call, both sets of brothers were engaged in their work as fishermen.  It is clear that Jesus had disrupted their day of work when he called to them.  It is also notable that Jesus is the one who initiates the call in both cases.  Furthermore, the responses from both sets of brothers was nearly identical.  Matthew notes that their response were “immediate” requiring that they “left” something and someone behind.  Finally, both sets of brothers followed Jesus.  

Clearly similarities exist between these calling accounts.  Matthew takes time to report both instances separately, when he could have simply added that “in the same way James and John followed Jesus as well”.  Matthew makes a point of reporting both encounters.  Thus, the following possibilities can be considered

Both sets of brothers were salt of the earth fisherman — Jesus is not looking for some kind of special pedigree.  As a rabbi, he departed from the his contemporaries by calling disciples, rather then requiring them to ask if he would be their rabbi.  In that day, it was customary for potential disciples to seek our willing Rabbis.  Rabbis never recruited their own disciples.  Perhaps he did this to garner control of who would follow him.  One would think that Jesus would recruit the best of the best, rather Jesus does not.  He recruits the average, middle class, 1st century citizen, teaching us that Jesus is not looking for anything more than a willing heart.  

Both sets were fishing at the time of the call — Jesus came to them in the middle of their daily work.  Jesus could have come at any time, but he specifically choose this moment.  Why call them now?  It seems very disruptive to call someone when they are in the middle of his/her work.  Jesus’ call is often inconvenient.  He calls us in the middle of our daily activity.  Like a wife who looks for her husband’s attention by standing between him and his work, Jesus calls them to make a challenging choice.  Every husband knows that if, in that setting, he asks his wife for even a 5 minute extension, he may as well set up camp on the couch.  She is not asking to spend time with him, she is asking him to choose her first.  In the same way, Jesus is not asking for us to give him some thought and time, he is asking us to choose Him first.   

Both sets left and followed Jesus immediately — This points picks up on the same thought given above.  This disruptive call came at a specific time and demanded a specific response.  One might suggest that the brothers’ response was noble, however, it seems inconsistent with their later actions.  We often find in the Gospel narrative that when the disciples are given room to make their choice, they tended to take great liberties.  In this case, Jesus left them no room.  They would either respond very well, or very poorly, there was no middle ground.  There are times to be gentle, but it seems that this call was not one of those times.  Jesus stands before them in the midst of their work and asks them to choose.  “Wait a minute” was not an option, and it seems that the disciples were aware of it.  Jesus requires and immediate devotion.  

Matthew seems to highlight a few important points in his presentation of this call.  From these similarities we learn that Jesus is not looking for the pedigree or some other skillful practitioner, but a willing heart.  It should be noted that the pedigreed person could have a willing heart and therefore receive the call.  Jesus does not look down on those who are gifted in areas of ministry, after all, he is the source of such giftedness.  The point that Jesus seems to be making is that anyone who receives his call can participate in His world saving mission.  This is not an elite thing, it is an everyone thing.  We also learn that Jesus is not asking for us to give him some thought and time, he is asking us to choose him first and without hesitation.  Jesus does not leave the disciples any alternative.  He disrupts there day and their life plans.  In many ways, we must also embrace the challenge of this call.  Authentic love is most clearly displayed by our immediate and natural response toward the things that we love most.  It should be noted that Jesus did not come to them when their backs were aching and the bill collector was breathing down their necks.  He came when the wind whipped through their hair, out on the open sea that they loved.  He came when they were at their best, doing what they loved, and when they felt most productive and significant.  They were experiencing the best that they could do in this life, Jesus called them to experience the best that He could do in this life, and they choose him.