College Hour

Called to Follow Jesus

John 1:43-44 43The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. NKJV Introduction: Dr. John Mac Aurthur, wrote the book called 12 ordinary men. In this work he looks at those men that got called to follow Jesus. His thesis in the book is that “The Men that Jesus chose were ordinary men! Some were fisherman, tax collectors, political zealots and other common men of the day. The author denotes that Jesus did not select the best and the brightest. Jesus did not choose those from the institutions of higher learning. Jesus did not choose those who were from the aristocrat blood line. He did not choose those were well versed in the scripture. In fact he chose people who no one else would choose and he called them to follow him.

Men with problems
Men with issues
Men with hang-ups
Men who were rough around the edges
Men who could not keep their word
Men with big egos
Men who were slow in their thinking
Men who were skeptics
Men who were doubters
Men who were thieves
Men who nobody else wanted
Jesus wanted these types of brothers to be with him that he may bring his father in heaven, honor and glory in the earth.

Note: After reading Mac Arthurs work, I too come away believing that “The Master” loves the under-dog. He wants those people that others have written off.

The Master wants the person that nobody else has time for.
Jesus wants the population that the world has deemed as less than fortunate, less than appealing and less than normal.
Jesus wants that class of people that the world calls rejects, useless, under class, or even poor trash.
This is who the Master is calling unto himself. Those modern-day people, who’s suffering with life’s issues and living in a world of oppression, looking for a savior who fixes their broken lives.

We can learn today from this devotional that Jesus knew what he was called to do, he knew where he was going to do it and he was fired up about doing it. Jesus knew what was in Galilee; he had information about the place and knew about the people in the place and when he got there he got busy doing what God had called him to do! CALLING PEOPLE UNTO HIMSELF! The bible says that it was after he got to Galilee that he found Philip, which also implies that he went there in search for him! What a beautiful picture to ponder on today. The same Jesus that called Phillip has called and is calling today for us to be followers and disciples of his. Im excited to know that Christ can use the Phillips of the world, from the unknown places of the world to be in an intimate relationship with the true God of the World.

There was something special about Philip that God could use.
There was something unique about Philip that Jesus was interested in.
The call to follow Christ is a one of a kind call.
It is a personalized call
It is a call extended to everyone and yet it is personal every time it is given.
Philip’s call was the call to submit, and to surrender to Christ. It was a call to discipleship! Jesus said Follow Me.

Let us follow him today in this wonderful majestic call!. Question for reflection: