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Review: Last week we began our winter study in Matthew seeing how Jesus inaugurated His Messianic mission by fulfilling all righteousness demonstrated in His baptism and in His obedience under temptation. That is a powerful reality for the born-again believer. Do you know Him? If you don’t please understand He made this world perfect but we messed that up when we chose sin over him, causing brokenness. But He sent His son into the brokenness of this world to save us when he came , died, was buried, and rose again offering us salvation if we would repent and believe on Him as God’s Son. Then we are given new life to recover and pursue His design.
Title: Invitation
Text: Matthew 4:12-25
Key Verses: Matthew 4:19-20, “19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”[b] 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
Introduction: In this week’s lesson we see that [Theme:] Jesus calls people to follow Him.
Introduction: I was talking with one of our church members who has chosen to go the path of an apprenticeship for his career pursuit, which is commendable. College isn’t for everyone, and it can often cause more stress and debt than set us on the trajectory that’s best. For others, it’s a great choice. God is faithful to lead us in those decisions, amen. We’re called to apprentice ourselves to Jesus, to follow Him, to be His disciples. While believers disciple other believers, it’s never so that the individual will so much follow them; if they can glean things from their example and input, great. But we want people to very pointedly follow Jesus Himself.
Main Points:
- Starting Out (Matthew 4:12-17)
“12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
- After His hometown rejection in Luke 4:16-30 Jesus ministers in Galilee, which fulfilled Isaiah 9:1-2 prophecy. This was the Messiah who would take Israel out of her darkness and transfer her into His marvelous gospel light.
- His message was one of repentance a change of heart, mind, and living.
- II. Calling Out (Matthew 4:18-22)
“18 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. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”[b] 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 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. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
- Traditionally students chose rabbis, but here the Rabbi-Jesus-chose students.
- Disciples of Jesus were to invite others in to be His disciples as well. There was a very-much outward focus to following Jesus, not inwardly circling the wagons. The Pharisees did that, having a religious elitism that is the exact opposite to the kind of discipleship Jesus requires.
- The first disciples were every day laborers, fisherman (Jn. 1:35-41).
- To follow means to learn and even imitate. Disciples of this day would literally mimic the walking gate of their Rabbis. Typically—and we see this unfortunately with many seminarians—the more they learn the bigger their heads get and they start exercising more independent pride, than humble followership. It’s a warning to us. The more we follow Jesus, the more teachable we become if we’re practicing His kind of discipleship. I have books on my shelves written by several men who come to mind that I looked up to once, but fell into moral confliction.
- True discipleship is a lifetime of laying aside every weight and sin that so easily besets us so we can run the race better. We discover one weight after another and lay them down one after another. Discipleship is a very humbling experience, but it’s the best.
- I love how Andrew and Peter showed no hesitation at Jesus’s invite to follow him. They quickly dropped their nets and followed Him. Could there be something you’re holding on to, an expectation, a dream, a habit or practice that God is telling you it’s time to lay aside?
- Hebrews 12:1-2 commends us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
- III. Reaching Out (Matthew 4:23-25)
“23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.”
- Jesus’s ministry had 3 focuses: preaching and teaching the truth of God’s Word, sharing the gospel of the kingdom that had come, and healing miracles which verified His Messianic role and identity.
- The gospel is for all peoples, Jew and Gentile alike. Many people flocked to Jesus as His ministry spread.
- As His disciples, we are commended to follow Jesus’ example: Preach and teach His word, not deviating from the Scriptures. We are to share the gospel message as a way of life. We are to build His kingdom, not our own, with grateful humility.
Doctrine: Our key doctrine for this week is the Kingdom.
Lifeway Explore says, “The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.”
John 3:3, “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ; Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,”
Gospel: We will encounter people this week filled with the empty sorrow and regret of building their own kingdoms and living life according to their preferences. When we encounter these individuals, we need to encourage them with the hope found in the gospel of Jesus.
Gospel Conversation Transition Statement: “I haven’t experienced that exact form of emptiness and regret, but I have experienced my own emptiness and regrets. May I share with you the hope I have found in Jesus?”
Big Takeaway(s):
- Jesus calls people to follow Him.
- People must repent to enter the Kingdom of God.
- Following Jesus will require personal sacrifice.
- Jesus’s call means following His example and ministering to others.
Discussion Questions:
- What is one of your big takeaways from God’s Word here?
- Why would Matthew emphasize Old Testament prophecies?
- How does discipleship that is in accordance with biblical discipleship work in our day and age?
Please share your takeaway within your group and add your takeaway it in the comments.
Caleb Walker 
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