You are young, but don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life.

1 Timothy 4:12 (ERV)

INTRODUCTION

According to the Bible, this very simple invitation was made by a man named Jesus to 12 other men. The other men were

Andrew

Peter

James

John

Phillip

Bartholomew

Thomas

Matthew

James

Thaddeus

Simon

And Judas.

All twelve men accepted Jesus invitation. None of the twelve men knew, or understood fully, what saying yes to this simple invitation would mean for their lives or for their futures. Yes, they would leave all to follow the Teacher. Yes, they would have unlimited access to the Rabbi. They would live with him, eat with him, sleep with him. They would fully submit to his authority over their lives. They had full access to the One who would answer all their questions and make all their dreams come true. This invitation, from the Teacher, was a huge honor for these men. And yet, unbeknown to each of them, this would also prove to be their most difficult challenge. From the moment they said yes to the invitation to the moment they ceased to exist on the earth, they would be stretched, tried, provoked, tested but ultimately transformed to the glory of their God.

Eventually these men would come to know Jesus as more than a rabbi, as more than a great teacher. They would come to know him as more than the One whom the prophets proclaimed in the scriptures, more than the one whom they had heard about, studied about and long awaited. Instead, after yielding to his invitation to, come and follow me, these men would experience and come to know THIS Teacher as the Anointed One, the Christ. And with this knowledge, they would be gloriously transformed!

Praise God that this simple invitation, echoed many, many years ago to twelve men, is extended to us as well. Christ invites us to, “Come and follow me”. Acceptance is still a challenge. Following him is still costly. We still do not fully understand what saying yes will mean. But just like the first twelve who decided to say yes and to trust the Teacher, may we ALL choose to trust the Teacher as well. May we ALL choose a glorious transformation!!

Come and follow me!

THE DECISION

It is not easy saying yes to the invitation. Usually when we hear it, several thoughts roll through our minds. Typically we think, I am not ready. I am too young. I have my whole life ahead of me. I am headed off to college (or I soon will be...one day, some day). I want to have some FUN first! I do not want to miss out on anything. I want to try a few “adult” things. I really cannot get tied down to Jesus right now. Maybe later.

It’s interesting. Why is it that we equate following Jesus with boredom, a lack of fun, something our parents do, something we can do when we get older? Why do we feel like we are going to miss out on something?

Perhaps we are like the rich young ruler in Luke 18:18-32,ERV.

A religious leader asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? Only God is good. And you know his commands: ‘You must not commit adultery, you must not murder anyone, you must not steal, you must not tell lies about others, you must respect your father and mother …”