THE CALLING OF THE APOSTLES
THE FISHERMEN
Mt 4 Mk 1
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two
brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net
into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus
said, "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed
him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee
and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing
their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their
father and followed him.
THE TAX COLLECTOR
Mt 9
As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew
sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and
Matthew got up and followed him.
Mk 2 Lk 5:27
As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at
the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got
up and followed him.
THE SCEPTIC (Invited by a friend)
Jn 1
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding
Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
Philip found Nathaniel and told him, "We have found the one Moses
wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote--Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph." "Nazareth! Can anything good come from
there?" Nathaniel asked. "Come and see," said Philip.
THE RICH MAN’S EXCUSE
Mt 19 Mk10:21
Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell
your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me." When the
young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Lk 18
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still
lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will
have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this, he
became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
OTHER EXCUSES
Mt 8
Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go
and bury my father." But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead
bury their own dead."
Lk 9
He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man
replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to
him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the
kingdom of God."
Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go
back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts
his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
ADMONITIONS FROM JESUS
Mt 16 Mk 8:34
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would
come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For
whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet
forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Jn 12
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my
servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Mt 10 Lk 9:23
Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not
worthy of me.
Lk 14
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me
cannot be my disciple.
Are you ready to follow Jesus? He has called you to do so.
Do you have an excuse not to? Then do you still consider
yourself worthy to be called one of His ?
Most of the flowerers of Jesus in Biblical times did not
hesitate to follow Him. They left everything behind and took up their cross
(their walk in life) and followed Him.
None of them had more of an education other then what they
had learned for their trades. You probably already know more then the Apostles
knew when Jesus first called them to “Come, follow Me”. None went
to seminary or monastery to learn, they learned as they walked with Jesus for
approximately three years.
In the Catholic Charismatic Church you will be taught as
much and even more then the Apostles in a matter of a year or less. You will be
mentored throughout that time by a priest who has been in His service for some
time and is fully familiar with all the questions and doubts that you may have
from time to time.
In due time, if you finish your studies and are of good
repute with no impediments, you will be ordained Deacon and then Priest and
begin to further build your ministry to the people of God. You will begin even
during your training with your own family and close friends and then expand
outward to the rest of the world a little at a time.
Remember His invitation “Come, follow me”, it is addressed
to you. There are no valid excuses not to accept it.
If you feel that you are called then fill out the Membership
application
Now in case anyone thinks that the call to serve God
was something new in the New Testament please look at the following:
1 Samuel 3:1-10
The boy Samuel
ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was
rare; there were not many visions.
One night Eli,
whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in
his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying
down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called
Samuel.
Samuel answered,
"Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called
me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he
went and lay down. Again the LORD called,
"Samuel!"
And Samuel got
up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." "My
son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now
Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been
revealed to him.
The LORD called
Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I
am; you called me."
Then Eli
realized that the LORD was calling the boy.
So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say,
'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down
in his place.
The LORD came
and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!"
Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Have you ever sensed God calling you to Himself? It
was probably not like Samuel’s call. Each person has his or her own “call
story”.
In some fashion you may have felt God’s hand upon you
or God’s voice within.
God’s call is the basis of our commitment to join with
God’s people and to try to be a servant of His word to the world.
You may have a call.
Your answer/prayer should be Samuels:
“Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”
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