This morning, we’re finishing our message series, “All In.”  So far, we were challenged to be all in for Jesus because Jesus is all in for us. 

We were reminded to apply that small, but huge word: commit.  As we commit to being all in for Jesus this year, we may need to simplify our lives.  We were reminded that another possible way to be all in for Jesus this year is to simply DO IT AGAIN and learn to value perseverance.

Whatever being all in for Jesus may look like for you this year, there is one thing that it will mean for all of us who make this choice.  It will mean that we will be following Jesus. 

To follow Jesus is to live as He lived, serve as He served, seek and save the lost, heal the sick, set the captives free, demolish the work of the enemy and build God’s Kingdom.  To follow Jesus is to actively follow His lead through the Holy Spirit.

Although we are all called to follow Jesus, wheat that looks like for me will look differently for you. God created us as unique individuals for a unique purpose. There are plenty of moral absolutes that will apply to all of us, but there is lots more that will be different for each of us.

To start, we have to understand a bit of historical and religious background. 

Jewish rabbis were held in great honor and esteem.  Only the brightest and best would obtain this great achievement among Jewish boys growing up.  Jesus grew up and became one, Himself.  To have a rabbi approach you with those two simple words, “Follow me.” were incredibly weighty and exciting.  It meant that the rabbi saw great potential in you to be able to learn from them and to grow and become just like them through discipleship and mentoring.  It was the next to last step before potentially becoming a rabbi, yourself.

We read a few weeks ago the account where Jesus gave that invitation, “Follow me.” to fishing partners Peter, James, and John.

Matthew 4:19

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Many times throughout the ministry of Jesus, He would go against the grain and act in unexpected and surprising ways.  This was one of the reasons behind eventually killing Him.  Those who He chose as His twelve disciples were shocking for sure!  He didn’t choose those whom the other rabbis would typically choose, but rather, those that His Heavenly Father directed Him to  (John 17). 

As undeniable evidence of this, we turn now to a time after the resurrection of Jesus.  Here, the rulers, elders, and teachers of the law met and put Peter and John on trial after they were used to heal a man who sat by the temple gate every day begging.  What was their observation of these two men that Jesus first chose to follow Him?

Acts 4:13-14

13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.

You may be able to well relate to the world’s view of Peter and John, common and not the brightest when it comes to book smarts.  However, what really shapes and defines who we are is that we have been with Jesus.  It is Jesus working in and through our lives that really defines who we are.

Not only did Jesus choose unschooled and ordinary fishermen as His disciples, but He also chose a man considered to be among a type of people who were some of the worst of sinners; a tax collector.

Matthew 9:9-13

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.

10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 On hearing this, Je