4:18-22

"Come, follow me."

Pretty straightforward. Other gospels suggest a bit more context. Peter and Andrew had heard Jesus preach, even from their own boat. So it might not have been a cold call. But here it is.

"I will make you fishers of men."

At the very least, it's a change in deployment. From now on, people and their spiritual needs will be central, and catching fish will be at best peripheral. More than merely deployment, this mean s a change in employments, from a classic, hands-on trade to an itinerant ministry that's dependent on the generosity of others.

They left their nets and followed.

That's pretty much it. They walked away with Jesus and followed him out of the fish business and into the people business.

They left their boat.

Probably beloved and a significant investment.

Now, for 2,000 years, pastors and people have been asking "Could I lay it all down? Could I lay down my career if Jesus asked me to?"

Not just career. It says they left net, boat and their father. I doubt they left him feeble and dependent. I doubt they abandoned him in a way that Jesus (by his very nature) would not likely have sanctioned. Still, Jesus asked them to follow and they left their father and did.

8:18-22

The teacher of the law says "Jesus, I'll follow you wherever you go."

Jesus lays out the cost. "Foxes have holes, birds have nests. The son of man has no place to lay his head. In other words, you'd be following me onto the road to a place that's anything but secure in the world's sense. You will have no home this side of heaven. I'd be asking you to lay down your secure place in life and join me on an adventure of faith and sacrifice.

The teacher of the law quickly backtracks. "First, let me bury my father." Not likely, by the way, that dad's remains were sitting in a funeral home somewhere. He probably meant, "Wait. When my dad dies, then I'm free to follow." He might even have meant, after I collect my inheritance, then I'll follow.

"Follow me, says Jesus, and let bury their own dead."

And we're left asking, with 2,000 years of Christian fellows, "Could I lay it all down?" Could I lay down my secure life to go on an adventure with Jesus?"

8:18-22

A rich young man comes to Jesus. "What good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you call me good? There is only one who is good." Jesus is ready to spar. Then he gives the classic synagogue school answer. "If you want eternal life, obey the commandments."

"Which ones?" Earnest or smart, the young man won't be put off.

Jesus names a few. Don't murder. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal or lie. Honor your parents. Love your neighbor as yourself.

"I've done all that," says the young man.

Jesus gets to the heart of it. At least to the heart of this particular man. "If you want to be perfect, sell everything and give to the poor. Then you'll have treasure in heaven. And then come follow me."

The word so often translated "perfect" is teleios; it means completely whole, finished in character, fully consecrated, finally accomplished. If you want to be really accomplished, and whole, and full consecrated to God, lay it all down.

We're told that the man went away sad. Because he had great wealth. Not spoken but assumed, the more we have, the harder it is to lay down.

In the aftermath, Jesus makes his famous camel statement. And he follows it up with a hopeful one. But we, like 2,000 years of Christ-believers are left asking, "Could I lay it all down? If Jesus asked me to sell everything and give all my wealth away, could I?"

20:20

Mrs. Zebedee wants special status for her special sons, James and John.

"You don't know what you're asking." Jesus replies. Turning to the two brothers, he asks "Can you drink the cup I'm going to drink?"

Unfair question. Even though Jesus has cryptically mentioned his coming death, they probably didn't think it would really happen. In their minds, they were probably thinking "Jesus' cup? You mean can I drink in notoriety and fame and the adoration of the masses? Sure, if I have to. I mean, I'll have to get an unpublished phone number and a gate for the driveway, but that's no big deal."

Jesus bails them out (verse 26) "Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. After all, I didn't come to be served, but to serve and to give up my life."

So, we're left asking, with 2,000 years of Christ-lovers, could I lay it all down? Could I lay down status and standing, the high esteem of others, and become a servant – just serve whenever, however God wants me to.

Career

Family

Security

Wealth

Status

That pretty much covers it. The stuff that most of us would have a hard time laying down.

Notice the context of the Matt. 4 passage. Jesus has just been tempted in the desert. With what? He was tempted to put bread, and all that it represents, power and fame ahead of his unique calling in life. Jesus fights off the temptations, but having been tempted himself, we have (says Hebrews) a High Priest who is sympathetic to our temptations – the things that could potentially be given a place ahead of our unique callings in life.

As for unique callings, remember Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life?

Here's my assumption – every one of us has a unique vulnerability (at least one) that must be over come if we're going to move into the realm of teleios. For one person, it might be a career that virtually presents teleion (completeness), and until it's laid down, it will forever be and encumbrance. For another, it might be family, or even a notion of family, or a painful memory of family that stands in the way of teleion. While I hardly believe that Jesus would suggest abandoning spouse or children, I do think some are called to let go and lay down some aspect of family that is out of proportion or in the way. Paul is very matter of fact. Marriage, in his opinion, always gets in the way, some. And walking away from marriage is a grave matter. But still, if one of my children is called to Siberia as a missionary, or called to Oakland, I pray that I won't be a deterrent. Same with all kinds of security. Scripture makes the case over and over that our home is eternal in the heavens and that every human effort to entrench might cripple our availability to God. We are urged not to love earthly security too much. For one thing, it's a setup for disappointment. For another, we tether ourselves or even shackle ourselves, to a lesser destiny than God's intended teleion.

And of course, wealth is a biggie. Jesus would probably call it one of the great killers. Not that money is evil, but that it's hard not to love. And once we love it, money is a jealous, possessive lover. It's doesn't share affection or loyalty very well.

All this to say, if I can't let go of something, my very life might depend on it.

This is not the pleasant part of the gospel, but it is gospel. It is good news. Worthy warnings are good news. Jesus attracted huge crowds with miracles and folksy preaching, but he thinned the crowds every time he talked this way – about the costs of following.

In John 6:66. Jesus asks the disciples after a hard session of preaching, "Are you going to leave, too?" Peter gets it right this time. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

The obvious question is this: by laying it down, do mean actually and literally or spiritually and emotionally? In other words, Lord, am I really supposed to quit my job or just integrate my faith into it? Am I supposed to sell my house or just submit it to you in prayer? Should I give away my money, or should I offer it all to you and then let you show me how to divvy it up?

My assumption is that some might have spiritual and emotional offerings to make, while others might actually be told, even today, to literally lay something down. I can't tell you which or what, and I'm not sure you can tell me. That runs pretty much counter to Jesus' teachings on judging others in Matthew 7:1

But I have to ask myself. And I'm compelled to urge everyone I love to ask these central questions of life and loyalty and eternity – and teleion – wholeness, completeness, consecration.

Are you the Lord's? Does he have my whole heart, or am I parceling out affections and donations in ways that guard my own creeping festering lump of encumbrance? Have you presented yourself as a living sacrifice? Then, are you willing to die to yourself daily and follow him? Am I ready to die to that one area of self-protection that will forever inhibit my wholeness until the day that I am ready to lay it down?

Why ultimately, does he want us to lay it down? So that we're hands-free to take up what He wants us to take up.