'Follow Me'

From a sermon by Pastor Ryan Peterson, pictured above with his wife, Rebekah

During the time Jesus walked the earth in physical form, Jewish boys who were five years of age wanted to be rabbis, said Ryan Peterson. (A rabbi is a teacher of the “Torah,” which is made up of the “first five books of the Jewish Bible.)

Peterson preached recently on “Follow Me” at Grace Church in Southern Pines, N.C. As Grace Church's spiritual development pastor and leader of the church's 20/30 Young Adults Ministry, he serves under Grace's Senior Pastor Randy Thornton. 

Peterson said many Jewish boys [during the period of Jesus’ earthly ministry] had already memorized the Torah by the time they were ten years old. (The word “Torah” in Hebrew is derived from a root word meaning “to guide” or “teach,” according to Wikipedia.)

At 15 to 18 years of age, the better students of Judaism [in those days] attached themselves to rabbis.

“They left home to follow the rabbis,” Peterson said. “In a few cases, rabbis chose their own students. The students wanted to become everything the rabbis were. At ages 20 to 30, they would be doing what they dreamed about at age five.”

Peter and Andrew were fishermen.

“Maybe they lived with their parents,” Peterson said. “Peter and Andrew maybe failed to be rabbis. What in your life is like Peter and Andrew?”

Peter and Andrew were doing a common job by the seaside.

“They weren’t really qualified [to be rabbis],” Peterson said,” but Jesus offered them two words: ‘Follow me.’”

Jesus issued a “life calling” for the two men.

“Immediately they left their nets,” Peterson said. “They dropped everything they had and signed up. [They essentially said] ‘I’m all in.’”

Peterson said the two words – “Follow me” – are “words of hope.”

“Even Satan believes in God, but few are willing to follow God,” he said. “God’s not as interested in calling the qualified as in qualifying those he calls.”

A follower does whatever it takes, Peterson said, adding, “Jesus says [to Peter and Andrew], ‘You have the opportunity to hang out with me, a rabbi.’”

Peterson told his audience that God promises grace which is “sufficient” and that God offers an invitation of two words: “Follow me.”

After the audience sang the old song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus,” Peterson closed the service with these words: “I want to give you the same invitation Jesus gave Peter and Andrew: ‘Follow me.’”

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