9/22/25 Jesus Calls the First Disciples

Takeaway: Jesus’ call invites us to leave behind the familiar and step faithfully into a new life shaped by His purpose.

Opening Prayer (Monday)

Heavenly Father, as a new week begins, I seek Your presence. Fill me with Your Spirit, renew my mind, and guide my steps. May I walk in faith and purpose today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflection

The story of Jesus calling the first disciples is a moment of radical invitation and deep trust. Simon Peter and Andrew were doing what they had always done, casting nets into the sea, tending to their daily work, living in the rhythm of their familiar lives. Then Jesus walked into their ordinary day with an extraordinary call: “Follow me.” This was not to be a casual request. It was a summons to leave behind what they knew, to let go of the safety of their fishing nets, and to step into a new life shaped by God’s purpose. In that moment, discipleship meant surrender, trust, and an openness to a future they could not yet see.

This call still echoes in our lives today. Jesus continues to interrupt the familiar with His invitation to follow. He calls us to trust Him not only with our hearts, but with our time, our resources, our talents, and our future. In stewardship season, this passage reminds us that discipleship is not about clinging to what we have but about responding to Christ with open hands and open hearts. Just as Peter and Andrew left their nets, we are invited to loosen our grip on what feels safe, whether possessions, habits, or fears, and discover the freedom of living with purpose in God’s kingdom.

Notice that Jesus does not simply say, “Follow me,” but adds, “I will make you fish for people.” The call is not just away from the old life but toward a new life that has a mission. In stewardship, we recognize that everything we have, our gifts, our resources, our opportunities, are entrusted to us for God’s purposes. We are not owners but stewards, called to use what God has given in ways that draw others to Christ’s love. When we give, serve, or step into ministry, we are casting nets in new waters, trusting that God will bring forth life through our faithfulness.

For the disciples, the decision to follow was immediate. Matthew tells us, “Immediately they left their nets.” Their response was not delayed until a more convenient time, nor was it half-hearted. It was wholehearted surrender. In this stewardship season, we are reminded that faithful living does not wait until life feels easier or more certain. Jesus calls us now, in the midst of busy schedules, financial concerns, and competing priorities, to live with courage and generosity. Discipleship is not a future possibility but a present reality.

The beauty of this story is that Jesus does not require the disciples to have everything figured out before following Him. He simply calls, and in answering, the disciples discover that He is enough. Likewise, stewardship is not about perfection but about trust; trusting that as we offer ourselves, our gifts, and our resources to God, Christ will multiply them for the sake of His kingdom.

Questions

What “nets” might you be holding onto, things that feel safe or familiar, that Jesus may be inviting you to release?

In what ways can stewardship (your time, gifts, and resources) become a response to Jesus’ ongoing call to follow Him today?

Application

Following Jesus always involves both letting go and taking hold. Prayerfully identify one area where God is inviting you to take a step of faithful stewardship, whether through a financial gift, an act of service, or a new practice of generosity. Then, take that step as an act of trust, remembering that discipleship is not about having everything figured out but about trusting the One who calls and promises to provide.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, You still walk into the ordinary moments of my life with an extraordinary call: “Follow me.” Give me the courage to release what feels safe and to step into the life of purpose You set before me. Teach me to trust You with my gifts, my resources, and my future. May my response be wholehearted and immediate, and may my life point others to Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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