One of the most powerful and brief moments in Scripture happens in Matthew 4:18–22.
Jesus isn’t speaking to the crowds yet. He’s walking—observing. And in a moment, He speaks a phrase that still transforms lives:
“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” (Matthew 4:19 NASB)
Let’s unpack what happens when Jesus calls His first disciples—and what it means for your life in 2025.
Jesus Finds Ordinary People in Ordinary Places
“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.” (Matthew 4:18 NASB)
Jesus wasn’t at a synagogue or a palace. He was at the shore—watching two men at work. These weren’t rabbis or religious elites. They were fishermen—men of calloused hands and early mornings.
The point is clear: Jesus doesn’t wait for you to become perfect before He calls you.
He calls you right where you are.
Action Step: Don’t wait for “the right moment” to serve God. He meets you where you are and says, “Follow Me.”
The Call: “Follow Me, and I Will Make You Fishers of People”
“And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.’” (Matthew 4:19 NASB)
Jesus doesn’t offer wealth, security, or titles.
He offers transformation and mission.
He says:
- Follow Me (relationship)
- I will make you (transformation)
- Fishers of people (purpose)
That’s the order—and that’s still the model.
Many want the purpose, but resist the process. Jesus says, “Follow first, and I will shape you.”
Action Step: Write down the areas where you’ve wanted purpose without surrender. Commit today to let Jesus shape you before He sends you.
Their Response? Immediate Obedience
“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:20 NASB)
Peter and Andrew didn’t negotiate.
They didn’t say, “Let me finish this haul.”
They didn’t ask for a five-year plan.
Then they dropped their nets—and their livelihoods—and followed Him.
This is bold, uncomfortable, and radical. But it’s exactly the kind of obedience Jesus still calls for.
Action Step: What are you still holding on to that’s keeping you from full obedience? Identify it. Lay it down.
Jesus Calls More Than One
“Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.” (Matthew 4:21–22 NASB)
The call wasn’t exclusive. Jesus continued to extend the invitation.
And again, the response was immediate—even though it meant leaving family, comfort, and the familiar behind.
In 2025, He’s still calling people to step out of what’s safe and into what’s sacred.
Action Step: Surround yourself with people who answer God’s call. Community matters when you’re walking away from comfort.
What This Means for Us in 2025
Jesus is still walking. He’s still calling. And His invitation is still the same:
“Follow Me.”
In our world today:
- We delay obedience in search of clarity.
- We look for credentials before commitment.
- We negotiate the terms of our calling.
But Jesus doesn’t negotiate—He invites.
And His words still create world-changers.
Your Next Move:
- Listen for His call. It’s often in the ordinary.
- Respond quickly. Obedience delayed is often obedience denied.
- Let Him make you. Trust His process even when it’s uncomfortable.
Closing Prayer
Jesus, I hear You calling me. Help me drop the nets I’ve been clinging to. Give me the courage to follow You with my whole heart. Shape me into who You’ve created me to be. Let me be a fisher of people in this generation. I say yes. In Your name, Amen.
