Lent Day 2 [3.6.2025] / Jesus is Calling You

Scripture: Matthew 4:18-22 / 마태복음 4:18-22

Matthew 4:19 - “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Overview:

After overcoming the wilderness, Jesus would begin to call upon His first disciples. Walking beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus would call out to two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were all fishermen. Jesus called out to them and said, “Come, follow me and I will send you out to fish for people.” They left their nets and boats and immediately followed after Jesus.

Questions:

1. Why did Peter, Andrew, James and John immediately leave everything behind to follow Jesus?

2. What does it mean to become a disciple?

3. Why did Jesus choose to ask Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be His disciples?

   
   

Jesus is Calling You:

The Jewish culture during the time of Jesus rested heavily on rabbinic tradition and education of scripture. When Jesus was twelve years old, Mary and Joseph were returning from Jerusalem after celebrating the Festival of the Passover when they suddenly realized that they left Jesus back in the city. In their panic, they eventually found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to and asking them questions. Scripture tells us further that everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. Therefore, we know that from a young age, Jesus had proved His undeniable wisdom and inspiration of scripture. By the time Jesus began His ministry, He was renown as a rabbi.

Since rabbinic tradition and education of scripture were centerpieces to Judaic culture, many would hope for an opportunity to further their education by asking a rabbi the permission to follow after them. Only a few would be selected in such high esteem and these disciples were known as talmidim. In this way, we can know at this stage in Jesus’ ministry (when only a few knew and acknowledged the diety of Jesus Christ), the reason why Peter, Andrew, James, and John left everything to follow after Jesus was because it would be an honor to be given permission to follow a rabbi, but an even greater honor to be asked by a rabbi to come and follow Him.

In the bible, the position of rabbi had great significance in the community and were greatly revered. If a rabbi would accept a disciple, the understanding would be that the disciple would not simply learn about scripture but would in fact become like the teacher. For this reason, a disciple would leave everything behind to walk with, live with, and speak with the rabbi so that one day they would be able to walk like, live like, and speak like their teacher. To be a disciple does not mean simply to gain knowledge and opportunity, but to become more like the teacher in word, action, character, and ability.

When we think about why Jesus would choose people like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, we automatically look for something that made them stand out from the rest. However, fishing was considered a working-class job and despite learning the scriptures from a young age, they were not qualified to be selected as apprentices to any teacher or rabbi. We begin to realize that Jesus did not select them because of what they could offer Him, but simply selected them because they had a willing and available heart.

This lent season, Jesus is calling you to walk in discipleship. Firstly, He is coming to you wherever you are in life just like He went to go and find His disciples. Secondly, He is not seeking you because of your attributes, but simply desires us to have a willing and available heart to follow and trust in Him. Thirdly, He will take your life and use it for His glory just like when He called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to use their understanding, wisdom, and drive as fishermen to come and fish for people. Lastly, we are to remember the unmatched honor of how Jesus calling us changes our lives. For Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they found Jesus as rabbi enough of a reason to leave everything behind and follow Him. For us today, we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. How much greater should our joy be knowing that He has called us to be His disciples as well.

Prayer:

1. Lord, thank you for calling me to be your disciple. Holy Spirit, help me to become more like Christ more and more each day during this lent season.

2. I know I am not called because I have something better to offer someone else. You are simply asking me to trust in you and be willing and available this season to spend time with you and listen to your voice.

3. Lord, please fill my mind and heart with purpose this season to draw closer to you and proclaim your name boldly to the world.

   
   

개요:

광야에서의 시험을 이기신 후, 예수님은 첫 제자들을 부르기 시작하셨습니다. 갈릴리 호숫가를 거니시며, 예수님은 어부였던 베드로라 하는 시몬과 그의 형제 안드레, 세베대의 아들 야고보와 그의 형제 요한을 부르셨습니다. 예수님께서 그들에게 말씀하시기를, “나를 따라오너라. 내가 너희를 사람을 낚는 어부가 되게 하리라.” 그러자 그들은 그물과 배를 버려두고 즉시 예수님을 따랐습니다.

질문:

1. 베드로, 안드레, 야고보, 요한은 왜 즉시 모든 것을 버리고 예수님을 따랐을까요?

2. 제자가 된다는 것은 무엇을 의미할까요?

3. 예수님은 왜 베드로, 안드레, 야고보, 요한을 제자로 부르셨을까요?

   
   

예수님께서 당신을 부르고 계십니다:

예수님 당시의 유대 문화는 랍비 전통과 성경 교육에 큰 비중을 두고 있었습니다. 예수님께서 열두 살이 되셨을 때, 부모님인 마리아와 요셉은 유월절을 예루살렘에서 지낸 후 돌아가는 길에 예수님이 함께 계시지 않다는 것을 깨달았습니다. 놀라서 예수님을 찾아 헤맨 끝에 성전에서 예수님을 발견했는데, 거기서 바리새인들 가운데 앉아 그들의 말을 듣고 질문을 하고 계셨습니다. 성경은 그 자리에 있던 모든 이들이 예수님의 지혜와 대답에 놀랐다고 기록하고 있습니다. 이처럼 예수님께서는 어린 시절부터 하나님의 말씀에 대한 깊은 지혜를 드러내셨으며, 공생애를 시작하실 무렵에는 랍비로서 명성을 얻고 계셨습니다.

랍비 전통이 유대 문화의 핵심이었기 때문에, 많은 사람들이 높은 명망을 지닌 랍비의 제자가 되기를 원했습니다. 하지만 소수의 특별한 사람들만이 선택될 수 있었고, 그들은 ‘탈미딤(제자)’이라 불렸습니다. 일반적으로 제자가 되기 위해서는 랍비에게 먼저 요청해야 했지만, 예수님께서는 직접 베드로, 안드레, 야고보, 요한을 찾아가셔서 그들을 부르셨습니다. 랍비가 직접 선택해 주는 것은 최고의 영광이었기 때문에, 그들이 즉시 모든 것을 버리고 예수님을 따른 것은 당연한 일이었습니다.

당시 랍비는 단순히 성경을 가르치는 사람이 아니라, 공동체에서 큰 존경을 받는 존재였습니다. 랍비의 제자가 된다는 것은 단순히 성경을 배우는 것이 아니라, 랍비처럼 되는 것을 의미했습니다. 따라서 제자는 랍비와 함께 먹고, 자고, 생활하며 그의 삶을 온전히 따랐습니다. 그리고 결국에는 랍비처럼 말하고 행동하며, 그의 성품과 능력을 닮아가야 했습니다. 제자가 된다는 것은 단순히 지식과 기회를 얻는 것이 아니라, 스승을 닮아가는 삶을 사는 것입니다.

예수님께서 왜 베드로, 안드레, 야고보, 요한을 선택하셨는지 생각해 보면, 우리는 그들이 특별한 능력을 가졌기 때문이라고 생각할 수도 있습니다. 그러나 어부라는 직업은 당시에 일반적인 노동계급의 일이었으며, 그들은 어려서부터 성경을 배웠지만 어떤 랍비의 제자로 선택될 만큼 뛰어나지는 않았습니다. 예수님께서 그들을 선택하신 이유가 그들의 능력 때문이 아니라, 그들의 마음이 자원했고 열려 있었기 때문에 선택 받았다는 것입니다.  

이 사순절 기간 동안, 예수님께서는 우리를 제자의 길로 부르고 계십니다. 예수님께서는 우리가 어디에 있든지 먼저 찾아와 주십니다. 베드로와 안드레, 야고보와 요한을 찾아가셨듯이, 우리도 있는 그 자리에서 찾으시고 부르십니다. 예수님께서는 우리의 능력이나 자격을 보시는 것이 아니라, 그저 순종하고자 하는 마음과 열린 마음을 원하십니다. 예수님께서는 우리의 삶을 사용하셔서 하나님의 영광을 드러내길 원하십니다. 어부였던 베드로와 안드레, 야고보와 요한이 사람을 낚는 어부가 되도록 부르심을 받은 것처럼, 예수님께서는 우리가 생각지도 못하는 계획 가운데 우리의 재능과 경험을 사용하십니다. 마지막으로, 예수님의 부르심은 우리의 삶을 변화시키는 놀라운 영광입니다. 베드로, 안드레, 야고보, 요한은 단순히 랍비로서 예수님을 따랐지만, 우리는 예수님을 주님이자 구원자로 알고 따릅니다. 그렇다면 우리가 예수님의 제자로 부르심을 받은 것이 얼마나 큰 기쁨인지 다시금 깨달아야 합니다.

기도:

1. 주님, 저를 제자로 불러주셔서 감사합니다. 성령님, 이 사순절 기간 동안 더욱 예수님을 닮아갈 수 있도록 도와주세요.

2. 주님, 오직 주님을 신뢰하며 순종하는 자가 되길 원합니다. 이 기간 동안 주님의 음성을 듣고, 주님과 함께 시간을 보낼 수 있도록 제 마음을 열어주세요.

3. 주님, 저에게 이 사순절 동안 목적을 주시고, 주님을 더욱 가까이 따르며 세상 가운데 담대하게 주님의 이름을 선포할 수 있도록 도와주세요.