Why do you follow?

Luke 5:1-11

Why do you follow Jesus? This story in Luke is about why Peter, Andrew, James and John followed Jesus. It doesn't give us a clue as to what their motivation is. Did they hear something in his teaching? Was it because of the miracle catch? Is there something in the story which has resonance for you? Why do you follow Jesus?

Do we even ask this question? It was one we were asked in seminary in our reflective practice course. See each one of the gospels has a call story. Every one of them is different. All of them have an invitation. Today's is ,"don't be afraid." Maybe this is the place we start in. 

What keeps you afraid from following Jesus? Is it like Peter where you don't feel worthy enough to follow? Is it because there might be a better time, a better place in your life to begin? Or what does it even mean to follow Jesus? Ghandi read the beatitudes every day, his famous quote is he would have been Christian, except for how he saw Christians act.

Why do you follow Jesus? Is it belonging, belonging to the right group, the right kind of people, the right...you get the picture. Jesus wasn't on the right side of anything. He hung out with the religious and they criticized him. He hung out with the sinners and drank and still wasn't totally accepted there. He hung out with his disciples and was never understood and told them they lacked faith. So why would you follow Jesus?

Cracking open why we follow is something different for every person here. It is unique for each individual, just as it was for this rag tag crew. Just look at the varied backgrounds: fishermen, tax collector, zealot in another gospel some were followers of John the Baptist first. These all are different people from different backgrounds and they all have their own stories of why they follow.

Asking this question honestly asks us to dig deeper into the root of why we follow. Discovering this helps us to become a disciple in deeper relation with Jesus. There are stories which resonate deeply for us and some that don't. We will never know the difference though if we never answer the question. The thing is once we answer this question, we may never be the same.

Knowing this root helps us to grow in our walk. Helps to deepen our step. Helps us to discover who we want to be as a follower of Jesus. So why do you follow Jesus? Think on it, sit with it, ponder it, wrestle with it because its not just answering the call which is important. Knowing why only deepens the walk of faith. Take the time, why do you follow?