One of the things that stand out to me when I read the gospels is Jesus picking his disciples. The gospels record six of the disciples being recruited by Jesus with two words, “follow me.” I assume the rest of the twelve were chosen in like manner. I find it odd that they didn’t ask “why” or say, “give me more information.” The disciples didn’t say, “let me go tie up loose ends at home before I join you.” These were prosperous men who owned businesses; wealthy men with homes and families and they dropped everything immediately and went off following a stranger who said two words to them. The Bible doesn’t explain why but it’s not a natural reaction for one person let alone twelve. The fact that all twelve disciples immediately obeyed Jesus’ command is another proof Jesus is God. The disciples may not have even understood themselves why they immediately obeyed.
When Jesus speaks with his, “voice of authority,” all of creation obeys the commands of Almighty God. Some people don’t realize it was actually Jesus Christ who spoke creation into existence and not God the Father. Jesus is the Creator of all things and when he chooses to use his, “voice of authority,” all creation obeys. The heavens, nature, man, everything is subject to God’s authority. Things that are alive, dead or inanimate, it makes no difference. The Bible says nothing is impossible with God. If we had been alive in Jesus’ day and he called us to be disciples we would have obeyed the same way. We wouldn’t have a choice just like the disciples didn’t have a choice. The twelve were compelled to discipleship by God’s, “voice of authority.” The disciples were blessed by God because they were chosen to serve him.
Matthew 4:19 – Then He (Jesus) said to them (Simon and Andrew), “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:21-22 – Going on from there, He (Jesus) saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them and immediately they left the boat and their father. and followed Him.
Matthew 9:9 – As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.
John 1:43 – The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Phillip and said to him, “Follow Me.”
In Matthew we see Jesus rebuke the wind and it is stilled. We see Jesus calm the raging waters of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus condemns a fig tree and it withered before his eyes. This was all done to prove to the Jews that Jesus is God. The Israelites of the Old Testament associated God with the one who could control the wind and the sea and everything in nature so the actions of Jesus was proof to the Jews that Jesus is God.
Matthew 8:26 – Then He (Jesus) arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
Matthew 21:19 – And seeing a fig tree by the road, He (Jesus) came to it and found nothing on it but its leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
On the last day, when Jesus comes from heaven with his angels and sets foot on the Mount of Olives he will destroy the armies of the world coming against Israel at the battle of Armageddon. In my wild imagination I expected Jesus to hurl lightning bolts at the enemy and rain down fire from heaven. I expected Jesus to cause earthquakes that would swallow up whole armies. The reality is Jesus will destroy the armies of the world arrayed against him by using his spoken word, the same way Jesus caused the creation of the universe. There is nothing more powerful in this world than God’s, “voice of authority.” We’ll be with Jesus and see all these events unfold.
Isaiah 43:13 – From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can oppose what I do.
Revelation 19:15 – Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Witnessing for Christ