We are Followers of Jesus

Hello, Bridge family. I hope you're doing well this week. Is everyone ready for the start of school? On Sunday, we discussed what it means to follow Jesus. Our story was from Luke 5 and featured one of the most well-known verses from the gospels. From now on, you’ll be fishing for people (v. 10 NLT)! The main idea is that Peter, James, and John saw what was happening and decided to follow Jesus, leaving everything behind to become his disciples.


It's easy to overlook what these men did, as we tend to think of them simply as fishermen. It might seem they didn't sacrifice much since they didn’t carry the responsibilities we have today. However, that's far from the truth. Fishing was not only their profession but also their family's main source of income. James and John abandoned their father on the boat to follow Jesus. They sacrificed everything because they recognized that following Jesus offered something far greater than any other pursuit.


I’m not implying that parents should abandon their jobs for missionary work. I firmly believe that our workplaces and homes are our primary mission fields. However, from experience, I know there are personal struggles that make it hard to fully follow Jesus. Don’t believe me? Dads, try starting a small group on Sunday evenings during football season. I’m not judging, but I want to highlight that we often approach following Jesus with conditions or rationalizations, sometimes thinking it would have been easier for the disciples. My suggestion is to ask each day: Lord, what must I give up today to follow you?


I believe this reflects one of Jesus' teachings when he told his followers, "If any of you wants to be my disciple, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me" (Matt 16:24). If we see Jesus as the better way, like the disciples did, we must allow the Spirit of Christ to reveal that path to us. Likewise, if we want our children to recognize Jesus as the better way, they need to see in us a willingness to deny ourselves so the Holy Spirit can transform us. Otherwise, our message will seem empty. Following Jesus promises a better life, but achieving that requires dropping our nets and following him. In turn, we teach our children to do the same.


Remember, as long as your child is at home, you have a wonderful opportunity to share the Bible. Together, explore its stories, discuss how they relate to daily life, and encourage deeper family conversations. This makes faith an exciting and meaningful journey. God bless. I look forward to seeing your family on Sunday.


Pastor Bob