Book: Christian Discipleship 101 – Chapter 1: The Call to Follow
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" , Matthew 4:19 (ESV)
The sun was just beginning to burn through the morning mist on the Sea of Galilee. For Simon and Andrew, it was just another Tuesday. Their hands were calloused, their backs were sore, and their minds were occupied with the weight of the morning’s catch. Fishing wasn't a hobby for them; it was survival. It was their economy, their identity, and their family legacy.
Then, a man walked along the shore. He didn’t look like a king. He didn’t have a royal procession. He simply looked at them and spoke two words that would dismantle their world and rebuild it into something eternal: "Follow me."
We often treat these words as a poetic suggestion or a religious invitation to join a club. But in the first century, these words were a radical disruption. Today, as we begin this journey through Christian Discipleship 101, we have to start where everything begins: the Call. Before the theology, before the spiritual disciplines, and before the ministry, there is a Person standing on the shore of your life, looking at the "nets" you are currently holding, and saying the same thing He said two thousand years ago.
The question isn't whether He is calling. The question is: do you know what it actually means to follow?
The Shore of Galilee: More Than a Scenic View
To understand the call to follow, we have to understand the context of the world Jesus stepped into. In the Jewish culture of the day, young boys would go through a rigorous educational system. The best of the best would hope to be invited by a Rabbi to become a talmid, a disciple.
Most boys, however, didn't make the cut. They would return to their family trades, fishing, carpentry, farming. They were the "leftovers" of the religious elite. Simon, Andrew, James, and John were among those who were back at their nets because they weren't considered "Rabbi material."
But Jesus, the Greatest Rabbi, didn't go to the universities. He went to the docks. He didn't look for the most educated; He looked for the most available.
When Jesus calls these men, He isn't just asking them to believe a set of facts. He is asking them to enter into a relationship where they will mimic His every move. A talmid didn't just want to know what the Rabbi knew; he wanted to be who the Rabbi was. There is a famous Jewish blessing from that era: "May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi." It meant that you followed him so closely that as he walked down the dry, dusty roads, the dust kicked up by his sandals would land on you.
Discipleship is the process of getting covered in the dust of Jesus.
Fan or Follower? The Great Distinction
In our modern culture, we are obsessed with "following." We follow people on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. But in the digital age, "following" usually just means "observing from a distance." You can follow someone for years and never change a single thing about your life. You can "like" their posts, agree with their opinions, and even defend them in the comments, but you remain exactly who you were before you clicked that button.
In the Kingdom of God, there is a massive difference between a fan and a follower.
A fan is an admirer. Fans love the miracles, they love the "vibe" of Jesus, and they love the idea of grace. Fans show up for the big events, the moving music, and the encouraging sermons. But a fan is ultimately a consumer. They are there for what they can get from Jesus, not for who they can become through Jesus.
A follower, however, is a participant. A follower is someone who has recognized that Jesus is not just a great teacher or a helpful life-coach, but the Lord of the Universe.
Let’s look at the breakdown:
The Fan seeks a savior to solve their problems; The Follower seeks a Lord to rule their life.
The Fan is moved by emotion; The Follower is moved by obedience.
The Fan follows when it’s convenient; The Follower follows when it’s costly.
The Fan wants to be "blessed"; The Follower wants to be "holy."
The Call to Follow is the transition from the crowd to the inner circle. Jesus was always thinning out the crowds. When the crowds got too big and the fans were just looking for a free lunch, He would say something "hard", something about taking up a cross or eating His flesh, and the fans would scatter. He was looking for the ones who would stay when the lunch was gone and the cross was in view.
The Cost of the Invitation
We cannot talk about the call to follow without talking about the cost. Somewhere along the line, modern Christianity started selling a "cheap grace" that costs nothing and changes nothing. We tell people that if they just pray a quick prayer, they get a "get out of hell free" card and can go back to living however they want.
But that isn't the Gospel Jesus preached.
In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
Think about that for a second. To the people in the first century, the "cross" wasn't a piece of jewelry. It was a tool of execution. To take up a cross meant you were on a one-way trip. You weren't coming back. Jesus is saying that the price of following Him is your life.
Does this mean we earn our salvation? Absolutely not. Salvation is a gift of God's grace, entirely unearned. But while salvation is free, discipleship will cost you everything you have. It's like being given a multi-million dollar mansion for free, but then realizing you have to move out of your old shack and leave your old junk behind to live there. The gift is free, but the lifestyle change is total.
The cost of discipleship involves three primary surrenders:
Surrender of Will: You no longer get the final say in your decisions. Your question changes from "What do I want to do?" to "What does the Master want me to do?"
Surrender of Identity: You are no longer defined by your career, your past, your mistakes, or your successes. You are defined by Him.
Surrender of Comfort: Jesus never promised a comfortable life. He promised an abundant one, but often that abundance is found in the midst of sacrifice.
Discipleship in the 21st Century
How does "Follow me" translate to a world of high-speed internet, political polarization, and crushing anxiety?
Discipleship today is an act of rebellion. In a culture that tells you to "follow your heart," Jesus says, "Follow me." In a world that tells you to "build your brand," Jesus says, "Lose your life."
Following Jesus in the 21st century means being a person of the Word in a world of opinions. It means choosing silence over the noise of the news cycle. It means choosing the local church, messy, imperfect people, over the curated "community" of the internet.
It also means recognizing that discipleship is a cycle, not a destination. You never "arrive" at being a master disciple. You are always a student.
The Cycle of Following consists of four continuous movements:
HEAR the Word: We cannot follow someone we don't listen to. This starts with a deep, daily immersion in Scripture. We learn His voice so we can recognize it in the crowd.
FOLLOW the Master: This is the act of repositioning. We look at where Jesus is going, toward the hurting, toward the truth, toward the Father, and we step in that direction.
OBEY the Commands: Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Obedience is the natural overflow of a heart that is captivated by His grace.
SHARE the Grace: Disciples make disciples. If you are following Jesus, you will eventually find yourself leading someone else toward Him.
Leaving the Nets: What Are You Holding?
When Jesus called the first disciples, the text says they "immediately" left their nets.
Nets are the things that provide us security. They are the things we fall back on when God doesn't seem to be coming through. For the disciples, their nets were their livelihood. To leave the nets was to leave their "Plan B."
Most of us want to follow Jesus while still keeping our nets in our back pockets. We want to follow Him as long as it doesn't affect our bank account, our reputation, or our favorite sins. But you cannot walk toward Jesus while holding onto the things that keep you tethered to your old life.
What are your "nets" today?
The Net of Digital Validation: Are you more concerned with how you appear to others than how you appear to God?
The Net of Financial Security: Is your peace of mind dependent on your savings account or on the Provider?
The Net of Habitual Sin: Is there a "small" compromise you refuse to let go of?
The Net of Pride: Are you unwilling to be seen as a "beginner" or a "learner"?
Leaving the nets doesn't always mean quitting your job or moving to a different country (though for some, it might). It means shifting your dependence. It means that if your career were to vanish tomorrow, your identity would remain intact because your identity isn't in the fish you catch, but in the Master you follow.
The Immediate Invitation
The most beautiful thing about the call to follow is that it is an invitation to relationship. Jesus didn't say, "Go clean yourself up, get a degree in theology, and then come find me." He said, "Follow me."
He invites you into the process before you are ready. He knows you are messy. He knows you have questions. He knows you will stumble. Peter, the very man who left his nets in Matthew 4, would eventually deny Jesus three times. Yet, the call remained.
Discipleship is not about perfection; it is about direction. Are you moving toward Him or away from Him? Are you listening to His voice or the voice of the world?
As we move through the next 19 chapters of this book, we are going to look at the practical "how-to" of the Christian life. We’ll talk about how to pray, how to study the Bible, how to handle your money, how to lead your family, and how to heal from your past. But none of those things matter if you haven't answered the first call.
The Master is on the shore. The sun is rising. The nets are in your hands.
He is looking at you, not with condemnation for your past, but with an invitation for your future. He isn't asking for a fan. He's asking for a friend. He's asking for a student. He's asking for a follower.
Will you leave the nets?
Reflection Questions
In what ways have you been acting more like a "fan" of Jesus than a "follower" lately?
What is the specific "net" (source of security or distraction) that is hardest for you to let go of right now?
If you followed Jesus "immediately" in one area of your life today, what would that look like?
How does the cultural "noise" of the 21st century make it difficult for you to hear the call to follow?
A Prayer for the Journey
Heavenly Father, thank You for the invitation to follow Your Son. I confess that I have often stayed on the shore, admiring Him from a distance while clutching my own security. Today, I want to leave my nets. Give me the courage to step out, the ears to hear Your voice, and the heart to obey. Cover me in the dust of my Rabbi as I learn to walk in His ways. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Chapter Takeaway: Discipleship begins with a total reorientation of your life around the Person of Jesus Christ, requiring the abandonment of old securities to embrace a new identity as a learner and follower.
The Master has started walking. Are you still standing on the shore?
About the Author: Layne McDonald, Ph.D.
Layne McDonald, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of Layne McDonald ministries. He is a dedicated Christian author, teacher, and mentor committed to helping believers understand the depth of Scripture and live with eternal purpose. With a background rooted in biblical truth and Assemblies of God theology, Dr. McDonald specializes in creating resources that bridge the gap between complex theology and practical, everyday faith. His mission is to disciple the next generation of leaders, families, and creatives through biblically grounded books, cultural commentary, and historical Christianity resources.
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