September 9 - Come, Follow Me 나를 따라 오너라

September 9 - Come, Follow Me

 

 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” - Matthew 4:19

 

Jesus had met Peter and Andrew before this moment (John 1:35-42). At least Andrew had spent a day with Him, and Jesus had changed Simon's name to Peter. Before introducing Peter to Jesus, Andrew told his brother, "We have found the Messiah."Their understanding that Jesus was the long-promised Christ, the one who would save Israel and bring the kingdom of heaven to earth, may explain why they obeyed Jesus so quickly. Still, their faith and quick action is remarkable. Jesus had seen the brothers at work. They were in the middle of throwing a net into the Sea of Galilee.

 

Without any small talk or explanation—at least not as recorded in Matthew's account—Jesus commanded them: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."It was common today for a rabbi or teacher to gather students who would follow him daily. He mentors them, learning through his words and observing his daily interactions and choices. Jesus' call to younger men to follow Him this way was not a foreign concept. Many rabbis and teachers had disciples. Andrew and Peter would have understood the role Jesus called them to fill.

 

The idea of fishing for men may have been strange, however. Peter and Andrew were expert fishermen. In one sentence, Jesus was already helping them understand the mission He would give to them.

 

When the apostles heard from Jesus that they should make disciples of all nations, they did not understand how or why (Matthew 28:18-20). At the time, every nation had its gods and religions. Therefore, religion has yet to send missionaries to other countries. Each nation, race, and town had its god of protection, and people believed every god had its function and territory. They believed there was no absolute god. 

 

Therefore, a nation that was defeated by another nation had to serve the god of the victorious nation because they believed that the victorious nation had rights not only to the territory but also to its god. Despite this religious background, Jesus ascended into heaven, leaving the command to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Acts 1:8). Jesus’ Gospel transcends time and space and is universal to anyone. Therefore, he commanded with the authority of heaven and earth and promised to be with us until the world's end. Nobody, so far in history, has commanded this as Jesus did. 

 

The Gospel, according to Matthew, starts with a prophecy, Immanuel, which means “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23) and finishes with a promise that he will be with us until the end of the world. Furthermore, Jesus’ public ministry started with “follow me” (Matthew 4:19) and finished with the command of “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-20). Once again, the core teaching of Jesus is the Great Commission. 

 

The purpose of calling and sending us to the world is to evangelize unbelievers, send missionaries to other countries, make disciples of Jesus, and train disciples so they can do the same thing (2 Timothy 3:14-17). God first loved us and made way for salvation through Jesus Christ. Now, he commissions us to make disciples of all nations. God calls us to proclaim the gospel. We have to remember that he made us fishers of men. We should be passionate about proclaiming the gospel. 

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Pray that the unsaved will care for this planet more responsibly as they observe the stewardship of God’s people.

Prayer Pointer: A prayer is first and foremost an act of love – Brennan Manning  

Bible Reading: Proverbs 15-16; 2 Corinthians 2

 

 

---

 

9월 9일 - 나를 따라 오너라

 

“말씀하시되 나를 따라 오너라 내가 너희로 사람 낚는 어부가 되게 하리라” - 마 4:19

 

예수님은 제자들에게 이 말씀을 하시기 전에 이미 베드로와 안드레를 부르셨습니다(요 1:35-42). 예수님은 적어도 안드레와 하루를 함께 시간을 보내셨고 시몬에게 베드로의 이름으로 주었습니다. 안드레는 "우리가 메시아를 만났다"고 말하며 베드로를 예수님께 소개합니다.

예수님의 제자들은 그가 이스라엘을 구원하고 하나님 나라를 이 땅에 건설할 약속된 메시야임을 확신하고 예수님의 부름에 즉시 순종한 것입니다. 그러나 예수님을 따른 제자들의  믿음과 신속한 행동은 놀라운 것입니다. 마태복음의 말씀에 보면 예수님께서 갈릴리 바다에 그물을 던지며 일하는 그들을 보시고 어떤 설명도 하지 않고 "나를 따라 오너라 내가 너희로 사람 낚는 어부가 되게 하리라"고 명령하신 것입니다.  

 

이 당시에는 랍비 교사가 자기를 따르는 제자들을 불러 모으는 것은 많이 있었던 일입니다. 안드레와 베드로는 예수님의 말씀 뿐만 아니라 그와 함께 하는 일상적인 삶에서 행하시는 모든 관계와 선택을 관찰하면서 배웁니다. 이 당시 예수님께서 젊은이들에게 즉시 그를 따르라고 부르시는 방식은 낯선 개념이 아니었습니다. 많은 랍비와 교사들도 제자들을 불러 모았습니다. 안드레와 베드로는 예수님께서 그들을 부르신 목적과 역할을 이해했지만 사람 낚는 어부가 된다는 생각은 전혀 이해하지 못했습니다. 다시 말해서 베드로와 안드레는 노련한 어부였기 때문에 이미 그들의 사명이 무엇인지 예수님은 그들을 이해시켜 주신 것입니다.   

 

사도들이 모든 족속으로 제자를 삼으라는 예수님의 말을 처음 들었을 때 어떻게, 왜 그렇게 해야 하는지 이해하지 못했습니다(마 28:18-20). 당시 모든 나라에는 그들의 고유한 신들과 종교가 있었고 어떤 종교도 다른 나라에 선교사를 파송한 적이 없었습니다. 각 나라마다, 인종, 마을마다 그들을 보호하는 전통적인 신들이 있었고 사람들은 고유한 기능과 영토를 가진 모든 신들이 있다고 믿었고 모든 민족과 나라에 절대적인 신은 존재하지 않는다고 믿었습니다. 

 

그러므로 전쟁에서 패배하면 전쟁에 이긴 나라의 신들을 섬겨야 했습니다. 그 이유는 승리한 나라는 영토뿐만 아니라 그 나라의 신들에 대한 권리도 가지고 있다고 믿었기 때문입니다. 이러한 종교적 이해에도 불구하고 예수님은 "가서 모든 족속으로 제자를 삼으라"(행 1:8)는 명령을 하시고 승천하셨습니다. 예수님의 복음은 시공간을 초월하며 누구에게나 보편적입니다. 그는 하늘과 땅의 모든 권세로 명령하셨고, 세상 끝날까지 우리와 함께 하시겠다고 약속하셨습니다. 역사상 지금까지 아무도 예수님 처럼 명령하신 분이 없습니다.  

 

마태복음에서 복음은 예언되었던 임마누엘로 시작하는데, 임마누엘은 “하나님이 우리와 함께 계시다"(마 1:23)는 뜻이며 세상 끝날까지 우리와 함께 하시겠다는 예수님의 약속으로 마태복음이 끝납니다. 더욱이 예수님의 공생애 사역은 "나를 따르라"(마 4:19)로 말씀으로 시작하여 "가서 모든 족속으로 제자를 삼으라"(마 28:18-20)는 명령으로 끝납니다. 예수의 핵심적인 교훈은  모든 족속으로 제자를 삼아야 하는 명령이고 사명인 것입니다.  

하나님께서 우리를 부르시고 세상에 두신 목적은 불신자들을 복음화하고, 다른 나라에 선교사들을 파송하고, 예수님의 제자를 삼아 제자들과 같은 일을 하도록 훈련시키기 위한 것입니다(딤후 3:14-17). 하나님은 먼저 우리를 사랑하셔서 예수 그리스도를 통해 구원의 길을 열어 주셨고 지금도 주님은 우리에게 모든 족속으로 제자를 삼으라는 사명을 주십니다. 하나님은 복음을 선포하도록 우리를 부르셨고 예수님께서 우리를 사람을 낚는 어부로 부르셨다는 것을 기억해야 합니다. 그러므로 우리는 복음을 열정적으로 전해야 합니다. 

 

 

오늘의 기도: 구원받지 못한 자들이 하나님의 백성들이 청지기 의식을 관찰하면서 이 지구를 위한 돌봄의 책임을 더 가질 수 있도록 기도하십시오. 

기도 지침: “기도는 사랑의 첫 번쩨, 그리고 최상의 행동이다.” – 브레넌 매닝 

성경 읽기: 잠언 15-16장; 고린도후서 2징