They Left Their Nets at Once
Month 3: Come, Follow Me · Heart Matters
Today's Scripture
Read together: Mark 1:18-20
18 And at once they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20 Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.
Memory Verse
““Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.””— Mark 1:17 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Judges 18-20
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 71 of 365 — Israel's darkest chapters, when "everyone did what was right in his own eyes.")The Heart of It
Mark loves the word "immediately," and here he uses it twice. "They immediately left their nets and followed Him." And for James and John, "immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat." There was no committee. No "let us think it over." No "after fishing season." When Jesus called, they answered with their feet. They got up and went. The nets were how they made their living. The boat was their inheritance. And they let go of both, because the One calling was worth more than what they were holding.
Here's the heart matter for us. Following Jesus always means leaving something behind. It's not always a job or a boat. But it's always something our hands are gripping. For one person it's a bad habit. For another it's a grudge, or being in control, or what their friends think of them. Jesus never grabs things from us by force. He simply calls, and then He waits to see what we love most. The nets weren't evil. Fishing is a good gift from God. But anything, even a good thing, becomes a problem the moment it keeps us from following Jesus. The question isn't "Are my nets bad?" The question is "Will I drop them when He calls?"
Around the Table
When Jesus said "Come," the fishermen put down their nets right away and followed. They didn't make Jesus wait.
Let's do it: Hold something tight in your fist. Then open your hand and say, "Yes, Jesus, I'll come!" Try obeying "right away" one time today.
The disciples had to leave their nets and even their boat behind. What's something you'd find hard to put down if Jesus asked?
Let's talk: Is there a "good thing" in your life that sometimes gets in the way of obeying God quickly?
The nets weren't sinful. They were good and useful. So why is it sometimes harder to let go of a good thing than a bad one?
Let's go deeper: What would "leaving the nets" look like for you this week? Maybe letting go of your plans, your reputation, your phone, or your comfort.
💬 Conversation Starter
Imagine you had to drop one thing you love to go on a great adventure right this second. What would be the hardest to leave behind? Why that one?
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Some people say Christianity is about following rules. Really it's about following a Person. The disciples didn't sign up for a list of rules. They got up and walked after Jesus. We follow Someone we can actually know. So we are "ready to give a defense" () of a living relationship, not a rulebook.
For Dad · Go Deeper
"Leaving the nets" is a lifelong rhythm, not a one-time event. Jesus keeps putting His finger on new things we're gripping. And for fathers, the grip is often subtle. It might be our career identity, or the need to be respected, or our control over how life turns out. Look at your own hands tonight before you ask your children to open theirs. What good gift have you turned into something you refuse to let go of? Kids have a finely tuned sense for whether Dad really holds his "nets" loosely or just talks about it. The most powerful sermon on surrender you'll ever preach is letting them watch you obey God when it costs you something.
Draws on: David Platt, Radical.
Let's Pray Together
"Jesus, You are worth more than anything we're holding. Help us open our hands and follow You right away. Not later, not someday, but now. Show us anything we love more than You. In Jesus' name, amen."
Following Jesus means open hands. I'll drop my nets the moment He calls.