They forsook all

For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men." So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.  - Luke 5.9-11

Peter, James, and John were in their fishing boat. They were partners in their trade and apparently pretty successful fishermen. They had had a bad night fishing when Jesus got on the boat and told Peter to put out from shore. They didn’t think it would do any good, but Simon ordered the nets to be lowered.

Immediately they felt the drag of a heavy load of fish. They could hardly drag the fish on to the boat. Peter knew a miracle had happened, was afraid, confessed his sins to Jesus, and told Jesus to depart because he was a afraid of Jesus.

Jesus told him, ‘don’t be afraid, I am going to make you a fisher of men.’

All three of them; Peter, James, and John took their catch of fish to the shore and then they ‘forsook all and followed Him.’

Jesus’ first followers set the pattern for all of us who have followed. When they decided to follow Jesus they left everything to do so. They left their boats, their nets, and apparently even the catch of fish to follow Him.

That’s what following Jesus is all about – forsaking all to follow Him.

Paul pled with the believers in Rome to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice. Jesus said that those who want to follow Him must lay down their lives, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Judson Van DeVenter wrote a song in 1896 that we all know and most of us have sung, but I wonder how well we do at living it?

All to Jesus, I surrender;

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Humbly at His feet I bow,

Worldly pleasures all forsaken;

Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus, I surrender;

Make me, Saviour, wholly Thine;

Let me feel the Holy Spirit,

Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus, I surrender;

Lord, I give myself to Thee;

Fill me with Thy love and power;

Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;

Now I feel the sacred flame.

O the joy of full salvation!

Glory, glory, to His Name!

I surrender all, I surrender all,

All to Thee, my blessed Saviour,

I surrender all.