In my house there are five dogs.  Yes, I said five and not a small five either.  From 120 pounds to 40 pounds and a variety of brieeds, our house is a living hariball that must be vacuumed every day and some times twice, maybe even three times. 

While they are all grown up now,  one of the best moments of interation with each of them was when they were little, and eagerly and blindly followed you everywhere, no hesistation, because it was better to be with you in the unkonw circumstance than to be alone. 

Their loyality is unwaivering and even as their olderself they are still dedicated to being by ones side.  Not because they have to but becaue they absolutely want to.  Anydistance between for them seems like a lightyears, is uncomfortable, and unwanted.  I have even heard it said, that the reason dogs are so excitted when you get home from work is because they can’t knowing tell, when you close the door behind you, that you are safe, alive, or coming home.  So their barking and jumping, the joy they exude when they see you is their way of saying,  “My master lives.  They are not dead but they live.” 

In our text today,  from Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus comes along and he has a simple request.  Follow me.  And Simon, who will be known as Peter, and Andrew,  simple go.  The drop it all and follow.

  It is a strange idea to most of us I think.  How can I drop my livhood?  How can I drop the care of my family? (Peter was married).  How does one simply stop what their doing and follow?   Bill collectors are not going to care if you said randomly one  day, “Sorry I quit my job to follow Jesus.”  So this idea I think I hard for us to wrap our heads around, but yet, they did it and it worked for them so….

I wonder if it is hard for us becasue we ask the wrong question.  We ask how can we make following Jesus work,  when instead maybe we should be asking why following Jesus is important.  Why did Simon, called Peter, and Andrew follow? 

The story doesn’t explicity say but I think we can gather ideas.  400 years Isreal had been waiting for a prophetic voice.  For us that 400 years is the flip of a page, but for the people of that time, 400 years is a long time to have the door closed between one segment of life and another, waiting for the master to come home.  Where had the prophetic voice gone? Why did God seem so silent. 

Then one day, the voice you have longed desperately to hear as a nation,  the voice you have been told about through the stories of your ancestors,  walks up to you while you are fishing and says, follow me.  The right response is not how,  butt rather, simply to follow,  becasuee you know your master lives.