The Gospel of John - Heavens Opened

For many years Ned Colletti was the general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He spent his whole adult life looking for talent that extended to the baseball field. Each year Colletti went to the Dominican Republic to scout young players. Most of them, he said, had only one parent. They had no education past the 5th grade, and no prospects for their future. One year he saw a young man who had great tools but held back because of his fear of failure. Ned pulled him aside and told him that all great baseball players fail. He explained that God had blessed him with special talent that was meant solely for him. This six- foot-two-inch, two-hundred-ten-pound gifted athlete looked at Ned with tears in his eyes and wouldn’t let go of Ned’s hand when he tried to leave. Imagine you are a fifteen-year-old kid in the Dominican Republic: you have never seen your father, you have no money, no education, and you are destined for a life of poverty. But then one day a major league scout comes along and says to you, “Follow me, and I will make you a professional baseball player.” Would you need a long time to make that decision? When Jesus called His disciples, they knew they weren’t major league material. They had already washed out as Rabbis and were simply trying to seek out a living in the family business. The Rabbis of Jesus’ day never recruited. They took applications, and their applications had been rejected. But here was a famous and powerful Rabbi who approached them! He invited them to Follow Him, essentially saying, “What I know I will teach you. What I can do I will teach you to do.” No wonder they left their nets and followed Him! He came to fishermen and tax collectors, inviting them to follow Him. He is still inviting people to follow Him today. He is inviting you, regardless of your background. You may not even be sure that you believe in Jesus. That’s okay. The invitation of Jesus means that He believes in you.