And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. -- Mark 1:17-18

This text is a statement about a radical discipleship. It needs to be pointed out at the beginning that this reading is the most compact and compressed statement of the gospel expressed anywhere in the New Testament. Leonard Sweet points out, "In these few verses, Jesus' role as an authoritative, compelling, charismatic preacher is defined; the kernel of the gospel message is expressed; and drop-everything-discipleship -- the result of seeing Jesus and hearing his message -- is described." The word "immediately" captures our attention. Jesus called Simon, Andrew, James, and John, and immediately they left their nets and followed him. They abandone…