"Follow me".....
Jesus spoke those words through out the New Testament.
To Matthew, the tax collector, who was hard at work at his tax booth.
He spoke them to Peter and Andrew....fishermen who left everything to simply follow.
We also read in Scripture about those who came to Jesus, who had taken it upon themselves to follow.
Matthew 8:19-20
And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holds and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
This scribe approaches Jesus in the manner or custom of the day. If you were interested in being taught or becoming a disciple, then you went to the person you wanted to follow and declared your intentions. Come to think of it, this manner is still the custom of our day.
The scribe came to Jesus without an invitation extended from Jesus to him. So really this behavior that we see in the scribe is not because the Holy Spirit has convicted him of sin or is drawing him to Jesus. It is more a decision made on the scribe's part. Even today, Jesus must first chase us....woo us through the Holy Spirit....open our hearts and minds to the fact that we need to "Follow Him". The scribe goes on to make a boastful statement..."I will follow You wherever You Go." Where have we heard such manner of boasting before? That would be Peter. Matthew 26:35 - Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You."
In Jesus' reply to the scribe, He never told him "No, you can't follow me." What Jesus did do was to tell him the truth. Jesus wanted the man to see the reality that takes place after the miracles have finished, and the day is over.....the crowds have left and you are simply trying to carry on with life. Jesus was painting a real picture of what it meant to be His disciple.
One other thing I think some people miss in this command to follow Jesus. (which by the way is still in force today to everyone who is saved) is that the command is to follow....not watch.
There has to be more to this relationship with Jesus....this journey we are taking walking behind Him, than navigating life so we can all go to heaven. I think the command to follow is also a command to "Do what I say do....and say what I tell you to say."
The apostle Paul tells us in I Corinthians 11:1 ---"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."
Again we read in Ephesians 5:1 - "Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ has loved us."
If I were called to imitate God would it not reason that I should read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and see how Jesus interacted with those around Him? I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I do believe that He did the following.
Told others about the Kingdom of God: Not in a preachy, pushy, screaming at them kind of way...but with common language they could understand. While Jesus did teach at the synagogue...he went out (get it? He left "church") to where the people were.
He backed His teaching with demonstrations of God's power: He prayed for people. People were healed. People were freed from demonic spirits. There was a validation of the Word of God by the power displayed to the people. We are called to, through God's Holy Spirit in each believer, to do the same thing. We read in Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission) that we move under the authority of Jesus. He declared that "ALL" authority (What falls under "all"? That would be "ALL") in heaven and on earth had been given to him. He then in turn tells the disciples..."GO!" He told them they should make disciples and teach them ( what He meant was to model before them the things they had learned and been taught).
Jesus was more concerned with the quality of the people who were being called to follow HIm. Plenty made a declaration of intent to follow Him, only to depart and go back to their old lives and old ways. I read a quote yesterday that I truly felt God's Spirit on....."Nothing has done more harm to the Kingdom of God than the practice of filling the ranks of the church with those individuals who are willing to make little profession and talk fluently without experience." I think that is kind way of saying...."Everyone wants to be connected to something that looks successful...but not many are willing to pay the price that comes with the call to "Follow Jesus".
Think on these things.....
God on you....
mb
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