Follow Me

Have you ever been in the situation where you needed directions and someone said to you, "Follow me" If you know, or think you know, the person is trustworthy you will follow them.  You may be in the situation where you need to follow a friend or a relative to a location you have never been to before. Since you know the person well you will follow them happily.

These are passing incidents and hardly life changing. What would you do if someone came up to you and said, "Follow me", and it meant a complete change in your lifestyle? It also meant a change in your job and your whole outlook on life. In other words a life changing decision!

How would you respond?

Let's look at some instances in the New Testament of people who responded to Jesus of Nazareth.

Matthew 4:18-22

"(18) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. (19) Then He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (20) They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (21) Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, (22) and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him."

The background to this incident in chapter 4 is that Jesus returns from His temptations in the wilderness by the Devil; and goes back to Galilee. Initially, He goes to Nazareth and then we learn He moves to Capernaum. Capernaum is by the Sea of Galilee [Lake Gennesaret]. He then begins a preaching ministry to the people in that region.

From the narrative in John's Gospel in the latter part of chapter 1, we learn that Andrew and Simon Peter were in the vicinity of the Jordan River when Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. We also learn that Philip and Nathaniel were also there. This is their first meeting with Jesus of Nazareth.

It is interesting to note that Jesus goes off to be tempted by the Devil before He begins His public ministry. In Matthew's Gospel, after His return from the wilderness, He begins to select the disciples who will accompany Him on His preaching ministry to the Jewish people.

So Simon Peter and Andrew already knew Jesus when Jesus walked up to them. They knew that He was Jesus of Nazareth and they knew that John the Baptist had declared Him to be "The Lamb of God". When Jesus said to them, "Follow Me" they had an instant decision to make. It was the call of God in their lives. "They immediately left their nets and followed Him." The Son of God gave them a commandment to follow Him. To disobey would be to disobey God! Their response is instantaneous!

Then Jesus went to James and John and called them to follow Him. They got out of their father's boat, left him in it and followed Jesus. They were probably aware of Simon Peter and Andrew's meeting with Jesus at the Jordan River. At least two families had an instant upheaval! This was indeed a life changing moment! They forsook all to follow Jesus.

In Matthew 9:9 we read about a tax collector whom Jesus called to follow Him. "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him." Matthew, also known as Levi in the Gospels of Mark and Luke, got up and followed Jesus. Matthew was one of the despised tax collectors who got rich by charging more than the legal amount of tax and pocketing the difference. He forsook his lucrative career and followed Jesus.

In John 1:43-44 we learn of Philip's calling by Jesus. "(43) The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." (44) Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter."

What was it about Jesus of Nazareth that attracted these men to forsake their manner of life and follow Him? He was not a rich man. He was not dressed in expensive clothing. He did not promise riches and a luxurious life. He did not give them a smooth talking spiel to trick them into following Him. He did not flatter them or offer them inducements.

What did they see in this man? They saw a Man who was truly honest. They saw a Man who spoke about the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. They saw a Man who offered them hope. They saw a Man who spoke with authority and not with the dead religion of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Their personal inter action with Jesus convinced them that He was worthy to follow!

Not everyone whom Jesus called to follow Him took up the challenge. It's easy to find excuses. Let's look at a couple of instances in Matthew 8:19-22 "(19) Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." (20) And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." (21) Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." (22) But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

The scribe was sincere in his declaration that he would follow Jesus wherever He went. However, Jesus pointed out that He had no home to go to; His would be an itinerant ministry. We do not learn that the scribe then followed Jesus. Then another disciple answered Jesus' call this way, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." On the surface this seems to be a legitimate reason. However, this saying could also mean, "Wait until I receive my inheritance." This seems to be the case as Jesus says to him, Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." Jesus put the man on the spot by telling him to "Follow Me". He told him to let the [spiritually] dead people bury their own [spiritually] dead people. We do not read that this man followed Jesus.

Then there is the case of the rich young ruler.

Matthew 19:20-22

"(20) The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" (21) Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."(22) But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

This young man had asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to keep God's commandments. The young man told Jesus that he already did that. Then he asked Jesus, "What do I still lack?" He was shocked by Jesus' reply to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." He went away sorrowful because he had great possessions and did not want to let them go.

 In John 6:64-69 we learn that there were those who followed Jesus but were not real disciples. "(64) But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. (65) And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." (66) From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. (67) Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" (68) But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (69) Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Jesus of Nazareth - the Christ - the Son of the living God is still calling people like you and I to "Follow Me". Do you want eternal life? Only Jesus Christ can give it to you!

Jon Peasey

Words of Life blog www.jrpeasey.blogspot.com

Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

[If you have any questions or comments you are invited to contact me via the comments section below.]