Follow Me

Here's something that I've been incredibly convicted about over the past few weeks.

In order to be one of Christ's disciples, we must FIRST follow Him. It's pretty simple. It's something that when you grow up in church, you've heard it a million and one times. But think about what this requirement means to you, as an American in the 21st Century.

Backing up a little bit...a few weeks ago, our pastor here challenged us to think deeply about things. He theorized that we are so busy that we rarely make time to think on a subject more than surface level. As soon as I became aware of this, I realized that I'm guilty. I'm not inclined to dig deeper and think about things. Dang...that stinks to realize about yourself.

So I started recognizing a pattern within the Gospels of Jesus simply stating to people "Follow me" and the responses from the disciples were immediate. Then throughout Jesus's ministry on earth, he tells other people that they need to do the same thing. Here's a few examples:

To Peter and Andrew: "And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Immediately they left their nets and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20 (also Mark 1:16-18)

"As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him." Matthew 9:9 (also Mark 2:13-15 and again in Luke 5)

It's easy to read over these scriptures as if they're no big deal. But "thinking deeper" about it, these scriptures describe an event that was a HUGE deal for Peter and Andrew and Matthew. I'm picturing Peter and Andrew looking much like the guys on "Deadliest Catch" organizing their load of fish they'd spent the past month on the water fishing for. They were probably about to go into market and make a lot of money...but then a man walks by promising to make them "fishers of men". (I'm willing to bet two fish sticks that Peter and Andrew had no idea what Jesus meant by that.) However, they didn't question his intentions or interview him for credibility. They didn't run a background check and get back to him the following day. They simply stopped what they were doing and walked away from their careers. They didn't even collect pay for the work they'd done previously. They simply walked away from it.

I'm picturing Matthew sitting in what can only be described as a first-century bank. He's on guard because he's in posession of a lot of money, but he's also a little cocky about the great job he's recently received from the Roman ruler over his town. He's willing to work hard to make it to the top and he's learning to ignore his conscience when it comes to ripping people off. He's learned to live with the nervousness that comes with this job, because his profession by definition means he takes money from people and then gives it to the Roman Empire. Men in his profession were also known for "taking a little off the top" for themselves, so needless to say, they probably didn't have many friends outside the industry. Then one day, Jesus walks by, accompanied by the "Deadliest Catch" guys that Matthew had ripped off the month before. Jesus says "follow me" and Matthew leaves his life of wealth and responsibility to follow him.

There's no indication that these men knew who Jesus was when he approached them. Maybe they'd heard of him. But they definitely did not yet know that this man was God in the flesh, their Savior and Redeemer. Fast forward 2,000 years. We do know these things about Jesus.

Yet do we follow him? Do we live in a way that we would IMMEDIATELY drop our lives if Jesus walked by our work places or homes, came inside and said "follow me"? Or do we hold onto the safety of our 401K plans and roofs over our heads? Do we allow fears of persecution to hold us back? It's easy to say..."well Jesus wouldn't require that of me". BUT HE DOES!

Take a moment to think about this scenerio playing out...and don't use the logic that Jesus wouldn't require this of you. Scripture applies to us too. Mark 10 describes "The Rich Young Ruler" who asked Jesus what he needed to do to earn eternal life. In verse 21, Jesus charged the man to sell everything he had and follow him...and in verse 22, the man "disheartened" rejects Jesus's charge. The man chose "stuff" over life. I think Mark 10 could also be describing "the rich, young American's", who have more wealth than any previous generation and most of the rest of the world. These Americans play by the rules, they don't commit adultery, lie or steal, and they even obey their parents. But ask these American's to give up their iPhones, their college degrees and their air conditioned homes. I'm not saying we need to be martyrs, but seriously, think about if this happened. It could...and if not, then it is certain that someday the state of our hearts will be revealed.

Here are a few other scriptures that reveal just what exactly Jesus requires. He requires these things because he is better than them. He requires these things so that we will find joy. It's just so hard for us to see it that way.

"Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 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." Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." Matthew 8:18-22

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:37-39

May we begin to see earth as a temporary place and life as a temporary gift of time. May our eyes be fixed on our King and not on his footstool.