Come, Follow Me...

This afternoon, I am doing a devotion for a Lenten Lunch at the First Baptist Church in Hornell. Here is the text of the devotion for your reading pleasure...

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 3:19-20

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Matthew 16:24

The first of these verses, “Come, Follow me,” we know is when Jesus originally called the first of His disciples. Andrew and Simon, later known as Peter, were fishermen, and Jesus is walking along the shore while they are casting out their nets. He calls out to them, invites them to follow Him, and they drop everything right there on the shore, and follow Him.

A little later, just a couple of verses later really, they come upon James and John, who were also fishermen. They were sitting in their boats, but either pulled up on shore or tied up somehow, and they were preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and they too, immediately dropped everything, leaving it all in the boat, and they followed Jesus.

Much later, in chapter 9, we see the time when Jesus comes across Matthew, a tax collector, sitting at the tax collectors booth. Verse 19 says: “’Follow me,’ he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”

In all three cases, the response was immediate, and the people followed him. These are the five disciples that we are told about how Jesus called them to follow Him. But I am sure that with the other seven, it was pretty much the same thing. Jesus happened upon them, invited them to follow Him, and they immediately dropped everything that they were doing and followed Jesus.

We tend to think of only the twelve as disciples. But really a disciple is a follower of a particular teacher, or one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. In reality, as Believers, we are all disciples. Anyone who has answered Jesus’ call to follow Him is by definition a disciple. And that’s really our call as Christians – you may be involved in a variety of ministries – Jack n’ Jill, Stephen’s Ministries, Sunday School, Bible Studies, that all great, that’s necessary for the success of this church or any other church, but our first and primary calling is just to follow Jesus.

This really convicted me about three weeks ago when I read a devotion based on the second verse we shared earlier in a devotional book by Henry Blackaby titled Experiencing God Day-By-Day. As I read that devotion, I kept thinking about how we are supposed to be following Jesus, yet most of us really don’t know where Jesus is, or what He is doing, or where He is currently working. I have to admit I don’t think I can answer those questions most of the time. How can we really follow Him if we don’t know at least that much?

As I began thinking about that, I realized how much we do for Jesus. We’re busy as Christians today. I don’t know about you folks, but there is a core group of ten or twelve people in Almond that I’m going to see everyday for twelve days. Between committee meetings, our council meeting, Bible Studies, Worship Services, and other ministries that we do together; Twelve days straight, we’ll see each other every day. That’s busy. We do a lot for Jesus!

But were we really called to do things for Jesus, or were we called to follow Jesus. When we follow Jesus, we listen for that “still small voice” that leads us. We spend a lot of time in prayer looking for guidance. And when we have ideas, we look to make sure that Jesus is there. Then we follow. When we really follow Jesus, we look for where Jesus is already working, and we join Him in what he’s already doing.

Isn’t it really easy for us to take God’s presence for granted? Isn’t it easy to think that as long as we are working for the church or as long as we are doing something for God, that God will be there? It’s almost like because Jesus said He would be with us always, we assume that He will follow us wherever we go (Matthew 28:20). But Jesus doesn’t follow us; He called us to follow Him. We aren’t supposed to ask God to join us in our work; we’re supposed to listen for His invitation to become involved in His work.

Following Jesus requires an intimate relationship with Him so we know where He is and what He is working at. It requires daily prayer, daily reading Scripture, daily devotions, and regular fellowship with other believers. When we commit to following him, we’ll begin to see more and more clearly where He is leading us, and where He wants us to be working. And when we are obedient, we will see that much easier the next time. And the more we follow, the more we are obedient, the easier it will become to know where He is working, and how He wants us to help Him.

The Church is too busy working, doing things, hoping Jesus will bless our efforts. That’s not what Jesus wants. He wants us to drop our own agenda, like the disciples dropped their nets, and follow Him. Can we commit, especially now at the beginning of this Season of Lent, to really follow.

I really encourage you, as we begin this time of reflection during Lent, to really think about where Jesus is calling you. What work is He already doing, Where is He working around you now, and how does He want you to help. And when you hear Him, follow Him.