What should the Lord’s words mean to the Christian, a follower of Christ?
Mat 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
Mat 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Joh 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
It means a new trade.
Not necessarily an employment change, but we have a new purpose in life: to live Christ before others and win them to the Savior.
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
It means leaving familiar ties.
Not turning our backs on them, but choosing Christ over natural inclinations that would lead us away from Him.
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mat 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
It means leaving treasure.
Not necessarily giving away all we own, but what we are and have now belongs to Christ. We are stewards of His goods and we should be “willing to distribute.”
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
It means a trusting relationship.
Now this is what makes life worth living. A relationship with Christ is everything.
Joh 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps…
It means a tree.
Suffering comes before glory.
If we’re following someone, that means we’re doing similar works to those of our Master.
The Lord Jesus always did the will of His Father in Heaven.
What did this mean to Him?
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
For Him it wasn’t a mere change of jobs. It meant a trip to planet earth, a whole new world, a life of humiliation and suffering. Because He came He is now able to be our Advocate and Great High Priest, our Helper and Friend.
Luk 8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
The Lord Jesus taught the value of heavenly ties over earthly ones. On another line, though we would not say His communion with the Father was ever broken, the cry from the cross to a holy God who forsook the suffering Savior will always impress our hearts.
2Co 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
Who could give more treasure than the Lord Jesus? Who could pay the price that He paid?
We know none other could ever come close to His poverty nor to the riches He brought us.
He left the glories of heaven to rescue a sin-cursed earth. He paid for our forgiveness with His own blood and gave us a way to have a living, loving relationship with His own Father. He bore our weight of shame, suffering and wrath upon a cruel tree.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
~NB