“Who Will Follow Jesus?”
Charles G. Maples, Sr.
During the personal ministry here on earth Jesus often (some nineteen times, recorded) challenged men, “FOLLOW ME…” (eg. Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9). Some were willing to accept that challenge/invitation; but many, many more did not. In which of those groups would YOU/I have been? – Indeed, in which are YOU/I today?
He continues to issue that challenge, through His Inspired Word. He says, “If ANYONE desires to COME AFTER ME, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and FOLLOW ME.” (Matthew 16:24) We hear Him in what is called “the Great Invitation,” saying, “Come unto Me ALL you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28), and in Revelation 22:17 He says, “WHOSOEVER WILL, let him take the water of life freely.” But, as it was when He was on earth; issuing that Invitation/Challenge/Plea Personally; today some (“few” – Matt. 7:14) are willing to FOLLOW HIM, most are Not! WHY?? Consider this, from one perspective – THE CHALLENGE IS DEMANDING!
1 – It required some to leave their jobs! Peter & Andrew had to leave their fishing business, to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19). Matthew, who was a tax collector, was required to give up his “government position,” in order to follow the Savior (Matthew 9:9). And so it might be today; if one has a job that would stand in the way of him/her following Jesus; putting Him FIRST in their lives; then they must consider Him and the work that He has for them, to be of greater importance than that job. (It might be that it is simply a job that is inconsistent with being a Christian! (Matthew 5:14, 16)
2 – It required that some leave family members! (Could you/I bring ourselves to do that?) In the afore mentioned case of Peter & Andrew, note that they had to leave their father (Matt. 4:22). Jesus says, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37) And so it is; if even family members would stand between us and true dedication to the Christ, then He must COME FIRST! As God said to the Jews, “You shall have no other god before Me!” (Exodus 20:3); just so the Christian must allow ANYTHING, nor ANYONE to come between him/her and absolute allegiance to the Christ!
3 – It requires DENIAL OF SELF! The Savior says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24). The Christian belongs to the Christ; body and spirit! The apostle Paul wrote to Christians at Corinth, “…do you not know… you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (I Corinthians 619-20) Denying self means that we must often deny our selves things which our fleshly appetites desire! We are reminded that “The grace of God which brings salvation…teaches us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we must live soberly righteously and godly in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12) As an illustration of this we are cited to the example of Moses (Hebrews 11:24-25), “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”
4 – Following Jesus requires WORK! He says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire LABORERS into his vineyard.” (Matthew 20:1) To those who would follow Him He says, “Do not say, ’There are yet four months and then comes the harvest.’ Behold I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are ALREADY white for harvest!” (John 4:35)
BUT, JUST LOOK AT WHAT HE OFFERS! The apostle Paul said, of suffering for the Cause of Christ, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us!” (Romans 18:18) With the invitation of the Savior to FOLLOW HIM, HE OFFERS:
1 – FORGIVENESS OF SINS – “…in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7) God says, “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Then Jesus says, “If you die in your sins, where I am, you cannot come.” (John 8:21) He “… gave Himself for our sins” (Hebrews 9:26). He now says, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved…”(Mark 16:16) Even to many who had crucified Him, Jesus offered “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). He offers the same today, to all who “repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…” “REMISSION OF SINS” means that all past sins will be “blotted out!” (Acts 3:19) In Jeremiah 31:34 we read that this means that those sins will be “remembered no more!” by God. Surely, this alone makes all His requirements pale into insignificance! But He also offers much more!
2 – “EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING” is offered to all who will meet His requirements. (Ephesians 1:3) Among the greatest of these are: (a) The privilege of PRAYER! Although many believe otherwise, God does not offer to “hear” all prayers! In John 9:31 we read that “God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and DOES HIS WILL, He hears him.” Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ’Lord, Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN.” (Matthew 7:21) (b) FELLOWSHIP with God and Christ! “If we walk in the light (see also Psalm 119:105), as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with Another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sins.” (I John 1:7)
3 – HEAVEN when this life is over! The Savior says, “Blessed are those who DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, that they may have RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE, and ENTER IN THROUGH THE GATES INTO THE CITY.” (Revelation 22:14; see also Mark 10:30 and Revelation 2:10.
IN CONCLUSION: Consider the message for us in the first verse of the song that we often sing, the title of which is the topic of our study: “Who with follow Jesus, STANDING FOR THE RIGHT, HOLDING UP HIS BANNER in the thickest fight? LISTENING FOR HIS ORDERS, READY TO OBEY, who will follow Jesus SERVING HIM today?” Will YOU, dear reader? Meet His CONDITIONS, that you might receive His BLESSINGS!