.jpg)
Articles
Simply Following Jesus
Follow. Follow-up. Follow through. Follow the crowd. Follow directions. Follow the rules. Follow the leader. Follow your heart. Follow your dreams. Follow the yellow brick road. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We use the word follow in a variety of ways.
Who or what are you following in your spiritual life? It may be a philosophy, a religious leader, or even yourself, but what about following Jesus? There are compelling reasons to follow Jesus, but regardless of the reason, He simply invites you to follow.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus called two pairs of brothers to follow Him. "While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And 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, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-22).
The invitation was simple: "Follow me" (Matthew 4:19). The word follow as it is used in reference to Jesus and the two pairs of brothers means that they would accept Him as their teacher and leader. He called them to follow Him, not merely conform to a particular doctrine or practice. Instead, He would personally train them to be fishers of men.
Likewise, we are called upon to follow the person of Jesus, not simply adhere to a list of religious tenets or practice a series of rites and rituals. Unfortunately, there are people who claim to be Christians or members of a church and yet know little or nothing about the person of Jesus much less His mind or His heart. They may even be faithfully religious, but they are not truly followers of Jesus.
Following Jesus involves:
- A choice as we choose to follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
- A change of direction as we yield to Him in our hearts and lives (Matthew 16:25).
- A challenge as we follow Him with a purpose (Matthew 16:26).
It is potentially a life-transforming experience.
Are you practicing religion a few times a week? Or are you following Jesus as a way of life?
