Follow Me

In the Book of Matthew there are two noticeable instances where Jesus gives the command. "Follow Me." Sure here was a lot more to it but He put it simply. Follow Me.

In Matthew 4 He calls his disciples with this simple command. Follow Me. Drop what you are doing. It doesn't matter. I have something more important. Follow me and see your entire life change. Follow me and see the life you always wanted to live. Follow me and see. The disciples exhibit an excellent quality (and quantity) of faith. They did not know what they were getting into but they dropped every and followed Him anyway.

In Matthew 16, He lets them know in more detail. They have experienced it firsthand for the last 12 chapters. Perhaps there is some significance to that number. They have walked in His shadow. They know better than anyone what Jesus meant  in Matthew 4:17 when He said, "The Kingdom of God is at Hand." It is the Here and Now, yes for us too, for especially for them. But, nearer to His death and resurrection, Jesus gives them a better idea what will be asked of them. To lay aside everything they have come to know. Every comfort but be put aside. Every necessity is to be put aside as well. He tells them that to follow him means casting their homes, jobs, and yes even their families aside.

In Church Dogmatics (Volume 4, part 2), Karl Barth comments on the call. He says, "Follow me is the substance of the call in the power of which Jesus makes people his saints... the call issued by Jesus is a call to discipleship...the call to discipleship is the particular form of the summons by which Jesus discloses and reveals himself to the individuals in order to claim and sanctify them as his own, and as his witness in the world... and what Jesus demands is trust in himself and therefore, in the concrete form that this involves, trust in God He demands faith in the form of obedience; obedience to himself."

God has already called you for great work. You would not be a disciple of His if He had not. He has bestowed on you a great gift, designed for a particular work. Do you know what that is? Is oration? Are you a speaker? Or is it within you to spread His message with your hands? St Francis is often credited with the axiom, "Spread the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary." What are you doing to spread the news that Jesus is King?