Follow Me
FOLLOW ME, two words that change lives forever!
FOLLOW: to follow after; so to follow one as to be always at his side. WOW! Always at his side. What a powerful statement. These two words took me on a journey through the New Testament to discover to whom he spoke these two LIFE CHANGING WORDS.
Jesus said, FOLLOW ME, 11 times in the New Testament to a variety of people:
Simon Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Philip, Nathanael, a certain scribe, disciples, to the people and my sheep (you and me)!
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
FISH FOR PEOPLE
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him,
When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
JESUS ASKED ‘WHAT DO YOU WANT?’
Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
JESUS HAD A PLAN
Jesus had a plan to share his statement, Follow Me. It wasn’t just the 12 disciples who received the invitation to follow …
After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.
FOLLOWING JESUS IS A PERSONAL DECISION
That is to say, it is a personal decision of saying “YES” to His INVITATION. He will never force you; it is not a command. It is a PERSONAL invitation to everyone on this earth. An invitation that SHOULD put a smile on our face because it is offered by Jesus, the Son of GOD.
INVITATION: a written or verbal request inviting someone to go somewhere or to do something. Once we say, YES, to his invitation, it leads us to eternity in heaven. Not for just a ONE TIME EVENT, but a FOREVER event in heaven. Praise God!
WHAT DOES SAYING YES MEAN TO YOU?
When Jesus says to you, FOLLOW ME, he offers you SALVATION: preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss.
The GREEK translation of SALVATION: SOZO is a Greek word translated “saved, healed, delivered.” The word is used over 100 times in the New Testament to refer to the “complete package” of salvation, deliverance and healing.
It means giving up a sinful life on earth (which ends in the grave) for the rewards of a life of grace and favor (and eternal life in heaven).
HOW DO YOU ACCEPT THIS INVITATION?
You humble yourself before Jesus and ask HIM into your heart. You become a NEW SPIRITAUL person. The physical body remains the same!!! BUT, your physical body does not get you into heaven. You must BELIEVE in heart that Jesus DIED FOR YOU ON THE CROSS and was RAISED from the dead to give YOU ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN with HIM.
Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Following Jesus is the most important INVITATION you will ever accept. The WORD promises,
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
By GRACE, God has already done everything to provide salvation for you. Your part is simply to BELIEVE and RECEIVE.
HUMBLE YOURSELF BEFORE JESUS AND PRAY
Jesus, I confess that YOU are my LORD and SAVIOR. I believe in my heart that GOD raised YOU from the dead. By faith in YOUR WORD, I receive salvation now. Thank you for saving me.
Once you speak this prayer from your heart; committing your life to Jesus Christ, you become born-again, there’s a brand-new spirit in you!
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The way you think, how you act, and what you do will start to change. WHY? Because your conscience will awaken you to the sin in your life that was hidden to you before.
For example, you will start to monitor what you listen to and what you watch. Following Jesus means submitting your entire self to Him. You leave the old things of life behind when you recognize Jesus as your LORD and your personal Savior.
You will start to DESIRE the things of GOD! Your JOURNEY is YOUR JOURNEY. Don’t compare yourself with anyone except the WORD OF GOD. It TAKES time in the WORD to RECEIVE and BELIEVE the TRUTHS revealed in the WORD.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
As the disciples spent THREE years with JESUS, Paul also spend THREE years in study …
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
“Paul gave himself to study, prayer, and meditation, and met with the Lord alone.”
Jesus wants us to FOLLOW HIM of our own FREE WILL. He is a gentleman and welcomes all who come to him with a repentant heart.
FOLLOW ME … TWO POWERFUL WORDS
FOLLOW ME … Two powerful WORDS spoken to us by Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior.
The question is: WILL YOU FOLLOW HIM? If your answer is YES, then you will start on a journey of revelations! The road will have some STORMS where you will need an ANCHOR and will require you to wear your ARMOUR.
I end this article with a POWERFUL VIDEO … FOOTSTEPS. The words and images will touch your heart!
The Gospel According to Matthew Movie (youtube) … the last scene > picture says > FOLLOW ME!!!
2 thoughts on “Follow Me”