...Follow Christ!...

“16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake — for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me and I will make you fish for people.’ 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As He went a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed Him” Mark 1:16-20.

Here we see how Jesus proclaims God’s reign and ministers its presence. Jesus carries out kingdom ministries in word and deed by beginning to call two sets of brothers. It’s obvious that, from the very beginning, there is quite a cost to joining this new community Jesus is forming — they have to leave their families and their vocations and skills behind. They can’t get the advice of anyone close to them in life. No, they just have to leave.  Jesus spoke about this sacrifice later in chapter 8: “34 Jesus called the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels’” Mark 8:34-38.

But we also know that there is great reward for following Christ, and mark points this out in chapter 10: “28 Peter began to say to Jesus, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ 29 Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first’' Mark 10:28-31. But of great importance is that, with Jesus’ announcement that God’s reign is arriving, we see that the first order of business in establishing God’s reign is the creation of a kingdom people. But we also see in verse 15 that “Jesus said, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news’” Mark 1:15. So, Jesus’ call to repentance and faith is answered — not individually — but as individuals who join the kingdom community, the family of Jesus’ followers. Right from the start, Jesus’ followers follow and observe and learn as Jesus models kingdom ministries. And this is the point I wish for you and me to consider today. We cannot live our lives except through following and observing and learning who Jesus is and what he wishes each of us to do in life. Simply put, we must Follow Christ! Follow Christ!

Take time today and bring this to prayer.

Oh Lord, I so much wish to follow You,

and You alone — and completely.

Have mercy on me for all the times I have not followed You.

Bring me back on the path again so that I may bring You honor and joy that I am responding to Your grace — and following You!

And this I pray in Your Name, Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner!

From the Bible:

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” Matthew 16:24. 

"If anyone wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me” Luke 9:23. 

"If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” John 12:26. 

"And Jesus said to him, 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead’” 

Matthew 8:22.

"I am the gate for the sheep; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture” John 10:9.