follow me

Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” John 21:22

When Jesus makes the statement, “follow me”, what does all that mean?

In my younger days, I associated this as a student following his rabbi. Later, it meant addressing HIM as Lord and King under the rule of HIS Kingdom. But now, just a few days ago, the meaning even has gotten deeper.

I was listening to a person explain his life story to a group of us. This was like the fourth or fifth time I heard it. But this time coming to know him better, I listened deeper. Not just for the words but his psychological state of mind. It was like listening to a tape recorder. He had his story down pat. He believed it. It was his viewpoint of the situation. Who was I to disagree with him.

Yet, the story left a sad mark on me. The story made him the center of all life’s problems. He was the victim. There was no hope. No future. Just yesterday’s pain rolled up into today’s victimhood. Then it dawned on me. Jesus statement to follow HIM is more than a spiritual invitation. It is the invitation to write a new story. A life story where we join HIM in HIS story. We forgo our story. Instead of being the central character in our story, we accept the supporting role. Jesus is the central character. We join HIM in HIS story.

In our story, we are the hero or the victim. In Jesus story, HE is the hero and savior. We repent. We forgo our central position of the story. We refocus on Jesus. We join HIM. We support HIM as HIS follower. HE takes top billings. We accept the role which makes HIM look best. We become engaged with HIM in HIS story. We look forward to making all things new with HIM. We practice the art of Kingdom living with HIM. We do our work and play with HIM. We acknowledge HIM as the lead partner in our dance around life’s floor.

When now asked to share our story, Jesus is the central character, we are the supporting cast. We no longer are the prisoner of our story. We are no longer the villain. We are no longer the hero, savior, or ruler. We are but HIS servant joining HIM in our role at work, home, and community. We gladly deny ourselves. We maturely take up our responsibilities. We now follow HIM as HE completes HIS story in us, with us, and through us.

As Jesus states in this Scripture to Peter, don’t be concern with John’s part in HIS story, but yours. For both of them have a role to share in HIS story. The same is true with us. So let go and let Jesus be the central person in your story. When we do, watch as our part in HIS story becomes more real and rewarding. For HIS story becomes alive and we receive the benefits of HIS Kingdom for ourself, and for the sake of others.

History is HIS story. Current events are unfolding to reveal more of HIS story. The future waits for HIS story to be completed. The Bible gives us a general outline of what to expect. The details are happening as time moves forward. One’s faith only grows when one sees Jesus as Lord, King, and Savior for all humanity. The sad part is when one fails to see HIM as HE truly IS. HE is the hope for all humanity. Hopefully more may come to know HIM, HIS story, and our role with HIM.

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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(A Scriptural Review)

Luke 9:23-26

Then He (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

*****

Luke 13:22-30

And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you,’ I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”

*****

Luke 14:25-33

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

*****

Mark 10:17-22

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.'”And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “one thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

*****

Matt 10:32-39

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 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. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

*****

Matt 7:13-14

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

*****

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless noted otherwise.

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