Following
Jesus Daily
Jesus gave
many challenges to mankind. Possibly no challenge is greater than that given by
Jesus in the two words, "follow Me." "Then Jesus said to His
disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24) The
early disciples were invited to "follow Jesus" and become fishers of
men. "Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of
men." (Matthew 4:19) Jesus likewise demands commitment from us! He is
still asking people to follow Him daily. Let us learn what it means to follow
Jesus.
Following
Jesus daily begins when you become a Christian. God is glorified only
in the church. "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above
all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) The saved are in the church. "Praising God
and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily
those who were being saved." (Acts
Following
Jesus daily continues with seven day service. "Daily" is one
of the key ideas in our service to Jesus. "Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23) A
"hot-cold," "hot-cold, "hot-cold" religion will never
bring peace or spiritual progress. The church began with "daily"
service. "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of
heart." (Acts
Following
Jesus daily involves the two greatest commandments. "Jesus said to
him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as
yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law
and the Prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40.) Christians must love God and
love one another. "This is My commandment, that
you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12) Our love for
fellow Christians must be like the love Jesus has for us. "A new
commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that
you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John
13:34-35) God commands us to love one
another. "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a
liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love
God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who
loves God must love his brother also." (1 John 4:20-21) You can not be
"wrong" with a fellow Christian and "right" with God at the
same time.
Following
Jesus daily involves serving others. Jesus taught the disciples
servitude when He washed their feet. "So when He had washed their feet,
taken His garments, and sat down again,
He said to them, Do you know what I have done to
you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and
you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your
feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an
example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to
you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater
than he who sent him. If you know these
things, blessed are you if you do them." (John 13:12-17) They had been
concerned about the "great places" in the kingdom but Jesus wanted
them to learn to be "servants" not "rulers." Love must
motivate us to serve one another daily. "For you, brethren, have been
called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)
Following Jesus daily is strengthened as we
resist temptation. Those that
avoid and endure temptation are truly blessed. "Blessed is the man who
endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of
life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12)
Temptation comes to everyone. Those that persevere and endure these temptations
will be blessed with a crown of life. These trials of one's fidelity, integrity
and virtue are the proving ground for eternity. The crown of life is the blessing promised to those that endure the temptations of
life.
Following
Jesus daily involves daily evangelism: The life blood of the church is evangelism. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be
condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16) Men and women that have committed their lives to
the Lord must be motivated by love, to share the gospel with others. It is past
time for all of us to carry out God’s command to bring forth fruit. (John
15:1-8) If we do not bear fruit we will be cut off, cast into the fire and
burned! Paul wrote, “And the things that you have heard from me among many
witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
(2 Timothy 2:2)
Following
Jesus daily changes our homes. When families follow Jesus: (1) Husbands
will love their wives (Ephesians
Following
Jesus daily is our greatest need and most pressing challenge. Are you dedicated
to Jesus in your daily living? Paul is a good example of the commitment
needed. "I have been crucified with
Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) Those that
follow Jesus daily will be in heaven. Is your name written there?