Jesus said to them, “Come follow me”
Mark 1:17 (NCV)
I know the first thing I do when I enter the car is turn on the sat nav if I’m about to take an unknown journey. Hopefully, I will know the postcode but often I have to search the sat nav to find if it knows the destination I need to go to!
Yesterday we discovered that whatever we go through in our journey in life there is someone in our boat who is a perfect sat nav for He knows. The disciples who encountered storms thought Jesus was asleep and unaware of the prevailing circumstances but we learnt yesterday how untrue that was.
When they safely crossed to the other side as Jesus had said I wonder whether those three words that Jesus said “Come follow me” made them much more determined to do so. They had witnessed an amazing miracle and surely that would be sufficient to do exactly what Jesus had asked.
The invitation that Jesus gave to his disciples is the same as he gives to you and me “Come, follow me…”. How we respond is an individual decision but one which has to be made. Do we need to see a miracle before accepting the gracious invitation or will we at least stop to give this request some consideration? If we do accept what will the journey look like?
I realise that before any of us go on a journey, we need to make sure we know where we are going and how to get there! We are all on a journey in life. God wants to lead our every step. He has given us a way to get to where He wants to take us, “Jesus is the way.” Today will help you learn exactly how to follow His way.
That journey is often referred to as becoming a disciple. A disciple is a work in progress. We are in constant need of training and therefore we must learn from the master, not the Jedi but the King of Kings.
We firstly have to want what God wants and to seek His Kingdom. Looking at the gospels gives us further clues on how to be a disciple. There we see how Jesus lived his life in a secular world yet being different. In order to “follow His lead” we will focus on 3 basic truths:
- Follow His way of obedience.
- Follow His way of compassion.
- Follow His way by using His power.
These three truths are the basic tools to help us on our way.
When Jesus said, “Come follow me, ” what He basically meant was that He wanted people to come and learn from Him. He walked on the earth two thousand years ago and He was perfect in all He did and said. A lot of people in the world follow a lot of different things but Jesus is the one and only way to follow. His way is the way that won’t lead you astray. The invitation is still open to you today; Jesus is saying to you, “come, follow me.” He wants you to follow Him because He is the way. It’s not always easy, but it’s the right way.
Jesus was the master of compassion.
Consistently throughout the New Testament Jesus showed compassion for people. He saw the sick and dying and healed them. He saw the people who didn’t have anyone to care for them and He showed them love and friendship.
The Bible says that we are to be imitators of Christ. (Ephesians 5:1). That means that we should try our best to be like Jesus, and He was compassionate. Compassion can be shown in really simple ways: –
Jesus was compassionate and do you know for me the most positive aspect of this lockdown has been the response of so many people to do just that. We have all I am sure applauded at 8pm for NHS personnel who have put their lives at risk and still do, but there are thousands of ordinary people also who have shown us the compassion that Jesus had for all human beings irrelevant of colour, culture or class.
It doesn’t work; by yourself, you don’t have enough power.
God doesn’t leave you alone. He gives you His power. The Bible says to be strong in the Lord in His mighty power. (Ephesians 6:10) . We have power in our corner and that’s the power of the Holy Spirit inside you.
Last week we remembered how Jesus told His disciples to wait till they received Power. Then they could start doing the tasks Jesus had planned for them.
We too have been promised that power for God doesn’t expect you to do things alone. He sent Jesus to show you the way and you can follow His way by using His power. That power is the Holy Spirit working within you and it is given the moment we decide to accept Jesus invitation to follow Him by receiving Him into our hearts as Lord and Saviour.
I know I will always need some sort of Sat Nav to reach my unknown destinations and equally, I am convinced I need to follow Jesus for my life’s journey. Thank you Jesus for being in MY boat.