Will You Follow Me

I heard a sermon today called Follow Me and I wanted to share it with you Gems.  I will try to do justice to the original message but of course will give it a Gena’s Jewels twist.

We will start with what believers are commonly called, “Christians.” So where did that title come from?

It started about 12 years after Yeshua’s ascension and it was a term given by the people of Antioch.

Acts 11: ²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Antioch was a multi culture pagan city, the term “called” was a business term, if you were in a relationship with someone or committed to a certain following or principle you were called to them. For example if you were a follower of Caesar you were a Cesarean, if you were a follower of Plato you were called a Platonean.

So when the people of Antioch met Jewish believers they would ask them why they didn’t worship their gods and they would say because we follow Christ. When they asked why they didn’t seem to love the power and wealth of the city they shared Christ promise of riches in Heaven.  So it was only natural that because they followed the ways and teaching of Christ they would be called Christians because they followed His teaching and principles. The people of Antioch actually saw Jesus teachings in His followers. Hmmmmmm

So to be a follower of Christ meant you were on the same road as Him, to learn from Him, imitate Him and multiply Him to others.

2 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Messiah Yeshua. ² And what you have heard from me among many witnesses, entrust to faithful people who will be capable to teach others also.

It seems we have kept the "called" name Christians but many have stopped following Yeshua’s teachings and commandments. Today anyone can be called a Christian and never even read God's word or speak to Jesus.

 

Let's look at 3 possible groups of people who have reasons for why they can’t completely follow Yeshua.

The first is the excuse maker:

Matthew 8:21-22 Then another of the disciples said, “Master, first let me go and bury my father.”²² But Yeshua tells him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The phrase “let me go bury my father” was a cultural expression meaning let me wait until I get my inheritance. Pretty much he was saying I want to make sure I can self-sustain, keep my security just in case this Christ thing doesn’t work out.

Then there’s the Stuff Lover:

Matthew 19:21-22 Yeshua said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you own, and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” ²² But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving, for he had much property.

 This guy had good stuff he wasn’t ready to give up. He probably had a nice house and great transportation so the other stuff was easy for him but giving up his comfort was another thing.

Then there’s the, what about him guy.

John 21:20 Peter, turning around, sees the disciple following. This was the one whom Yeshua loved, who also had reclined against Yeshua’s chest at the seder meal and said, “Master, who is the one who is betraying You?” ²¹ Seeing him, Peter said to Yeshua, “Lord, what about him?” ²² Yeshua said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”

This person is worried about what everyone else is doing instead of making sure he’s following Jesus. You know the old as long as I look better than him or her I should be OK.

I think at times I have been all three of these people.
I love Yeshua’s response, “what is that to you? YOU follow me.”
In case you’re wondering He still gives that response.

Yeshua asked Peter 4 times to follow Him. Why do you think Jesus constantly has to ask us to follow Him? There are a lot of reasons I guess, life itself really. We get so caught up in our own world and the struggles that come with it. We slowly drift and before we know it we are in dead religion. Went to church, check. Said a prayer before I ate, check. It can be so subtle until one day you wake up and realize you are lukewarm.

Revelation 3:15-17 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. Oh, that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spew you out of My mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, ‘I am rich, I have made myself wealthy, and I need nothing. But you do not know that you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked.

You ask yourself how you got there, you were doing all your church stuff  but are no longer imitating or multiplying, just existing. Still called a Christian but not actually doing any of the things that the first believers were recognized for. You may even be asking what a follower of Yeshua even looks like today. Well Gems I’m glad you asked because Jesus tells us in

Matthew 16:24-25  Then Yeshua said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find

This word is for Believers from the King Himself!

1.     Desire to follow Him.

2.     Deny self – making my happiness and comfort top priority.

3.     Take up my cross – fighting your own fleshly desires.

4.     Lose your life – lose your need to control and free fall into Yeshua’s plan for you and trust me Gems your life will just begin.

Will the business term Christian once again carry the same weight it did for Paul and the disciples in Antioch? I pray it will because Jesus is still asking believers “Will you follow me?”…………..

Matthew 7

Judging the Fruit

²¹ “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, and drive out demons in Your name, and perform many miracles in Your name?’ ²³ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Get away from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’”