His Terms And Conditions: 4 – Follow

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Matthew 16:24 (ESVUK)

Jesus makes a radical declaration that every believer in Him has to take seriously. Helping in that effort has been an overview initially before and then have a look at that first part in terms of denying self before considering the call to carry the cross.

Jesus is ahead. Jesus is in charge. For that to make sense the level of commitment to Him must be total.

Jesus is ahead. If you’re called to follow, it suggests strongly that there’s someone ahead. There’s a path to follow, there’s an example to look ahead to. The type of example that Jesus presents is so consuming in nature that there’s no room for anything or anyone else to have any claim to be the priority.

Jesus is ahead. He declares the way of life that goes far beyond anything else ever called for people to follow. He demonstrates the rule of life through the signs and wonders that point to what the rule is all about. He displays the truth of life in His character and response to friend and foe alike. He does not ask anything from His followers that He doesn’t live by Himself. His invitation to life in its fullness is something that He expresses for those that take Him up on the challenge to deny self and take up the cross.

Jesus is ahead and He will lead those that follow from where they were to somewhere far greater and better. That is not a physical location, that’s a relationship with the Father through the Son by the Spirit. It’s a relationship restored that brings back order from the chaos it was when we rejected our Creator. Jesus is ahead to lead us to know the Father and experience the life with Him and follow the path of righteousness outlined by Him.

Jesus is in charge. Following Him – if it’s not been evident with the terms He’s outlined – is about acknowledging Him as Lord. The one who directs and instructs and we obey so He has His way. It’s not oppressive or dictatorial. It is about recognising where the final decision rests. It is about recognising who the author and finisher is and leaving it to Him to carry on with the authorship and finishing.

Jesus is in charge. And He’s in charge as the ultimate expression of the Good Shepherd. Those that are His He guards fiercely. Those that are His, He protects passionately. Those that are His He provides for consistently and considerately. Those that are His He guides along the journey through the challenging moments as well as the pleasant pastures. Those that are His He’s keen to nurture so that they prove to be all that they were ever created to be. All that is available in acknowledging the dynamic between us. He is the leader that we follow and Him alone.

Jesus is in charge. This reality is crucial to understand not just to follow Him in the here and now, but also in considering that because of His obedient servanthood and submitting to the Father there is now a promise that there is a time coming where every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He will rule all things establishing the rule that those that choose to follow Him now would have an idea of already. He is in charge of a Kingdom for He is the King of kings. That means we are not in charge. That means the world system is not in charge.

Jesus is ahead and Jesus is in charge. Our choice to come to Him is the choice to follow Him and be clear that it is only Him we follow and we dedicate all of life to follow Him. There’s a good reason why this commitment will be worthwhile as Jesus goes on to outline …

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden