Young Adults' Group

Follow Me

by Pastor Mark
October 18, 2018

The challenge to follow Christ

When Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon Peter and Andrew fishing. He took this opportunity to call them to become His disciples, “Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Matt 4:19,20) This was the first call that the Lord Jesus gave His disciples. He was to train and transform them from being fishermen to become fishers of men.

Subsequently, the Lord gave a challenging statement to His disciples to follow Him, “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.” (Matt 16:24) The Lord Jesus was challenging the disciples to follow Him in a far more significant manner. The Lord Jesus had just revealed to His disciples that He was going to suffer, be killed and be raised on the third day. (Matt 16:21) But Peter rebuked the Lord for speaking of such things. As such, the Lord responded by rebuking Satan for influencing Peter and then also to rebuke Peter for thinking the things of man rather than the things of God. (Matt 16:23) How can such influences of Satan be overcome? The answer lies in the Lord’s challenge for the disciples to follow.

The challenge to come after Christ

It is good to have the desire to come after the Lord. The word “opiso” means to come behind and to follow after. The disciples were challenged to come behind the Lord and to follow after Him closely. But to what extent were they willing to follow especially in view of the great suffering and the spiritual warfare that they would have to experience?

1. To deny ourselves

The word “deny” in Greek is “aparneomai” which is made of “apo” (from) and “arneomai” (deny or abstain). It is an intensified word which indicates that the disciples should strongly deny themselves of the world…of the things of the world. The challenge is for us to practise the principle of self-denial. Through self-denial, we are better able to follow the Lord and not be influenced by Satan…to mind the things of man. The Lord used an aorist imperative here which indicates that it is meant to be a one-off command. If we truly know how to deny ourselves, it should be done permanently. Let us heed this command to deny.

2. Take up the cross

The phrase “take up” in Greek is “airo” which is to “lift up”. The cross is a reference to the suffering and pain that Christ has to undertake as part of the plan of God. As Christ had to take up His cross and to suffer, we too need to learn to lift up our own cross. Here, it is also written in the aorist imperative. Once we have taken up this cross, we do not put it down anymore. It becomes a way of life for us. We can only take up the cross if we deny ourselves. They are both connected. Let us be challenged to deny ourselves and to take up our cross.

3. Follow Christ

The word “follow” in Greek is “akoloutheo” means “to follow”. We recognise that this kind of following requires full commitment on our part. In this instance, the present imperative was used. The Lord was commanding His disciples to follow in a more continuous manner. He is calling for full commitment in order for us to face our suffering, our cross and to overcome the evil one. To what extent would we be willing to follow the Lord? Let us be challenged to go to the fullest extent in following Christ.

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