What is that to you? You follow Me!

What is that to you? You follow Me!

by David Brenneman 

John 21:20-22 NASB. 

Having just been forgiven and restored...Peter just about did it again.  What stuck out to me yet again last night was those 3 words. Jesus was telling Peter what was more important, what was a higher priority. "You follow Me!"

It's always interesting when other passages come to mind after really considering those 3 words. 

Peter was certainly coming off of a well rounded time of weakness.  He had betrayed Jesus, ran away, was sulking in misery.  

Then another showed up in my memories on Facebook. 

Our highest priority isn't making others happy. 

It's not making our employer happy. 

It's not even making ourselves happy.

Our calling in Christ Jesus is to follow Him. 

Was reminded yesterday of those called in Christ are set apart. They are special. We are to live life in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.  

We are not to put the focus on us. That is selfishness. When we are pointing people to us we are hiding the cross of Jesus Christ. When our priorities are not God first then we are putting self or others first. 

When we moved God enabled me to make a clean break in my life.  I refuse to put even my employer ahead of God's priority, which is people.  My Wife is my first consideration after my Savior. My family is next. Church family is next. My friends are what follows. Employer and others are what's next. My walk with Jesus is my first priority even over what the world wants me to focus on which is health and wealth. My health isn't my primary concern. 

My hope, when Jesus returns, is to be found following Him. 

What about you?  Would your life be described as a great this or that, or would you be described as one who follows Jesus?

Would people describe your life as a a follower of Jesus?  Not that hard of a question. 

Jesus was very direct with Peter. "You follow Me!".  

Take a good look at your social media that you do. Is it reflecting you following Jesus?  Or is it pointing people towards the world's standards of thinking of self?

We read that before Jesus returns people will be lovers of self.  

There's much to take in with those 3 words.  Much to consider in everything we do.  Colossians 3:23-34 NASB "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."

Whatever you do.  Same as saying everything you do. ALL that you do. 

Same as saying "You! Follow Me! Do what I have done. Obey all that I have commanded. Live life in such a way that people see your good works and glorify My Father who is in Heaven. I am with you. Take up your own cross and follow Me. Put off your old self with its practices and put on the new self in Christ Jesus."

The worst place to be is to claim to be a follower of Christ Jesus in name only and not in reality.   Millions will cry out to Jesus that they did this or that in His name. They will be told to depart from Him for He never knew them.  

People all around us are consumed with self.  Health can be a consuming idol. Wealth can be a consuming idol. Prosperity can be a consuming idol.  Our looks and worldly identity can be a consuming idol. 

Matthew 22:37-39 NASB "And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’This is the great and foremost commandment.The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’".

This is: You Follow Me! 

Take a good look at what you keep making important to you.  It will show who or what is on the Throne of your life.  

Take a good hard look at what you are making important to you. If it isn't truly following Jesus as He taught and has commanded...

Take time in this here and now to get your life back to a right relationship with Jesus.  

Nobody will look back on life when it's reviewed before Jesus and think they should have done more for self. That they didn't do enough for self. Nobody will wonder if they should have focused more on health or wealth or prosperity.  We will all be shown what all we did in the body for Jesus.  We will see who it was we were following. 

I really don't have a problem with people not seeing me.  I really want people to see Jesus.  I want to do what Andrew did. Pointing people to Jesus so that they may follow Him too.  Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Not me. Not my job. Not my health.  Not my hobbies. Not anything that's important to self.  

The message is pretty clear. 

You follow Me!