Following Christ

“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him. Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people.” Matthew 4:18-23

It was D.L. Moody who said: “The world has yet to see what God will do with one man who is totally surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.” That statement has been a challenge point to Christian men and women for decades. Many will know eternal rewards due to their obedient response to that desire to know the joy of full surrender.

Following Christ is a simple matter - yet one from which the “old man” pulls back in sheer terror. Jesus taught: “To gain, you must give up. To live, you must die. To be great, you must be a servant.” The human mind and human will push these principles away as if they were poison. They are poison in that they do exactly what God wants - they kill self-will and lead to full surrender.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the outcome of following Christ will be ease, comfort, and pleasure. Those are not by-products of a true disciple. The joy of a true follower of Christ stems from and intimate relationship with the One Who brings true satisfaction and fulfillment. The Christian life revolves around a relationship, not things. Open yourself to that relationship with Christ, an know the joy following Him can bring.

“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.” - William Booth