Bible Text: Matthew 16:24 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Matthew 16:24

Let’s face it. Jesus did a lot of things differently from the way we would have done them. Say, for example, when He recruited the band of fishermen, a tax collector, small businessmen, to help change the world. He walked by and simply said, “Follow me!” That was it–neither more nor less–unless you add the words, “And I will make you to be fishers of men!”

I think that had I had that responsibility, I would, perhaps, have said, “OK, let’s sit down and think through the requirements for this task.  Let’s start with theology.  What’s important? Write it down.  Then let’s talk about lifestyle. You know I detest people making money off the poor people, so let’s ask our followers to make a commitment to a lifestyle of simplicity—no fancy cars or condominiums overlooking the Mediterranean. And so forth.”

In the couple of minutes which remain on today’s edition of Guidelines, may I point out four things about following Him who called twelve men to change the world?

Following Jesus is a day-by-day, one-step-at-a-time sort of experience.  The longest journey in the world is accomplished one step at a time. Mt. Everest, the highest mountain on this planet, is also climbed one step at a time. But following Jesus is akin to following someone in a dungeon or dark cave who carries a torch. As long as you stay close to him, you have enough light to see where you are going, but lag behind and you are immediately engulfed in darkness.  No wonder Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Following Jesus Christ is rather scary until you understand He is more powerful than any storm which will ever confront you.  Matthew records how on a certain occasion a scribe (that’s a teacher of the law) came to Jesus and said, “I’ll follow you wherever you go,” but his was an empty boast. There is no record that he ever followed anywhere.  A second said, “I’ll follow you, too, but first I must go bury my father.”  Again nothing indicates that person ever got around to joining the parade.  But the disciples did follow, and that was into the face of a terrible storm.  The bottom line is that you are going to face the storm in life whether or not you follow Christ. The only difference is whether or not He is in the boat with you, or you are all alone on the dark ocean of life.  Matthew 8 tells us that Jesus rebuked the storm and peace came to the troubled waters.

Following Jesus Christ is challenging.  He told them that if they would follow Him, they must deny themselves, take up their cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Anyone who carries his cross has no agenda apart from that of the one He follows. If that isn’t challenging, nothing is.

But then following Him is rewarded.  “I will make you fishers of men,” He promised those who had walked away from their nets.  If you enjoy sports fishing, you’ll agree that battling the big one is exciting. Seeing a fish dance on the water, testing his mettle against your ability is challenging, but once you land the big one, what do you have?  A fishing story and a dead fish in the bottom of the boat.  But when you fish for men and land a big one, you have a trophy of grace, a living testimony to the fact that Jesus Christ still changes the lives of those who will leave their nets and follow Him.

He still challenges men and women, saying, “Follow me!” It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

Resource reading:  Matthew 16