In our modern society, many… if not most, are using some type of social media platform on a regular basis. No matter the platform being used … the most common question being asked is  “who are you following?” 

Before you can answer the question “who are you following” we need to understand what the word “follow” means:

1. to accept as authority 
2. to engage in as a calling or way of life
3. to imitate

The quote

The quote “follow me” occurs nearly 100 times in scripture…. This is significant! Why is it so significant?  Unlike social media platforms where content creators ask you to follow them by “liking their videos” “click on the bell icon for notifications” lastly… “click the subscribe button”. When we are told “follow me” by Jesus there is more to consider and understand. 

The Crossroads 

When Jesus calls us to follow we find ourselves at a crossroad in life. A crossroad is “a critical point [in our lives] where a decision must be made’. 

So when Jesus calls us and we choose to follow him.. we must do so with the understanding that we are choosing to:

1. Acknowledge and accept the Authority that has been given to Jesus by God Himself. 

We see this authority demonstrated by the calling of Peter and Andrew in Matthew 4:18-20 it says:

“While he was walking by the lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, casting their large net into the water. They were fishermen, so Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will teach you to catch men!”

At once they left their nets and followed Him.” (JB Phillips) 

In Matthew 9:9, Luke 5:27 and Mark 2:14 we see this same authority demonstrated when Jesus called Levi (aka Matthew) saying “Follow Me” and he left to follow Jesus. 

2. When we “follow” Jesus we are accepting a calling and a new way of living. 

Matthew 16: 24 “If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me…” 

• When we follow Jesus we pick up the ministry of Jesus to bring the message of the Kingdom of God to the world. 

Luke 18:22 “There is still one thing you have missed. Sell everything you possess and give the money away to the poor, and you will have riches in Heaven. Then come and follow me.” (JB Phillips)

• We cannot allow the things of this world to hold us back from living like Jesus… for Jesus.

Eph 4: 17-24 “This is my instruction, then, which I give you from God. Do not live any longer as the Gentiles live. For they live blindfolded in a world of illusion, and cut off from the life of God through ignorance and insensitiveness. They have stifled their consciences and then surrendered themselves to sensuality, practicing any form of impurity which lust can suggest.

But you have learned nothing like that from Christ, if you have really heard his voice and understood the truth that he has taught you. No, what you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, which were rotted through and through with lust’s illusions, and, with yourselves mentally and spiritually re-made, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life which was made by God’s design for righteousness and the holiness which is no illusion.”  (JB Phillips)  

• We cannot continue to live or behave the way we did before following Jesus.

3. When we choose to follow Jesus when he calls, He has provided examples as how we should live. 

2 Peter 2:21 “Indeed this is part of your calling. For Christ suffered for you and left you a personal example, and wants you to follow in his steps…” 

• We must actively choose to live and act the way Jesus did.

Phil 2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus..”

• As we follow Jesus we should put the interests of others before our own.

1Cor 11:1 “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 

2 Cor 5:17-18 “For if a man is in Christ he becomes a new person altogether—the past is finished and gone, everything has become fresh and new. All this is God’s doing, for he has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ; and he has made us agents of the reconciliation.” (JB Phillip)

“If grace is God’s answer, the gift of Christian life, then we cannot for a moment dispense with following Christ” (D. Bonhoeffer, “The Cost of Discipleship”)