Could You, Would You?
Jesus commands those who follow him to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey him (Matthew 28:18-20). Not just some of us, all of us. He tells his disciples throughout the New Testament “follow me.” Here are a few of the times Jesus spoke these words:
Matthew 4:19 – “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”
Matthew 16:4 – “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Mark 2:14 – “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
Luke 18:22 – “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 10:27 – My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
The issue for all of us is trying to understand what Jesus meant when he said those words, “follow me.” I think this is where we pick and choose what it means and where we use our lack of “gifting” to keep us from doing the things Jesus commands. He didn’t say, “Could you go and make disciples, are you able?” He said, “Go make disciples…” He also didn’t say, “Would you follow me, are you willing, is it okay with you?” He said, “Follow me.” Following Jesus is having the light of life. Jesus says in John 10:10, “…the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
When we say “yes” to following Jesus in our baptism and we begin to fish for people, deny ourselves, sell our possessions, give to the poor, and listen to his voice, something changes. The “could you, would you” attitude changes as we allow Jesus to lead. We begin to truly understand and experience what it means to have life and have it to the full. Following is no longer a choice; it becomes a way of life. Every day begins with the words, “Jesus, whatever today brings, I’ll follow you.”
Some days are better than others, admittedly. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:16 – 21 serve as reminder of what Jesus did so, in turn, we could show the world what it means to follow him:
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
