Follow Me

What would our faith communities look like if those that claim to follow Christ really did?  What if believers in Christ, really found the heart of Christ and began to live like they say they believe?  I think people would follow!

While he was here on earth people were drawn to Jesus.  They were amazed by his miracles and teaching, but the show will only draw a crowd for awhile.  What kept the crowds coming was his love and compassion.  He had compassion on people and thought of them as sheep wandering aimlessly without a shepherd.

Wasn't it amazing to see Philip go find his friend Nathaniel and tell him to just come and see, check this guy out for yourself.  He was motivated out of love.  What about the woman at the well?  Jesus kind of busted her and her living arrangement.  Today he would have been labeled as intolerant or a hater, but she heard it different.  The Bible tells us she ran to the town and told everyone, you've got to come meet this guy.  He knows every thing about me and still genuinely cared.  The Bible says the town responded and was changed because of her testimony.  Matthew was a hated tax collector, but when Jesus accepted him and changed him the first thing he could think to do was throw a party for all his tax collector buddies so they could experience the love of Jesus.

It isn't that hard to see the difference that Jesus made in people's lives by sharing in their lives.  When he left to go back to the father and told his friends to "Go about their business and while they were doing it to MAKE DISCIPLES" it wasn't a stretch because that is exactly what he had been doing for three years.  Disciples are believers or members, by definition they are followers.  Not talking about what Jesus would do, but doing it.  They didn't have to be told to share their faith, they couldn't help but share their faith it just came busting out of them.  He was the original DISCIPLE maker!  He knew how to share in people's lives in such a way that they knew he really cared.

I love the model that Paul gives us in 1 Corinthians 11:1.  It is a simple challenge.  "Follow me (become a disciple) as I follow Christ (the original disciple maker)."  What if we all made that our motto, "Follow me, as I follow Christ."  It gives HIM all the glory as we follow HIM and share HIM  with others.