Will You?

Verse Passage: Matthew 9:9 “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.” – NIV

To ‘follow’ means to come or go after; move behind in the same direction; to come or go with; to accept the guidance or leadership of; to adhere to the cause or principles of; to be governed by; obey; comply with 

When a person first comes to Jesus, it is impossible to know everything that following Jesus entails. There’s no guide books that list the complete overview of what all entails following. We can see many things in the Bible but we aren’t given a complete “dummies guide to following Christ” and that’s not meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. It’s just the truth. 

No one, however, should be fearful of making a total commitment because of some imagined problem that may never come to pass. There should be a willingness to forsake everything to follow Jesus. If there is not a willingness then there’s no commitment and there’s no seriousness.

Once we make that decision, then Christ begins to live through us and we find a strength that is not our own, equal to whatever test we may encounter as in Galatians 2:20. 

It is Christ living through us that is the secret of victorious Christian living. It is not us living for Jesus, but Jesus living through us. Failure to understand this simple truth is at the root of all legalism and the performance mentality. The law focuses on the outer man and tells it what it must do. Grace focuses on the inner man and tells it what is already done through Christ. Those who are focused on what they must do are under law. Those who are focused on what Christ has done for them are walking under grace.

Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer’s true life is found to be in union with Christ. The Christian life is not just hard to live, it’s impossible in our human strength. The only way to walk in victory is to let Christ live through us.

It comes down to you. It’s your choice to grab ahold of this and embrace Christ. Let go of yourself and let Him grab a hold you. Let go of your independence and let Him reign through you supremely. It’s up to you! It has always come down to you and your choice. 

Jesus passed by Matthew as he was working and said “follow me”. Matthew got up and left his job to follow Christ. There was no questions, there was no second guessing, he just got up and followed. 

Will you accept the leadership of Christ in your life? Will you follow after Him? Will you adhere to the cause, the principles, and the mission at hand? Will you? 

God bless!

Copyright © 2019 by Jacob Olinger