Following Jesus No Matter What Others Do
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Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
Following Jesus No Matter What Others Do
Following Jesus No Matter What Others Do
When Peter was told by the Lord by what death he should glorify Christ, he did not hesitate to follow on; but Peter did ask concerning one of the other disciples, "And, what shall this man do"? The Lord said unto Peter: "What is that to thee? follow thou Me".
There are many among us, who are too much concerned with what others may do, or say, or think.
Illustration: A lady once stopped us, on the street, and said, "I'm thinking of uniting with your church, but, first, I want to have a talk with you." We replied: "What do you want to talk about?" She said, "I want to talk to you about what everybody will say if I take my stand."
This young woman was a school-teacher in our city, and she valued very highly the estimation in which she was held among the people. She had a strong conviction that the Lord was calling her to have fellowship with us, in our church, but she was afraid of what others might think.
Do you imagine that she stands alone? Are there not others who love the praise of men more than the praise of God? Are there not others who are more influenced by what the people will say than by what the Lord will say?
Suppose an offering is to be taken for the work of the Lord. How many there are who ask, "And what will this man do?" But, "What is that to thee"?
Suppose there is a call for full consecration. You are deeply impressed that you should go to the altar and yield yourself wholly to God; but, one of your friends is sitting near, and you wait to see what she will do. For very shame, "What is that to thee"? Let us follow Christ no matter what others may say or think or do.
Elisha Follows Elijah
Elisha Follows Elijah
We have one great quest in this study, and that is to follow the steps that mark the believer in his walk with God; the steps that lead to the higher ground; the distinct stages of the Christian as he passes out of carnality and into spirituality.
1. An important feature before us is the tenacity with which Elisha pressed on toward his goal. He would allow nothing to turn him back. He had his goal in sight, and, in order to lay hold on that for which he had been laid hold upon by Christ, he counted the things behind as refuse and pressed on toward the things before.
2. Another thing is the glorious success that crowned Elisha's quest. He received that for which he sought. He followed on until he was the recipient of Elijah's mantle. When he had first plowed twelve yoke of oxen in the field, Elijah had cast his mantle upon him. That occasion was only prophetical. Elisha knew that the fulfilment of that pledge must be found in going all the way with God. Therefore he followed on, until, at last, he once more caught up the mantle of Elijah, as the mighty man of God was disappearing in a chariot of fire.
3. Last of all it is worthy of note that Elisha after he had received the mantle of Elijah, wrought mightily, even as his master had formerly wrought. Elisha could do what Elijah had done, because he was honored by the same God who honored Elijah. It was not the mantle, it was God who wrought. The mantle was only the sign of God's anointing.
As Elisha stood by the Jordan on the return, he cried, "Where is the God of Elijah"? then he smote the waters. In after days he wrought mighty miracles through the same mighty God.
The Setting
"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him" ( I Kings 19:19 ).
1. Let it be noted that the call of God came to Elisha while he was busy in the daily task.
God is looking for the man who is doing well his present duty, and not for the idler and the lounger.
The Word of God commends the one who toils.
The command, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread", has never been rescinded. God does say: "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour"; and again: "This we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat".
2. God calls us, ofttimes, to leave our present task, when He desires us to do a definite work for Him.
Christ came to Peter and to John, Christ came to Matthew the publican. He called them. Immediately they left all, whether it was their nets or the "seat of custom," and followed Him.
Elisha, after Elijah had cast his mantle upon him, went and slew a yoke of oxen, and gave to the people and they did eat. "Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him".
We should hold every earthly call, in subjection to a higher call, and be ready at a moment's notice to leave all and follow Christ.
3. There must be the full consecration to the new task.
Elisha manifested no "looking back" toward the old path. He burned the bridges behind him, as truly as did George Washington, when he crossed the Brandywine. He bade adieu, forever, to the old life and old place and gave himself wholly to the new.
Who is ready this day to hear and heed the call of God to some definite service and then to go all the way in that service? No "looking back," as Lot's wife looked back.
"I'll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain, or plain, or sea;
I'll say what You want me to say, dear Lord,
I'll be what You want me to be."
4. Finally, there must be not only the call, and then the leaving of the old and the dedication to the new task; but there must be the daily "following on" in the new.
Herein Elisha is an admirable example of true discipleship.
Nothing could deter Elisha from following Elijah.
Whether discouraged by the young prophets, or whether seemingly hindered by Elijah, there was always but one answer from Elisha's lips: "As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee".
We are only playing at consecration when the first flutter of the leaves alarms us and turns us back from following our Lord.
He that putteth his hand to the plow, and looketh back, is not fit for the Kingdom of God.
Let obstacles arise, let circumstances come, God is able to give victory.
Fear not: by thy God thou canst run through an host; and, by thy God, thou canst leap over a wall.
Any host and any wall that Satan may place over against your pathway of obedience, will easily be overcome, if you follow on.
"I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And I yield my all to Thee;
Yea, I rise to go, and to follow on
In the way Thou leadest me."
Elisha at Gilgal
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
1. It was at Gilgal where God rolled away the reproach of the Egyptians.
Forty years before Israel had left Egypt, but they had never reached the place of victory in the wilderness.
Now they had, at last, crossed the Jordan and encamped at Gilgal.
No more could Egypt say, "The Lord is not able" to bring them into their Canaan.
Believers need to get out of the old life of sin's dominion.
Out of Egypt?
Certainly. We came out of Egypt the day we were saved.
Came out, under a true token, — the blood upon the lintel and the two side posts.
But we need more than the getting out of Egypt.
We need also to get out of the wilderness of defeat and despair.
Gilgal is station number one.
The place where God rolls off the reproaches of a carnal life.
It is the place of "no condemnation in Christ Jesus."
2. As the children came through the Jordan, Joshua gave orders that twelve stones should be taken from the Jordan bed.
And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Thus Gilgal stands also for the place where God rolled upon Israel a new pledge of full allegiance.
In Ephesians, chapter 2, we are not only quickened with Christ and raised from the old life, but we are made to sit together with Him, in a new life.
Thus Gilgal pictures the place of our tryst, our promise of a new walk, a new consecration.
3. But Elijah did not allow Elisha to tarry long at Gilgal.
Gilgal must be entered.
It stands just over the Jordan, and marks the entrance into a life wholly dedicated to God.
But Gilgal is no more than a place of departure.
We must not tarry there.
When we take an attitude of surrender, we must follow on to know the Lord.
The act must be taken, but the life must be lived out, day by day.
It was at Gilgal that Joshua made a covenant with the Gibeonites; it was at Gilgal that Saul was chosen king; it was at Gilgal that Saul spared Agag.
So while at Gilgal we may yield ourselves to God, and know that reproach is rolled away; yet we must not, for one moment, think that our act of consecration or of yielding our all to God is enough.
We must do more than consecrate and dedicate and pledge and yield, we must obey.
We must live out in our daily walk what we pledge at Gilgal; or else we will soon drift back again into the wilderness of our carnal life.
Elisha at Bethel
Elisha at Bethel
And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.
The word Bethel means the "House of God."
It was at Bethel that Jacob met God when running away from Esau, and his self-life effort to steal the blessing.
And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
"And Jacob awaked * * and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not.
* * This is none other than the house of God (Beth-Elohim, Bethel), and this is the gate of Heaven".
If the believer is to follow God fully, he must know the place and the power of prayer.
1. At the place of prayer, Bethel, we discover the will of God.
How can we do His will, if we know it not?
How can we know it unless we seek His face?
I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower,
And will watch to see what he will say unto me,
And what I shall answer when I am reproved.
We will never get the purpose of God in our lives, if we have no Bethel, no time to be quiet, no time to wait on God, no time to hear His voice.
"My soul, be thou silent unto God."
2. At the place of prayer, Bethel, we will find ourselves dying to our old self-life and living to the new.
Jacob had his Bethel, he also had his Peniel.
Beth-El meant the "House of God," while Peni-El meant the "face of God."
It was at the latter place that Jacob's name was changed.
After a night of intense struggle Jacob could do no more than cling to the Heavenly wrestler, for the angel of the Lord had touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh and it was out of joint.
Then the man who wrestled with Jacob said: "Let me go, for the day breaketh". "And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel".
It is in prayer, intense prayer, that the believer comes to the end of his self-life, and God gives him a new name.
As we behold His face we are transformed into His image, from glory unto glory.
3. At the place of prayer, Bethel, we will get power to undertake and to carry through our new task, our God-given service.
"Pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly" ( Matt. 6:6 ).
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled".
Charles H. Spurgeon, the great London preach-er, felt that much of his success lay in the prayers of a dear old saint who never failed him at the throne of grace.
Charles Finney was greatly empowered in his testimony, through the prayers of Father Nash.
Elisha at Jericho
Elisha at Jericho
And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
Jericho has some important suggestions for us.
1. Jericho is the place where faith triumphed over the world.
Jericho was straitly shut up against Israel, but under Joshua's leadership the Children of Israel marched around the wall seven days, and seven times on the seventh day, then the walls fell down.
When the life has known its Gilgal and its Bethel, it can overcome at Jericho.
Achan could not withstand the allurements of the city of Palm Trees.
It was at Jericho that he saw some goodly Babylonish garments, and some wedges of silver and gold.
He saw, he coveted, and he took these cursed things and then he hid them in his tent. Achan suffered for his sin.
Believers are in the world, but they are not of it. We who know the Lord must beware how we touch the things at Jericho.
Our glory should be our separation from the world and our crucifixion to the world.
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world".
2. Jericho is the place we begin to make encroachments onto Satan's territory.
Certainly, we may expect to find every possible resistment will be made. Yet we must pass round the walls that withstand our coming and claim victory in Christ's Name.
No one can pass on to overcome the nations in the land until Jericho falls.
Praise God for marvelous examples of men who have passed through Vanity Fair without being subdued by its vanities.
Abraham gave up Haran. Moses gave up Egypt. Paul gave up Jerusalem.
In your life of following fully, have you come to Jericho and conquered there?
Are you ready to press on toward other planes of triumph?
Can you say with C. G. Trumbull:
"I yielded all, my struggles ceased,
Self died, the dear Christ lived instead
Within the soul that He released,
When He came in and self was dead.
"How wondrously He keeps me now,
In whom I live, who lives in me!
The thorn-crown pressed upon His brow
My coronet of victory."
Elisha at Jordan
And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.
1. The Jordan stands, in Christian experience for the death of the self-life.
This is the lesson of the twelve stones in the river bed.
How difficult is the journey to the Jordan. We may gladly give up the world and conquer at Jericho, but self dies hard.
Self spelled backward is almost "flesh." Self is the old man, the "I," the "in me" in which there dwells no good thing.
Self delights to beautify itself; it boasts of its piety, is proud of its humility, and rejoices in its own praise.
Self feasts on commendation, fattens on prominence and feels always its own importance.
Our self-life seeketh its own, it cannot bear criticism; it gets a sore case of the blues when complained against; it is greatly concerned in "what the people will think and say about it."
Our self-life wants its own way, makes its own plans, and pleases its own self. It cannot bear to be disputed.
The believer who wants to go with God must go by way of the Jordan. It is there he learns what it means to say: "I am crucified with Christ", and "Not I, but Christ"; and it is there that he learns the meaning of "if any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me".
2. The Jordan stands, in Christian experience, for resurrection to a new life.
This is seen in that twelve stones were also placed at the river bank, on the Canaan side.
Not only is the old man reckoned dead, crucified, buffeted, denied, made powerless; but the new life is made manifest.
We are "raised * * together with Him". We are lifted up to new ground. We walk in "newness of life".
Blessed hour, when the new life is ours, when we are made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
It is not enough to put off the old; we must put on the new. It is not enough to come out of the tomb; we must be loosed indeed from our grave clothes and made to walk in real resurrection power.
"No more need fear, and no more doubting,
No more need pride control my life:
I may be free from condemnation
I can have victory in the strife.
There is a place, praise God, I've found it,
There is a place where we may be free;
Free from defeat, with power surrounded;
Yes, there is victory, Lord, in Thee.
I take this life of victory,
Not I but Christ, Himself, in me;
He conquers now, He sets me free;
He gives, I take the victory."
— Paul Rader.
Elisha's Blessing
Elisha's Blessing
"And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven.
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
Some gracious lessons are before us.
1. Those who follow all the way, will get the blessing.
For Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he smote the waters, and cried, "Where is the Lord God of Elijah"? Then the waters stood back, and "parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over", and the sons of the prophets who saw the proceedings said: "The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha".
When Abraham held his hand over his only son, Isaac, ready in full obedience to slay him, then God spoke quickly out of the blue and said: "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God". Then God said: "Because * * thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed".
If we want the blessing we must go all the way with God.
2. Those who go not, receive not.
The sons of the prophets, went not with Elijah. When they passed through Jericho, these young theologues said: "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head today?" And Elisha said: "Yea, I know it, hold ye your peace." Then we read "And they two went on." How striking is the word, "they two." Why not they three, or they four, or they fifty. Not so, it is only they two. Thus Elisha alone received the blessing.
How many are living beneath their privileges.
Illustration: Mr. Mac Grudder of South Georgia told me one day of his friend who went by steamer from Savannah to New York. His friend took with him some cheese and dried herring and crackers, thinking thereby to save his pocket book. After a few meals on the cheese and dried herring and crackers, with a ravenous appetite greatly nagged by the smell of good things from the dining-room, the friend of Mac Grudder said to the purser of the ship: "How much would one good, square meal cost me?" "It is already yours, sir," said the purser, "it is all included in the ticket."
Alas, Christ has His blessings for us all, as we read, "All things are yours", but how few there are who are willing to go in and possess their possessions!
"Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord". Elisha followed on, the theologues stayed behind.
"God has His best things for the few
Who dare to stand the test,
God has a second choice for those,
Who will not take His best."