Following Jesus Christ (5)

Examples of those who followed Jesus Christ

Crowds of people

Matthew 4:25 NKJV

Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

See also Mt 8:1; Mt 12:15; Mt 14:13; Mt 19:2; Mk 2:15; Mk 5:24; Lk 7:9; Lk 7:11

Those who were healed

Matthew 20:34 NKJV

So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

See also Mk 10:52

Those who were needy

Matthew 9:27 NKJV

When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The disciples

Matthew 8:23 NKJV

Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.

See also Mk 14:51; Mk 15:41; Jn 18:15

Examples of those who obeyed Jesus Christ’s call to follow him

Peter and Andrew

Matthew 4:18–20 NKJV

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

See also Lk 5:11

James and John

Mark 1:19–20 NKJV

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Matthew

Matthew 9:9 NKJV

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

Philip

John 1:43–45 NKJV

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Examples of those who hesitated when called to follow Jesus Christ

Mt 19:21; Lk 9:59–60

Wrong motives in following Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 1:11–13 NKJV

For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

The cost of following Jesus Christ

Carrying one’s cross

Matthew 16:24–26 NKJV

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

See also Mt 10:37–39; Lk 14:25–33; Jn 12:23–25

Leaving security behind

Matthew 8:19–20 NKJV

Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

See also Lk 9:61–62

Those who failed to persevere in following Jesus Christ

John 6:66 NKJV

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

Those who persevered under suffering in following Jesus Christ

Jn 13:12–17; Jn 21:19; Ac 22:4; Ac 24:14; Ro 15:5; 1 Co 11:1; 1 Th 1:6; 1 Pe 2:20–23; Re 14:4; Re 17:14

The blessings of following Jesus Christ

Mt 19:27–30 The reward is not on the basis of merit but the free gift promised to those who follow Jesus Christ.

See also Jn 8:12; Jn 12:26

The limits on following Jesus Christ

John 13:36 NKJV

Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”