Follow Me

Introduction

It has been my desire for some time to get out to you all some study material regarding this matter of Discipleship.

In trying to articulate the thrust of this properly, I do not want to go over our discipleship material, but rather the New Testament pattern given to us of discipleship.

As we look out today, much of what we see in local New Testament churches around us are the results of only partial obedience to God’s command and pattern for you and I concerning the proliferation of the Gospel.

Oftentimes, it is that we stop short of our full responsibility that the Lord gave to us in the ‘Great Commission.’

Some of this abrogation of responsibility is a result of ignorance (not understanding that we are to be fulfilling this part of the Great Commission as well)

Some of this abrogation of responsibility may be because we feel ill-equipped.

While some may be bore out of a lack of dedication to the Lord.

Whatever the case may be, I would like to get into your hands some helpful material, that will teach you the biblical pattern of discipleship.

The end result of this endeavor would be that you and I fulfill God’s design for our lives in discipling others.

Open your Bibles to the theme verse for this series in Matthew chapter 4:19

And I would like to us to notice two words in this one verse.

Let’s read it together.

Let’s Pray.

The two words I want us to notice are

I. Follow Me

A. Defining Discipleship

If I were to summarize discipleship it would be: following the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord is our great example.

Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

The word preeminence is a large word that means - Superiority, Surpassing all others, First

It is interesting that the word ‘preeminence’ is only used two times in the New Testament. Once in Colossians 1:18 to speak about the Lord Jesus Christ and the second occasion, has to do Diotrephes (III John 1:9) who desired always to be up front in the limelight. And so it is with you and I. The greatest struggle in life has to do with our selfishness. Our preeminence versus His preeminence.

In our text, Jesus gave this command to Peter and Andrew. The implication, though is found in two little words found as translated in our text - ‘Follow Me’.

The first word ‘follow’ is translated from two greek words. The first greek word is “δεῦτε” (thef-te) and is found in what is called the ‘imperative’ mood. 1. That simply means that the Lord was not suggesting to them to follow Him. He was giving a direction for Andrew and Peter to ‘follow Him.’

I want you to realize that this imperative statement was one that the Lord used often. (9 Verses)

Matthew 8:22 “But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.”

Matthew 9:9 “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.”

Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Matthew 19:21 “Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.”

John 1:43 “The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.”

John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”

John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”

John 21:19 “This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”

John 21:22 “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”

Now what is interesting is, they had a choice to make. What were the two choices they could make? They could follow or not follow the Lord.

The word “δεῦτε” (thef-ta) means explicitly ‘come!’

So we can get the idea that these two were being called on a journey.

Discipleship is a journey. It is moving in a particular direction.

The second word that is used there is ὄπίσω “opisō” (o-pee-soo) . In our english translation these two Greek words are simply translated as ‘Follow.’

ὄπίσω “opisō” (o-pee-soo) means ‘after, or behind, or back’. So we have the command ‘come’- coupled with ‘behind’. It is from these two words that we begin to understand exactly what discipleship is.

When the Lord called Peter and Andrew to ‘Follow Me,’ He was calling them to walk in His footsteps. He was not calling them to embark on their own unique path, or their own new way. He was calling them to walk after His pattern.

Let’s look over at Matthew 28:18-20 for a moment.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Let us pay particular attention to three parts shown in this verse:

Go and Teach (make disciples ‘μαθητεύω mathēteuō’) - The Gospel

Baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost - The Identification

Teaching them - The Discipleship

For you and I today, we are teaching (assuming the role of a teacher) people to observe or follow the Lord’s commands and life. (They are to be disciples or μαθητής - mathētēs- means learners, an adherent to another’s doctrine)

We do not necessarily compel people to follow us, but rather as Paul said “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” I Corinthians 11:1

I am not instructing people on how to follow me, I am helping individuals discover how to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

B. The Call of Discipleship

We understand now that the definition of essence of discipleship is following Him.

In addition, we need to understand that there is a call to discipleship.

Again, in our text, envision in your mind what is taking place here.

Here we have two individuals, Peter and John. They were practicing the family business. The Bible says, they were (v18) “casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.”

Up until this time, life was predictable. They would get up, they would fish. They would sell the fish and support their family. Some days were good, some days were bad. Sometimes they would catch much, sometime they would catch little. But they knew what to expect.

They were comfortable with what they had always known. They had settled into this being “life.”

The all of the sudden a man came on the scene unlike any man they had met before. He taught and spake as no other man had spoken. He indicated that He was the Messiah...

And here they are fishing, going about life. And out rings the words from this man to these two “nobodies...” “Follow Me.”

This is the call of discipleship. It involves two categories of folks. The disciple and the teacher. (In our text, the Master Teacher)