“’Follow Me,’ Jesus said, and Levi got up and followed Him,” Mark 2:14

 What does Jesus mean when He says, “Follow Me?” Every true believer is a disciple and called to follow. Sometimes we put believers into two classes: those who are “saved” but not following Christ, and those who are “saved” and are following Christ. The New Testament knows of no such distinction! There may be times we stumble, but if we really know Jesus as our Savior, we will, like Peter, get up!   Never let yesterday’s failure defeat tomorrow’s step!   When we really have heard God’s call on our life, it will get us through the difficult times.

There was no explanation given to Levi about the details of what it would mean to follow Jesus. There was no road map, no job description, no agenda, no vision, no mission statement and no direction as to where he would be going. Levi was a tax collector with a lucrative job and walked away from a large income. But, Jesus called and Levi went!

Levi left a life of security to embrace insecurity. It was not a call to a philosophy, a religion or a way of life. It was a call to a Person and little did he know where the path would lead!

We met a modern day Levi living in Indonesia who heard God’s call and answered. Johan is a young man who felt God’s call to preach the gospel in a village largely inhabited by militant Muslims. He knew that if they could hear about Jesus and His love, it would change their lives forever.   But, the men in that village had a different idea. They caught Johan and began beating him with sticks. For six hours they tortured him, beating him furiously, then left him for dead. Slowly, Johan became conscious and realized he was still alive! He wasn’t going to die after all! The Lord had more work for him to do! He remembered how Jesus told Peter, “When you were younger, you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go……..then He said to him, ‘Follow Me!” John 21:18-19. This was to signify the death that Peter would glorify God! Johan realized that Jesus Christ was in control of his life and death, and he was no longer afraid. He got up and went right back into that village and preached the gospel to those same men who beat him. There is now a Christian church in that area. Johan says, “I am no longer afraid!”

There is a cost to following Jesus. A disciple is a learner, a follower who responds to the invitation when God calls. It is a response of obedience because it is Jesus, the eternal Son of God who calls and all authority is given to Him! When God calls, He enables us to follow and go His way. We might feel unworthy or ill-suited for the task, but remember to follow Jesus is to live for an audience of ONE! He is worthy! “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will find it,” Matthew 16:24-25.

Your friend, Jean