A Disciple’s Walk With Christ

The same Jesus who called the early disciples to follow Him is the very same Jesus that calls each one of us. We are each personally called out by Jesus to become His disciples, His “fishers of men.” William Barclay writes, “It is possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple; to be a camp follower without being a soldier of the king; to be a hanger-on in some great work without pulling one’s weight. . . There is a world of difference between attending lectures and being a student. It is one of the supreme handicaps of the Church that in the Church there are so many distant followers of Jesus and so few real disciples.” (Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes, p 162)

2 Timothy 3:1-5:   Paul writes to Timothy that the culture they lived in [like ours], will love the “things” they have more than the things of God.

Allan Thompson writes: “But Timothy is not only to guard the Gospel with his life; he is to let the Gospel become his life.” (2 Timothy, Reflectional Leadership of the New Testament, p410)

V1-4: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”

“After hearing a hard teaching from Jesus, many people no longer “follow” him (John 6:66). Believers must be on their guard because the devil “prowls about” looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). (Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old & New Testament Words, “Walk”, p772)

V 5: “having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” These people may look godly but they do not do what God says; they worship a god of the past, not the present. Paul says “Have nothing to do with them – they have no relationship with the real God.”

Luke 9:23: “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” 

We must ruthlessly push ourselves off the throne of our heart putting Christ in position as Lord of our life, even if it cost us everything, even our lives.

Oswald Chambers writes, “Do you continue to go with Jesus? The way lies through Gethsemane, through the city gate, outside the camp; the way lies alone, and the way lies until there is no trace of a footstep left, only the voice, ‘Follow Me!’ ” (Sept.19, My Utmost for His Highest, p 263)

This is not just the historical Christ but the Living, Resurrected Christ who calls us out to follow Him.

Mark 1:16-18: “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.”  

One day as Christ walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two fishermen, Simon and Andrew, and said to them as He says to each of us as disciples, “Come, follow Me and I will send you out to fish for people.” 

2 Timothy 5:19: “At once” they left their nets, turning their backs on their livelihood and followed Jesus. This is the pattern God uses: choosing us, calling us out from our normal life and waiting for our response. These men chose Jesus and became Christ’s presence in the world.

John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

What strange words: “You did not choose me; I chose you to bear everlasting fruit!” It’s not a choice to be religious but a choice to follow Jesus, as His disciple, walking in His steps, living side by side with Him.

Charles Colson comments, “It is not what we do that matters, but what a sovereign God chose to do through us. God doesn’t want our success; he wants us. He doesn’t demand our achievements; he demands our obedience.” (Albert M. Wells, Jr., Inspiring Quotations Contemporary Classical, p58)

TR Glover writes: “The Lord promised His disciples three things: they would be entirely fearless, absurdly happy, and always in trouble.” (Albert M. Wells, Jr., Inspiring Quotations Contemporary Classical, p58)

Brennan Manning writes: “God’s love becomes flesh and blood in the person of Jesus. In Him it receives hands and feet, a face and a voice. The purpose of the incarnation was to convince us of the faithful love of God.” (NIV Ragamuffin Bible, p1233) 

It becomes our own personal choice; only we can respond to His calling!

Ron Wells, www.centrepoint.cc