BEN F. VICK, JR.
Jesus had just announced to his apostles: “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” Matthew’s account mentions Peter’s having taken the Lord aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee” (Matt. 16:22). But Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matt. 16:23). Then Jesus said, “…to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This verse, though terse, requires of us a lifetime of practice.
Jesus said, “If any man [or anyone] will come after me.” The “If” affirms the reality of the condition. “Man” is in italics which means it was inserted by the translators. The word “any” is an indefinite pronoun and can mean male or female. “Will come” assumes that one has the ability to follow after Jesus. Unlike the Calvinist who teaches that one is so dead that he cannot even come to Jesus. When one sins, he is separated from God (Isa. 59:1-2); however, that does not mean he is so dead that he cannot return to the Lord. The father said of his prodigal son who had returned that he “was dead, and is alive again.” The younger son realized his state in the pig pen, came to himself and returned.
Jesus gives three conditions which must be met to follow him. The first is to deny oneself. This may well be the most difficult. Why is it that some will never obey the gospel? Why is it that those who have left the church are very difficult to restore? Many times, it is because they do not want to deny themselves. A young man sat in my office years ago and told me he was leaving his wife. He had a girlfriend. I begged him not to leave his wife. His response was: I am tired of pleasing everyone else; I’m going please myself. The root of the problem of sin is selfishness. James wrote, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:13-15). Fifty years ago, I sat in a man’s living room and we talked about whether instrumental music was authorized in worship. I pointed out there is no authority for it. His response was to throw a songbook at me. Selfishness, and sin begin with the same serpentine “s.”
The second condition is one must “take up his cross daily.” Each has his cross to bear. This action is not a once-a-week thing, only on the Lord’s day. But it is daily. Christianity is a daily religion. The priests in the Old Testament were required to offer daily sacrifices and offerings (Num. 28:24; 29:6). The Psalmist wrote, “So I will sing praise unto thy name for ever, That I may daily perform my vows” (Psa. 61:8). Praise was to be given to the Lord daily (Psa. 72:15). Prayer was daily (Psa. 86:3; 88:9). Jesus taught his disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matt.6: 11; Luke 11:3). The early church continued daily with one accord (Acts 2:46). The Holy Spirit revealed that the apostles were teaching and preaching daily in the temple and in every house (Acts 5:42). Benevolence was practiced daily, yet the Grecian widows were being neglected. This was corrected by appointing seven men to serve tables (Acts 6:1-6). The number of the disciples multiplied (Acts 2:47; 16:5). The Bereans searched the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). The care of all the churches was upon the heart of Paul daily (2 Cor. 11: 28). The Lord taught that we are to exhort one another daily (Heb. 3:13).
The third condition is to follow Jesus. Interesting that the first two conditions are aorist verbs which indicate punctiliar action, one time action, but the third condition is present tense, continuous action. So, we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross and continue to follow Jesus.
We are to follow Christ in soul winning (Luke 19:10; Matt. 4:19; 9:9). We are to follow Christ in how we respond to persecution (1 Peter 2:19-25). We are to follow Christ in the way he obeyed his heavenly Father (John 8:29; Heb. 5:8-9). We must follow Christ in how he died. By that I do not mean we must be literally crucified. He died: (1) Thinking of others, including his mother. (Luke 23:34,43; John 19:25-27); (2) Quoting the Scriptures (Psa. 22:1; Matt. 27:46); (3) Jesus died having done the Father’s will, fulfilling Old Testament scripture (John 19:30); (4) He died in confidential trust (Luke 23:46; Psa. 16:8-11; 23: 4).
“Follow” can be found in different realms. A soldier follows his Captain or Leader on long marches, into heated battles, in difficult campaigns on foreign fields. The Christian, being a soldier of Christ, is to follow the Captain of our Salvation, Jesus Christ. We are to put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18). We are to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We are not to become entangled in the affairs of this life (2 Tim. 2:3-4).
A slave was to accompany his master at all times. He was at his master’s beck and call. He was to serve at the master’s pleasure, not his own. His will was to be lost in his master’s will. Likewise, we as servants of our Lord and Master are to forget ourselves, our comforts, our desires and serve Jesus Christ. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom 6:16-18).
“Follow” often is used to accept a wise counselor’s judgment or advice. When a man is in doubt about a matter, he seeks a wise man, skilled and knowledgeable. The Christan’s Counselor is Jesus Christ. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).
When it comes to the laws of the land, whether municipal, state, or federal, a good citizen will follow or abide by the laws given. The Christian is to abide by the law of the kingdom, the New Testament which governs us. Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil 3: 20). When we are born again, we enter into the kingdom (John 3:1-8).
Let each of us follow the Lord this week. Attend all the services of our meeting; invite others; pray for the meeting.