Jesus Commanded Follow Me

(John 12:20-26 KJV) And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: [21] The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired Him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. [22] Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. [23] And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. [24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. [25] He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [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 honor.

The Great Commission Is About Believers Teaching Christ’s Commandments

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, following His death, burial, and resurrection, He gave His Church a mission. We call it a “Great Commission”. Found in Matthew chapter 28, Jesus told those who believed in Him:

(Matthew 28:19-20 KJV) GO YE {poreuō} therefore, and TEACH ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU …

Word Study: Most English versions of the Bible translate the word poreuō as “Go”, making it sound like a direct command (as in “You will GO”). Technically, though, the word is best translated “As you go”. Jesus was not making “Go” optional, but was speaking to the Christians based on what we are supposed to be. Jesus said:

(John 4:14 LSB) … whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst–ever; but the WATER THAT I WILL GIVE HIM WILL BECOME IN HIM A WELL OF WATER springing up to eternal life.

And again in (John 7:38-39 LSB) HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, as the Scripture said, ‘FROM HIS INNERMOST BEING WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER .'” [39] But THIS HE SPOKE OF THE SPIRIT, whom those who believed in Him were going to receive…

The Christian – born again because we have obeyed the first commandment of Christ and have repented – is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.

When we obey Jesus’ commandments, the Spirit of God empowers us. The Holy Spirit brings the Bible to our remembrance, teaching us about Jesus (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit empowers us to speak the Gospel to others (Mark 13:11). As we follow Him, power for living follows us.

Word Study: That’s what Jesus said. We are to teach others to “OBSERVE {tēreō} ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU”. The Greek tēreō means “to attend to carefully, to observe meticulously”. One of the commands that Jesus gave us is to follow Him.

Once Saved, The Key To Living Is Following Jesus

If we are to teach others the commands of Christ, we are to first learn the commands of Christ. And one of the commandments that Jesus repeated numerous times was “FOLLOW ME”. In today’s text we read:

(John 12:26 KJV) 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 honor.

1. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve FEAR. The Christian should not fear. The Bible says,

Romans 8:15 …(AP) You (who are Christians) did not receive the SPIRIT OF SLAVERY TO FEAR, but you have RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION AS SONS, by Whom we cry, ABBA, FATHER!

Jesus came so that we might be freed from the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15). The Bible tells us that …

2 Timothy 1:7 God gave us a Spirit NOT OF FEAR, BUT OF POWER, AND LOVE, AND SELF CONTROL

2. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SIN, which leads to destruction. The Bible says:

Romans 6:6, 20-22 (AP) (Christians), our old self was CRUCIFIED WITH JESUS IN ORDER THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE BROUGHT TO NOTHING, so that WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ENSLAVED TO SIN … NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE FROM SIN AND HAVE BECOME SERVANTS OF GOD the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life

and again in John 8:34-35 … everyone who practices SIN IS A SERVANT TO SIN … IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED

3. Everyone serves someone or something. This is a fact of life. You can serve Jesus, or you can serve SATAN, which leads to misery. Jesus told the Pharisees “you are of your Father, THE DEVIL, and you will is to DO YOUR FATHER’S DESIRES” (John 8:44). Those who are saved by following Jesus …

2 Timothy 2:26 … COME TO THEIR SENSES AND ESCAPE THE SNARE OF THE DEVIL, after BEING CAPTURED BY HIM TO DO HIS WILL

When you receive Jesus as Lord and Savior and follow Him, it is His desire to use you to free others from enslavement to lesser, evil and debilitating things. Jesus says …

(Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17) “FOLLOW ME, and I will make you fishers of men”

Following Jesus is so very important for your spiritual health. Jesus is to be FIRST, not last. Jesus is to be honored before all other commitments.

The Bible tells us that there was one who followed Jesus who had an aging father that he was watching over. He wanted an exemption to following Jesus, saying:

(Matthew 8:21-22 ESV) Lord, LET ME FIRST GO AND BURY MY FATHER. [22] And Jesus said to him, “FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

“I’ll follow Jesus once daddy is gone”. That’s what he’s telling the Lord. But Jesus made the statement,

“FOLLOW ME, AND LEAVE THE DEAD TO BURY THEIR OWN DEAD.”

Who are “THE DEAD” that Jesus refers to? It is those who have not been saved by Jesus. It is those who have never been born again. It is those who are, as the Bible describes the unsaved person,

Ephesians 2:1 DEAD in trespasses and in sins

Jesus wasn’t saying this man couldn’t bury his father when the time came. I believe the sense of what Jesus was saying is – if I can carefully examine His word:

“Following Me takes precedent over everything else in your life. Those who are spiritually dead follow other things. But those who are spiritually alive, the Children of God by faith in Me, they put following Me first above all”.

Following the Commandments of God is great. Jesus told the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life:

(Matthew 19:17 NKJV) … if you want to enter into life, KEEP (tēreō) THE COMMANDMENTS .

Word Study: There’s that word tēreō again that we saw in the Great Commission. The Lord wanted the young man to carefully observe the Ten Commandments. When the young man said “I have done these things from my youth. What do I lack?”, Jesus told him:

(Matthew 19:21 NKJV) If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and COME, FOLLOW ME.

Following the Ten Commandments is wonderful. But the Commandment to follow Jesus cannot be neglected. Put away all your golden calves and follow Him.

Sons of God follow THE Son of God. Sheep follow their Shepherd. Jesus told the Pharisees:

(John 10:27–28 NKJV) “MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, and I know them, and THEY FOLLOW ME. [28] And I GIVE TO THEM ETERNAL LIFE, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

Jesus Christ is the Great Shepherd, the Author and Finisher of salvation. If you believe in Him, you follow Him. You will not follow perfectly, but you want to be near Jesus. In Him you are promised ETERNAL LIFE. Following Jesus is is what sheep do! The reason that we are saved is that Jesus laid down His life for His sheep. As the Good Shepherd He “LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP” (John 10:11). Jesus’ death was on purpose, for us. He intentionally died on that Cross, bearing our sins on Himself. The Prophet Isaiah foretold of Christ:

(Isaiah 53:4-6 LSB) Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But HE WAS PIERCED THROUGH FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, HE WAS CRUSHED FOR OUR INIQUITIES; The chastening for our peace [fell] upon Him, And BY HIS WOUNDS WE ARE HEALED. [6] All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But YAHWEH HAS CAUSED THE INIQUITY OF US ALL TO FALL ON HIM.

Jesus surrendered His life to us. We only benefit when we surrender our lives to Him.

There Is No Spiritual Blessing Without Surrender

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a CORN (kokkos, a grain, a seed) of wheat fall into the ground and die, IT ABIDETH ALONE: but IF IT DIE, IT BRINGETH FORTH MUCH FRUIT.

When Jesus spoke, His teachings contained deep spiritual meaning. If a “GRAIN OF WHEAT”, a seed from the head of the plant, refuses to “FALL INTO THE GROUND AND DIE”, then it just remains a seed. It will never bear fruit. Jesus uses the verses that come before this statement and after this statement to apply it.

Before this statement some Greeks came to worship at the Feast of the Passover. When these Greeks came to the disciples, the told Philip:

John 12:21 “Sir, WE WOULD SEE JESUS”

Why did these Greeks want to speak to Jesus? Why were they worshiping at the Feast of the Passover? Philip tells Andrew, and both go to Jesus. Our Lord tells them:

(John 12:23 KJV) … The hour is come, that THE SON OF MAN SHOULD BE GLORIFIED.

Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself. He could have maintained His place in the Trinity. He could have rejected the Cross, and held His place in the Heavens. But Jesus, like a seed of corn, encouraged Iscariot to betray Him. He set what would eventually be His crucifixion and death into motion. The Bible says that:

Hebrews 12:2 Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who FOR THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is glorified because He laid His life down for us. He was “DESPISED AND REJECTED, A MAN OF SORROWS, ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus laid His life down for us.

The grain of wheat was cast into the ground.

Nailed to the Cross, His suffering as He hung between earth and sky was recorded by the Psalmist:

(Psalm 22:1-2, 6-8 NKJV) My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? [Why are You so] far from helping Me, [And from] the words of My groaning? [2] O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. … [6] But I [am] a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. [7] All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, [saying], [8] “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!”

Every bit of this is prophetic, as to what happened with our Lord Jesus. He could have avoided the Cross. He could have rejected that horrid death. But Jesus did not. He gave His life for us. He made a way where there was no way, to the glory of God Almighty. Jesus would go to the Cross, not just for Israel, but for the whole world. The Greeks sought out Jesus because God was already opening the door to whosoever will.

Jesus surrendered His life to bring “MANY SONS UNTO GLORY”. He died for you. He died for me. We are told in:

(Hebrews 2:9-11 NKJV) But WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little lower than the angels, FOR THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY and honor, that He, by the grace of God, MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE. [10] For it was fitting for Him, for whom [are] all things and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. [11] For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified [are] all of one, for which reason HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN,

Jesus Christ died for us. He released Himself as a grain of wheat, being planted in the likeness of death for our salvation.

As Jesus Surrendered His Life For Our Good, We Who Are Saved Surrender Our Lives To Him

(John 12:25 KJV) … He that LOVETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT; and he that HATETH HIS LIFE IN THIS WORLD SHALL KEEP IT UNTO LIFE ETERNAL.

Jesus did not love His life, but seemingly hated it so that He might bring us to salvation. But if we would be saved, “we must LOSE OUR LIVES”. Not save them, but lose them. Jesus gave everything for us. To be saved, we give everything to Jesus.

You can love your life the way it is – and one day you will lose your life. The life you have will not get you into the Presence of God. You are born into this world spiritually dead. Only God, through your surrender to the Cross of Christ, can make you spiritually alive.

(John 12:44-46 KJV) Jesus cried and said, HE THAT BELIEVETH ON ME, BELIEVETH NOT ON ME, BUT ON HIM THAT SENT ME. [45] And he that seeth Me seeth Him that sent me. [46] I AM COME A LIGHT INTO THE WORLD, that WHOSOEVER BELIETH ON ME SHOULD NOT ABIDE IN DARKNESS.

The lost soul refuses to surrender themselves to Jesus. They cling to their current lives, and will in the end lose the life that God has meant for them. Eternal life. Glorious life. Life with Jesus both now and into eternity.

We would have never had salvation had Jesus clung to His life, and rejected the Cross. And we cannot have salvation if we cling to our godless lives while rejecting the Cross. If you want eternal life – life with Jesus – you must follow Jesus.

As He surrendered His life for you,
You must surrender your life for Him.
As He was shunned and misunderstood for you,
You must be willing to be shunned and misunderstood for Him.
And He died on that Cross and was raised from the dead,
We die on that Cross, allowing God to raise us to new life.

Are you born again? Is Jesus your Shepherd, your Guide? If not, today is the day to receive Him as Lord and Savior.