FOLLOW ME

John 12:26

Morning Meditation 3/8/16

This text says: “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.”

The words “If any man serve me” is a third class condition. It is “if” with the present subjunctive which means “maybe he will maybe he won’t.” It is left to a decision. To follow Jesus, it is not a compulsory draft. Jesus calls for volunteers. The words “any man” means it covers all who hear and respond to his “follow me.” There are no special rules for some.

The word “serve” (diakoneo) means “to be a servant, to be an attendant.” The word is used to describe “domestic service.” It is the kind of service where you “wait upon” people like a waitress. This same word is used to describe the office of a deacon. They were ordained to wait upon the tables of widows (Acts 6:1-3). Deacons, for the most part, are a trouble to a pastor and not a help. They do not serve. They are important men whose will is felt and imposed on churches. If you were to ask them to serve in some menial way, they would be insulted. As I said, it is not true of all. I have known some godly servants who occupied the office of a deacon. It is a shame that they have to share the reproach that the others have brought on that office. Jesus said, “If any man serve me.” The personal pronoun “me” is not just a verb ending. It is the translation of “emoi.” This call is to serve “me.” I need to ask myself, “Who am I serving?” Jesus teaches that when we visit his children in prison, we are visiting him. This is not a call to be the owner of the restaurant, it is a call to be the waitress or waiter.

The words “and where I am” emphasize our service to him. The Greek word eimi standing alone can be translated “I am.” That is just the way the Greek language is. But when “I am” is the translation of eimi, the emphasis is not on the “I.” When “I” is emphasized, the word for “I” is also placed in the text. That word is ego. So here we have ego eimi. The “I” is emphasized. We are serving him. And if we are serving him we will be where he is. Someone may say, “Jesus is not in this place.” If that is true, this servant will not be there. Because this servant is where Jesus is. If we are going to be a waiter or waitress for Jesus, we must be serving in the restaurant he owns. I’ll just leave that right there!!!!

To follow the Lord is to become a servant to him. It is to willingly submit to his knowledge and to give up our right to think independently. This concept is antagonistic to the natural man and the world around us. They classify this idea as cultic.

A person either follows the Lord Jesus or he follows the god of this world. Satan is called the “god of this world” (2Cor 4:3). He is called the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). To follow “the god of this world” and to “walk according to the course of this world” is to act independently of Christ. The result is self exaltation. Man becomes as God (Gen 3:5). He is the master of his own life. The information on which he operates is the “wisdom of this world” (1Cor 1:20). This wisdom is in conflict with God’s wisdom. It is a wisdom that is mesmerizing. It is fascinating but blinding. It completely blocks out the wisdom of God. A person who is operating on the satanic system of this world can actually convince himself that he is the product of evolution. An intelligent man has to be stone blind to accept such an intellectually dishonest idea.

A servant of the Lord gives up his right to think independently of Christ. When we differ in our thinking, we drop the difference. We renounce our ideas not his. This begins with repentance. Repentance is saying “God you are right and I am wrong. God, your analysis of me and your charge against me is right. I am the sinner you say I am and I deserve the punishment that you say I deserve.” You say, “God I need mercy. I have nothing to offer you but a sinful life. So I must ask for mercy.” God is always merciful to the man who prays like that.

Then as we develop as believers, we are to continually keep ourselves under the authority of the Throne. Someone has said that repentance is a return to the authority of the throne. That is certainly true.

Lets illustrate. Here is a man who starts the process of divorce. He says the Lord is leading him. He has no Scriptural grounds for this divorce but he says God is leading him. How can that man be so blind as to think God is leading him? He is not a servant of Jesus. He is not a servant to the Lordship of Christ. He is acting independently of Christ. He is sincere but not in submission to the knowledge of God. He is mesmerized by Satan. He cannot be right but believes he is. What can you do for that person. He claims to be a Christain but he is acting independently of your Boss (Lord). Prayer is a starter. But until he recognizes his sin of acting independently of God, repents and submits anew to the knowledge of God, there is not much you can do. He will continue in self deception.

Jesus said, “If any man serve me, let him follow me...” I cannot serve Jesus and act independently. It is not possible. I am not talking about salvation. I am talking about serving him.

Lets take another man. He goes into a religious movement and believes he is being led of God. He goes into this movement because he feels good there. He may speak in tongues. Or, he may feel acceptance there. He may be thrilled with the music. There is a feeling of ecstacy for him in the meetings. But the experiences he is having are clearly contrary to the Scriptures. If you tell him that he is not having these experiences he will think you are the one who is crazy. If you suggest that the Spirit of God does not give experiences contrary to the Word, he will simply insist that his experiences are according to the Word. What is wrong with this person? He has chosen to act independently of the knowledge of God. His experiences are real. But they are not from the Lord. He is mesmerized by Satan and the flesh. Satan has great power to deceive. The flesh is so corrupt that it is easily deceived.. This man is not a servant of Christ. He is looking for a thrill. He is not looking for orders to follow. He wants to run the restaurant not be a waitress or waiter.

Jesus says, “Follow me.” To follow him there must be a willingness to be a waitress or waiter. We do not own or run the restaurant. We must be willing to be servants. I need to ask myself the question. “Who is running my life? Jesus or self?” “Am I serving him or seeking to be served?” Jesus says, “Follow me.”

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Earl White