The Vision (7.3.26): Follow Me

 

Image: Caravaggio, The Calling of Saint Matthew (close-up), c. 1599.

Note: Devotional article based on last Sunday's sermon on Mark 2:13-17.

“And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him” (Mark 2:14).

The early ministry of Christ on earth involved the calling of his disciples. In Mark 1:16-20 we have the call of two sets of fisherman brothers: Simon and Andrew, James and John. In Mark 2:14 there is the call of Levi (also known as Matthew), the publican (tax collector). The description is minimal. No doubt Christ knew this latter man and had spoken previously with him. The Evangelist Mark describes the moment in which action was demanded, a command given, a response required. A call goes forth. This is the effectual call to faith and the call to apostleship.

To Simon and Andrew Christ said, “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men” (1:17).

To Levi he said, “Follow me” (2:14). This is the call to discipleship, to enroll in the school of the Lord Jesus Christ, to become his apprentice, to learn from him.

Paul said to the Corinthians, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).

Peter called upon men to follow in Christ’s steps (1 Peter 2:21).

Christ himself said in Luke 9:23, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

To follow Christ means you can’t follow the crowd. You can’t follow anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ. Our God is a jealous God. And Christ is a jealous Christ. Christ himself said, “No man can serve two masters” (Matt 6:24).

If you follow Christ, you have to deny yourself. You have to leave some things behind.

I spent a summer after college leading young men on weeklong backpacking trips in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. The night before we left for the trip, we had the boys lay out the things they wanted to take, and then we usually had to cut that into at least half. We had to get the weight lower to avoid blisters, fatigue, and dragging behind.

As Christians, we have a race to run, and we cannot get bogged down with needless burdens that will hold us back from following Christ. We must certainly never turn back. Christ said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

The response of Levi is also simply and minimally recorded: “And he arose and followed him.” Christ is honored when our obedience to his call is similarly prompt and sincere.

Let us deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle