Disciples Follow

Posted by Scott Schampers on February 23, 2013

Disciples follow. I would probably get more clicks on this post had I called it “Disciples Lead” because leadership is vogue these days and followership is old. But a disciple is nothing if not following, after all ‘disciple’ means ‘follower or student’.I heard someone ask a group of people recently how many times they supposed that Jesus commended people toward better leadership. The answer is that Jesus never commended people to become better leaders, but rather to become better followers of Him. Christ isn’t against Christian leadership, but in His kingdom a leader is the first to follow, as Paul said “Follow me as I follow Christ” (1Cor 11:1).

So what does it mean to be a follower – more specifically what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? Here are a couple verses and some thoughts

Mar 1:16-18 ESV – 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

I am struck by the fact that when Simon and Andrew heard the Lord call them they responded immediately. Jesus leads us like a shepherd might lead his sheep and not the way a person walks their dog on a leash. The sheep do their thing – they might walk or lie down or eat, but when the shepherd calls they respond. The sheep know the shepherds voice and they follow (John 10:27). We too have things to do and families to care for but a disciple is attentive to his master’s voice. A disciple recognizes when the Lord is calling Him; he longs to be with Jesus; and he is willing to set aside everything (or get up earlier or stay up later) to spend time with Jesus and follow Him.

Jhn 13:12-15 ESV – 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

Jesus who often taught with words also thought that it was important to set an example for His disciples. He washed the feet of His disciples to show them how to live. It is not enough to know the right stuff, we must live the right stuff. Being a disciple of Christ means that we follow his example. A disciple of the Lord is a student of the Lord and this world is his classroom. Anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus should walk as Jesus walked (1John 2:6). If the disciple is attentive Jesus will lead him to serve and show him how.

Following is at the heart of being a disciple and following Jesus is what it means to be a Christian. A disciple of Jesus follows the Lord. The disciple is attentive to the voice of the Lord and follows the Lord’s example. Stay tuned for my next post when I talk about “Disciples Obey”.

by Scott Schampers

So what does it mean to be a follower – more specifically what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? Here are a couple verses and some thoughts

Mar 1:16-18 ESV – 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Jhn 13:12-15 ESV – 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.