Whatever You Do, Don’t Follow Me
Whatever You Do, Don’t Follow Me
Did you know that before Andrew was a disciple (or follower) of Jesus, he was a disciple of John the Baptist?
Andrew was only following John because he believed that John would lead him to the long-awaited Messiah. The moment John announced that Jesus was that long-awaited Messiah, Andrew stopped following John and started following Jesus (John 1:35-37).
I think that’s profound! Especially since that wasn’t true of most of John’s other disciples. Most of them were content to just keep following John, even after the Messiah had been revealed.
Many of us came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ because of someone else who led us to Him, whether directly or indirectly.
Others, though we may not have been led to Jesus by one person in particular, have been encouraged and significantly influenced in our faith by certain individuals who have faithfully pointed us toward (or back to) God.
Because of this, our natural instinct might be to follow these people. They might even encourage us to follow them — to come into a “discipleship relationship” with them.
I’ve done this. I’ve both been a follower and the person someone else followed.
At first glance, it seems like a good idea. It might even sound Biblical. After all, just before Jesus ascended back into heaven, one of the last things He told His closest followers to do was to “make disciples” (Matthew 28:19-20).
But it wasn’t until more recently, while studying the life of Andrew in the Gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John) that I realized, it matters more of whom we’re making or becoming disciples than whether or not we’re making or becoming disciples.
A Healthy Cycle of Discipleship
I think Andrew does a wonderful job of demonstrating for us what it should look like to be a disciple who makes disciples. Let’s look at his story together.
The first chapter of the Gospel of John informs us that Andrew was following John the Baptist. Remember, this was because Andrew had heard John declaring the good news that the long-awaited Messiah was soon to appear. This Messiah was supposed to be the one who would bridge the gap between mankind and God. So, Andrew was following John because he was seeking God for himself; and John played an integral role in Andrew’s spiritual journey, because John helped Andrew find Jesus (John 1:19-36).
This next part is essential, though, and if we miss it, it messes everything else up!
Once Andrew found Jesus, he stopped following John and started following Jesus instead (John 1:35-37). And John let him.
Then, something really cool happened. Andrew went to get his brother, Simon, and told him, “Come with me! I’ve found the Messiah!” (John 1:40-42).
Andrew led Simon to Jesus. When Jesus met Simon, He gave him a new name (Peter), and you probably know the rest of the story.
One of the most interesting things about the rest of the story, though, is how quietly Andrew faded to the background. If it hadn’t been for Andrew, we would never have had Peter, who was arguably the most influential of Jesus’ disciples. But after Andrew led Peter to Jesus, if Andrew continued leading Peter in any way, it was simply by example as he followed Jesus himself — not in front of Peter, but alongside him.
This is true Christian discipleship.
Each of our discipleship journeys begins with seeking a way to bridge the gap between us and God; and sometimes, God uses other people to help lead us to Him.
Once we realize that Jesus is the way (John 14:6), bridging the gap between us and God, the only reasonable response is to follow Him.
But while other people can help lead us to Jesus, Jesus speaks for Himself, and His Spirit leads each of His followers individually.
The mentorship or teaching of other Christians can be such a good and helpful thing in all phases of our walk with Jesus, so long as it’s continually pointing us to Jesus and prodding us to listen to and follow Him. Sometimes, however, Christian mentors and teachers can take on the role of the leader in discipleship relationships, hearing from God on behalf of others and giving them marching orders.
But the very best disciple-makers are the ones who — like John the Baptist in the life of Andrew, and like Andrew in the life of Simon Peter — will step aside and let Jesus lead the ones they’ve led to Him.
Whatever you do, don’t follow me
I didn’t start this blog to lead you, or anyone else for that matter. I don’t think I’m qualified. I’m no model Christian.
In one of his letters to Timothy, the Apostle Paul confessed that he was the worst of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15-16), but I would argue that I’ve probably out-sinned Paul.
Though I strive to be truthful, and I hate the idea of being a liar, the real truth is that I sometimes lie. If to no one else, I lie to myself. (I’m particularly good at this, when it comes to convincing myself that I am honest.)
Sometimes, I’ll say I’m going to do something; but despite my best intentions, I don’t always follow through.
I struggle — heavily — with enjoying good things in moderation, and my lack of self-discipline turns good things into bad.
I’m easily angered, and when I’m angry, I sometimes say or do things I shouldn’t say or do. When I get angry, I can be downright mean.
I can be arrogant and stubborn, and combining the two, I can become so unreasonable at times.
To top it all off, I’m really bad at loving people. And if there’s one thing that Christians are supposed to be good at, isn’t it loving others well?
If you’re one of those Christians who only sins once in a blue moon, then you’re probably better off leading me — not the other way around.
My sin nature and I are, unfortunately, still intimately acquainted; but I’m also becoming intimately acquainted with the only One who can give me the strength to choose what is loving and what is better over what feels right (in the moment) or comes naturally to me.
I don’t have all the answers, or even most of the answers. I’ve actually gotten quite comfortable these past few years answering people’s faith-related questions with a simple, “I don’t know,” because I don’t need to know the answers. I just need to know the One who does.
And here’s an embarrassing confession from someone who loves to study and teach from the Bible: I’ve never made it all the way through the Bible, Genesis to Revelation! (I’m working on it, but I’m not there yet.)
Don’t follow me, but come with me
I started this blog because I believe, and can testify from my own personal experiences, that the love, mercy, and grace of God are for the unworthy — not the worthy. They extend to the moral failures and the spiritually bankrupt.
In God’s great love and mercy for wretches like me, He doesn’t turn us into perfect saints, but rather, He turns us into wretched saints, perfectly loved and held by Him.
If you’re looking for a role model, I’m not your person! But I know the one person worth following, and that is exactly why I don’t want you to follow me — I want you to come with me, so that, together, we can follow Him.
Jesus didn't tell His followers to go and make disciples of themselves; Jesus told his followers to go and make disciples of Him.
The most I have to offer you is, “Learn from my ever-increasing list of mistakes.”
The least Jesus has to offer us is, “Learn from My perfect successes.”
I’m not trying to make mini versions of my Christian self as I journey along with Jesus. I’m just trying to faithfully follow Him, with an arm forever outstretched with pointed finger aimed, for anyone coming behind or walking alongside me, toward the Perfect One — the only One worthy of being followed.
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