Matthew’s last words record Jesus before he ascended to heaven,
“Go therefore and make followers of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Between Matthew 4 and Matthew 28, Jesus transformed twelve followers into a new kind of fishermen. In the Book of Acts—or Acts of the Jesus Followers—you see these men going into all the world telling the world about Jesus. Why? Because Jesus was the answer to the world’s problems. Jesus and his followers would turn the world upside down.
Maybe God will never call you to be a pastor or a missionary. Maybe you will never be called to go to the desert of Chad or the jungles of Brazil. You have your own jungle. As a church God has placed you strategically in a dark, broken, and hurting community.
As Daniel 12:3 says,
“Men and women who have lived wisely and well will shine brilliantly, like the cloudless, star-strewn night skies. And those who put others on the right path to life will glow like stars forever.”
If you are a follower of Jesus, then you are those stars shining brightly for others to see the Light of the World. It was a title he also passed onto his followers. The mark of a committed follower of Jesus is if he is making more followers of Jesus. Followers make followers.
Are you a curious, convinced, or committed follower of Jesus?
Curious: Will you accept Jesus call to follow him today? Spend time with Jesus. Read Matthew. Put yourself in the shoes of a follower.
Convinced: Do you resemble your Rabbi? What nets do you need to leave to cling to Jesus? Are you ready to spend the rest of your life following Jesus?
Committed: Who is following you to Jesus? Make more followers.
