"FOLLOW THOU ME"
“FOLLOW THOU ME”
John 21: 20 - 25; Matthew 8:10-11; Matthew 8:18-27
It is on my heart to say a word as to the great importance of following the Lord, what the advantages are that it affords us, and how it gives pleasure to God.
I select John first because he is presented as the follower of Christ. He begins his narrative by presenting followers of Christ and he ends it with a follower — a permanent follower of Christ. I would emphasise that word permanent. Many begin well, but do not continue: “Many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him”. John 6:66. John was a permanent follower. Peter turned round, and saw John following. Now my desire is that we might be moved to be followers, and that we may not turn back.
John, amongst other things, says a great deal about light; doubtless he alludes to the sun as the source of light and as that which, in the physical system, sets all in motion, He speaks of Christ as the true light. He explains that the true light is that which, coming into the world, lightens every man. It is impartial. True light regards every man without reference to caste or colour. It is not national or local, but universal. He introduces John the baptist and quotes him as saying he was simply a voice. Further, he says, he was not the light. John’s mission was to Israel, and he was a burning and a shining light, but that was local. The Lord says, “Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light”. John 5:35. John says, “The true light was that which, coming into the world, lightens every man”. John 1:9. It was thus impartial in a world of darkness. It was God revealed in a Man. The true Light rebukes nationalism and [p. 214] local feeling; it elevates the soul to what is universal. So, if mankind is in view, the heart is affected as regards man; if saints, it is as regards all saints. The apostle speaks to the Ephesians of their “love unto all saints”. Ephesians 1:15. Such is the effect of the true light. Let us see that it affects us.
John the baptist sees Jesus walking. It was an affecting sight for a man who had such an eye as John had. He had eyes that could take account of what was spiritually beautiful. What kind of eyes have we? Are we appreciative of what is morally beautiful? John looked on Jesus as He walked. What a walk! There was wonderful and peculiar grace in it; all His walk had reference to the Father those steps, each had reference to Him. “Behold the Lamb of God”, John says, John 1:36. He was of God. It is a great thing to get a right thought as to what is of God in setting out. Two of his disciples heard John speak, and followed Jesus. That is how John’s gospel begins: two followers of Christ. Then the apostle unfolds scene after scene, each resulting in what is pleasurable to God, brought about by Christ. It is His touch which brings about in each individual in question what was pleasing to God.
In John 4, we read of a woman, and if ever there was an individual who afforded in her life less pleasure to God than any other, it was that woman at Sychar’s well, but she came under Christ’s touch. If you come under His touch the next move indicates whether you have benefited by it. She heard Him speak, and He said wonderful things to her. He said, “Call thy husband”. John 4:16. To have a husband is to have a head; alas she had none. What a terrible disclosure! He says, “Thou hast had five husbands”. John 4:18. Can you conceive of a life more out of order before God? “And he whom thou now hast is not thy husband”. John 4:18. That is worse. She was headless, she was corrupt, she was destitute, but she came under the touch of [p. 215] Christ; we may say she found a head. When touched we begin to perceive. She at once says, “I perceive that thou art a prophet”. John 4: 19. It is a great moment when we begin to perceive. She now immediately begins to talk about the fathers; she could not say much about herself; they “worshipped in this mountain”, John 4: 20, she said, but He turns her from that. He would keep her to the true light, for worship of the Father was not to be governed by geography. It was to be in spirit and in truth. She said, that “when he [Christ] is come, he will tell us all things”. John 4:25. He said, “I that speak unto thee am he”. John 4:26.
It is a memorable moment in the history of your soul when the Lord discloses Himself to you. The work was done in this woman; she left her waterpot. There is much meaning in that; her course is altered. The texture of her being was altered. She left her waterpot and the water in Jacob’s well. She was rendered independent of both, and goes back to the city and speaks to the men in the city; she takes account of men. She said to them, “Come, see a man” John 4: 29. She found One who told her all things that she had ever done. Was He not the Christ? She desired all the Samaritans to know that Man. What a scene for God’s pleasure! The Lord brought it about. She, touched by Him, moves in accord with Him and her service pleases God.
In John 9 a man comes under His touch in another way. He is of age, true to the light in every circumstance; the Lord reveals Himself to him and inquires whether he believes on the Son of God. He would do this to each of us. The man replies, “Who is he, Lord?” John 9:36. The Lord says, “Thou hast ... seen him”. John 9:37. Much may have elapsed since in his need he had seen Him, but he was now coming directly into touch with the Lord he worshipped. That is a man for God. The Son brought about a state for God’s pleasure, a man worshipping, prostrated [p. 216] before the Lord, acknowledging His dignity and glory.
Passing on now to John 11, Lazarus is raised from the dead. Bethany represents a scene of sympathy for Christ, but He had not all the place there. Lazarus was four days in the tomb and came forth bound with grave clothes upon him. The Lord, in His dignity, calls out into the open, a man, a loved one: “Come forth”, John 11:43, not “Arise”. Lazarus is called forth by the Son of God. He comes forth bound with grave clothes. These are unsuited now though suited for the grave. He stands out as a testimony to the power of the Son of God. It was the glory of the Son of God to bring him forth and cause him to stand out. Then Jesus says, “Loose him, and let him go”. John 11:44. In the going of such a man God has pleasure. The coming forth is testimony to the power of the Son of God, and the going forth is testimony to the power of life in Lazarus. The Son of God brings about the power of life in the soul.
You get an example of the energy of life in 2 Kings 13: 20, 21. The dead man was let down into the sepulchre of Elisha in haste, because a band of the Moabites invaded the land. The Moabites are a very proud people. It was good for the man that he was let down, for he touched Elisha’s bones and came up in the energy of life, and you hear no more of the bands of the Moabites. Lazarus raised from the dead is found in Bethany, and the Lord comes there because Lazarus is there; He came “where Lazarus was” John 12:1. This is another scene presented by the Spirit which was for God’s pleasure. Lazarus was one of those that sat at the table with Jesus. Lazarus represents those who are in association with Christ, and Mary becomes a contributor. She had learned from Christ. Mary says little, but thinks much she observed all. She sat at His feet and sat in the house, but was learning, and she now has some [p. 217] precious ointment; she becomes a contributor to a scene already pleasing to God. The house was filled with the odour of the ointment; all is the result of Christ’s service.
Mary Magdalene is another case. John loves these scenes. She had seen the Lord in the garden; she suspected Him of being the gardener; a very natural mistake, but He had ceased to be that. He was now ascending, and so says, “Touch me not ... I ascend”. John 20:17. What light! The suggestion is very full. “I ascend to my Father, and your Father”. John 20:17. That is a new word The connections are new. “Touch me not ... but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God”. John 20:17. She goes directly, we may say, under the influence of Christ as the ascending Man. What delight the Father had in her steps. She went, and what light she had! She carried greater light than Peter, James or John, and told it to the disciples. It involved pleasure to the Father. “I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it”. John 17:26. The scene is amplified by the entrance of the Lord in John 20. He comes in from heaven, as it were. He comes into the midst in dignity and glory.
The last chapter is a kind of appendix, beginning with Peter and Thomas and the others going fishing. Peter and Thomas are the leaders and the others are led astray. Is it not often true? Party feeling arising, saints are led astray. Afterwards Peter, who had headed the movement, looks around and sees a follower. It was John. Paul maintained things for God whilst here; John accepts the breakdown, but maintains the principle of following; that must ever abide; it must never be surrendered. The Lord defends him “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me”. John 21:22. Become a follower. John is a follower; are you one?
[p. 218] Matthew shows that the followers get the light. The Lord speaking to the followers in Matthew 8:10, said, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”. The followers get the light, others may get it through them, but it is happier to get it first hand. The Lord did not stop there; He says: “Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down ... in the kingdom of heaven”. Matthew 8:11. Do not be national. East goes far beyond the North Sea, and west goes far beyond the Atlantic. “Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob” — with those most honoured. The true light leads us to embrace every saint, because they “are Christ’s”.
In verse 18 the Lord gave commandment to depart to the other side. The way is straight, but involves change of position, especially if there is a “multitude”. We must not be affected by numbers. Often they are a great hindrance. There is no order with the multitude, they are not under headship, a crowd never is. The Lord would take you out of that. He compassionates the multitude, as we get elsewhere, but a multitude is not according to His idea. If He feeds them, He sets them by fifties; that changes their character, but it did not apply here. He commands to depart to the other side; it is different from this. Be prepared, or you will miss your way with the multitude, who are without order or benefit from Christ as Head. A command is imperative; it implies that there is urgent need for what is ordered to be done, and so He commands to depart to the other side. It is essential to spiritual welfare. Look at your circumstances, are they ordered by Christ? If not, go to the other side.
One coming to Him says, “Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest”. Matthew 8:19. Do not say that; you will break down. But as He entered into the ship His disciples follow Him. He did not command [p. 219] them to do so here. His disciples are signally honoured. There is a voice in it. A true learner has not to be ordered; his eye is on the Leader, and he follows Him. A wonderful exhibition of His power follows to command their minds and hearts. They marvelled. There is little marvelling at Christ among us, but much to be marvelled at. “The men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this?” Matthew 8:27. Antichrist is coming it is well to be prepared. This is the Christ. The winds and the sea obey Him. He has supreme control over all that Satan can act on against us. The inquiry here is as to what manner of Man this is. He is supreme. What manner of Man is He? By apprehending and following this Man we shall be preserved from the manner of man yet to come. We shall not be deceived if we learn from Christ and follow Him.