"FOLLOW THOU ME"
“FOLLOW THOU ME”
So said the Lord, the One who so well knew all about Peter, to him. The circumstances attending Peter at this time were of a very solemn nature, not those that occur every day, or to every person, for even he felt them very weighty ones, and by them his heart was impressed. Peter was Peter, and the Lord was the Lord. They loved each other.
Peter’s career had not been faultless by any means, but yet his heart loved the Lord. Certainly, his denial of the Lord was not, and ought not, to be taken as a proof of his love; but though he did deny Him, the blessed One knew Peter’s heart. The Lord knows the heart, and judges from that, the seat and spring of action. Who but Jesus would have anything more to do with such a man as Peter, a man that had so promised and so failed as he had, in a time when the Lord was in the hands of His enemies? Peter promised very fairly, and, I doubt not, meant to do what he promised as many others have done before and since; but Peter’s case was this, he did not know himself; in other words, Peter did not know Peter’s heart, nor what he himself would do when the hour came; but there was One who did, and He told Peter so. But there was more than this that the Lord told Peter, “But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and bring thee where thou dost not desire”. The next verse gives the key to these words as they referred to Peter, and then the Lord said unto him, “Follow me”. We get this repeated afterwards, because Peter required line upon line, and word upon word. Peter thrice denied Him, and the Lord thrice brought this denial before him; and Luke tells us that then “Peter remembered the word of the Lord”. And [p. 457] how well is it to remember the word of the Lord; but how far better is it to remember His word, in the true manner and time intended by the Lord. There is a right time to remember the word of the Lord, and there is a time when remembrance is too late. It is well for those who know the Lord to consider this, and keep an open ear and a willing heart for all the Lord’s words. When Jesus opened up to Peter what should be when he would become old, Peter spoke to the Lord about him that leaned on His breast at supper, “Lord, and what of this man?”. This reference was to John; to which the Lord replied, “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?”. Here the Lord was dealing with Peter about himself; but Peter, as was his wont, was occupied with another point, not in entire communion with the Lord. The same is seen in John 13: 8, when the Lord desired to wash Peter’s feet. The Lord came to Peter to wash his feet, as He did to the other disciples, but Peter objects, and says, “Thou shalt never wash my feet”. And we see how prone Peter was to be out of the current of the Lord’s thoughts. At another time we hear this blessed One telling him, “But I have prayed for thee”. Was this nothing? Had it no voice to Peter? We think otherwise. There was the voice, and there was the word, but where was Peter’s ear?
But to return to our point — that is, the word addressed to Peter. The Lord, in His reply to him, said, “What is that to thee?”. Peter’s question was far beside the mark; the Lord gave him no quarter. He could not pass by this departure from the point at issue, “What is that to thee?” This was not Peter’s business; the Lord would see to that; but the other was the point for Peter. The word to him was, “Follow thou me”. This was far better than settling what another disciple was to do. Active Peter, promising Peter, denying Peter, had to be brought to the point by the Lord’s imperative command — “Follow thou me”. The Lord delighted in prompt obedience then, as now. A short time before [p. 458] this, Peter promised to go anywhere with the Lord, and to bear anything for the Lord, but he did neither the one nor the other; now the Lord commands and demands, and Peter has no choice!
The Lord said, “Follow thou me”, which includes and means more than hearing or promising, or being in the crowd behind Jesus as elsewhere. This word “follow” had its own peculiar solemn responsibility. There was a meaning in those three words, a meaning of deep import. We believe that Peter did follow Jesus another day according to the Lord’s own meaning and intention.
Now, a few words of application as to the words in general. Even though we may not be in the same circumstances as Peter, there are many opportunities of following the Lord, and, I doubt not, many points in which we do not follow Him, but follow our own minds, or the minds of others; both are wrong, and against the Lord. The Lord’s word is, “Follow thou me”; that is certainly not any one else. Why, if we only look at the principle among men, they profess and in a great measure do carry it out. In the present day there is more than ever reason why that word “follow” should be heeded. How attentive the Christian should be in these last days to the word of the Lord! I say the word of the Lord, because that includes more than following. The attentive soul will find that the word includes a great deal, ‘What saith the word’ is, or should be, the point with the child of God. And if I enquire what saith the word, with a heart’s desire to follow it, I shall be relieved from my own poor words, and from yours too, in a great measure.
I have the word for my walk, for my life, for my action before man, for my walk, my life, and my action in the things of the Lord. The Christian is not by any means left to his own choice as to his religious ways. To begin with: if I am a Christian I am not my own, because I belong to the Lord; He bought me,
[p. 459] paying the price with His blood. Therefore being His, we are not our own, for anything. Body and soul, mind, energies and means all belong to Him. He gave all for us, and we are bound to give all to and for Him. He who belongs to another, which is the case with a Christian, is bound by and ought to be subject to the One who purchased him. This, then, leaves the Christian with no power of choice as to himself; but, by reason of his being Another’s property, he is not at liberty to have a will, but with full readiness of heart to carry out his Owner’s will.
The word of the Lord is, “Follow thou me”. And to whom is this applicable and upon whom is it binding, but upon the Lord’s own? Am I, or are you, free to go here or go there, to do this or do that, when we know that such a step is in opposition to the mind of the Lord, the only true and proper authority, or power of action, by the Spirit? If one rightly considers the matter, it speaks for itself. First, it takes the responsibility off my own heart, and calls me to obedience rather than to choice; and the true place is to be looking to the Lord with the constant desire, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”. Such a breathing of heart, such a place of dependence, is truly ready for the Lord’s reply, “Follow thou me”. Secondly, it honours the word and Person of the One who commands me; and if there be true love, love according to God; I shall have delight in honouring Him I love. Even in a family among men, what could one expect where each member of that family does only that which is his own will, or that which pleases him best? Surely the whole family must present nothing but a scene of confusion, which throws such a family open to many other inconsistencies and sins against the head of the family, and thus present an opening for the tempter to come in and make sad havoc, and bring dishonour upon that head. Now, it is precisely so in the family of God, and in the church of God. The church of God is not left to itself [p. 460] to choose and select what seems best, or appears most expedient to its members; by no means, thank God. His own unerring word does the thing far, far better, and stamps any action of the church with its high authority. The word tells me what a christian is, what his walk should be; and if I want more, it tells me what his walk should not be. It tells me where and when to trust God, and not to put confidence in man. It tells me what things God disapproves and what He approves. It tells how and to what I am to gather, not leaving me like a ship without either compass or chart to navigate the ocean by guess, or to sail with the wind or towards the brightest clouds. Blessed be God, He has provided compass and chart for the full and safe guidance of those who are gathered to the name of the Lord, and, in addition to this, the same precious word has pointed out the exact locality of sunken rocks and opposite currents, so that a wrong course must be either the result of ignorance or wilfulness. There is a remedy for the former, but the latter is sure to bring its own reward some day.
Is it of no importance that the Lord should have so abundantly supplied these needed beacons and cautions for the safety and well-being of those who are His? Has the Holy Spirit so furnished us with these important points of information and instruction for no purpose? Certainly not. God well knew that such days as we have should come to pass, and hence the provision which He has made for His church.
I can conceive the words, at the head of these lines, peculiarly needed in these sad times, if we apply them in a general sense and bearing. I do not wish to deprive them of their due and proper weight in the place where the Holy Spirit has put them; but, I ask, may we not take the full benefit of such words in a general way? We have in verse 19; “Follow me”, and in verse 22, “Follow thou me”. Doubtless, “follow me” is a weighty call, and let us listen to and obey it; but in verse 22 the [p. 461] Lord was thinking of Peter. In this verse it is “Follow thou me”, and that gave point to the call. It was more than a general command. It was a command for Peter. It was ‘thou’ — Peter. How well the Lord knew Peter’s heart, “I have prayed for thee”. What blessed care the Lord had over poor Peter, and what sympathy! Look at this word, “I have prayed for thee”. The Lord Himself had taken up Peter’s case, and placed it before His Father, “I have prayed”. Let us ask our own hearts if there are any Peters in these days; any that require prayer. Mark the two points again, “I have prayed for thee”, “Follow thou me”.
To follow the Lord must incur trial and sorrow. Trial and sorrow it may be from those who ought to be our helpers in these things. Imitation in following the Lord is a very poor thing indeed; in fact, that is not following Him at all. It might be going with them that do follow the Lord; it may be from worldly advantage, or from admiration of him whom I follow, or because it suits me to do so, or because I admire intellectually what is preached or taught; but in each and every instance I am, if these be my only motives, far below the mark, and, therefore, it is not following the Lord.
The presence of trial is not always a proof that a child of God is in the wrong place; it rather favours the contrary conclusion, for the Lord promised that in the world tribulation would be sure for the christian, but then there was another thing also sure and that is that in Him there would be peace. This world is not the christian’s place of rest or peace, but the place of conflict, of difficulties, of darts from the enemy’s hand. But the Lord said, “Lo, I am with you alway”. Is not this a gracious and cheering promise? He is with those who belong to Him here, and they will be with Him for ever in glory; but here it is, “Follow me”, and “Follow thou me”. He followed us in love until He had made us His own, now we follow Him because we are His.
[p. 462] And this following of the Lord is not a thing completed in a month or year, or seven years, as a fixed term, but it is the real standing point with the christian; it is a constant following of the Lord in the shower and in the sunshine, in the world and in the church, ‘Follow’ is a wide word, and the Lord’s help is needful for following. It is not a pathway of roses and a cloudless sky, but it is a pathway of real and positive blessing now, and of glory afterwards.
How decided the Lord was with Peter when He asked, “What of this man?”. This man was not the point for Peter’s consideration, the information sought was nothing to him then; the Lord said, “What is that to thee?”. How much this is like our own face in a glass, for certainly it is the character of mind we see at work in these days, seeking to be wise beyond what is written; I say, beyond what is written. There is enough written; let us see to it that we desire to look into that.
Some shrink from knowing and understanding certain portions of God’s Word, and this cannot be right. Are we among the number who fear the consequences of knowing various prominent truths, truths that are sure, if followed, to expose him who follows them? For instance, if a child of God sees in the word what the church is, and what is the true place of the Holy Spirit in the church, and what is not the church, and many other truths of vast importance, well, if I see these points clearly, and find that I am not in my true place, I must act either for the Lord or against Him. What is to be done? The word says this and the word says that, but how can these things be carried out? How will this Scripture agree with that, and how will this verse follow that? And what will be the result if we do this, and not do that? How much this puts one in mind of Peter when he said, “What of this man?”. Such was Peter, and such are men now; but what saith the Lord? That is the point, not what I or you might say.
His word is, “Follow me”, and to questioning Peter at last it was, “Follow thou me”. May our own souls be led onwards by such a word. “Follow thou me” leaves no room for our choice, and truly this is by far the best way. It sets aside all other objects and persons as unworthy of such confidence.
Then, we get a blessed Person to follow. One who is fully worthy of the heart’s full trust and confidence. One who was all to God, and will be all to and for us. The following of Jesus incurs great and constant responsibility, yet no risks, but a blessed and certain victory through Him. He has Himself won all the victories, and these He will share with His own by and by, in the day of manifestation, in that day when it will not be actually following the Lord, but the blessed result of having followed Him. Now, it is following Him, and the consequent trial; then, it will be with Him, and the consequent glory!
What a difference between following a principle, or a religion, or even a person, however great and learned, and following the person of the Son of God, the only One whom we can safely follow! In following Him there is a certainty, and that certainty is God’s certainty; and there is an amazing difference between following a person and the Lord.
Then there are weighty reasons to be urged for not following any one or any thing, when we have had brought before us such a one as the Lord Jesus, and, added to this, the great truth that He gave Himself for us. Is not this One enough for all our wants and contingencies, for all our need as to divine instruction by the Spirit and our place before God? Enough for the walk of a christian, the standing of a christian, in this evil day, this day of almost universal confession and profession!
Now there are different and various estimates in christendom as to what is following the Lord. I need not go to man or to creeds or dogmas or tradition, or [p. 464] to any other quarter for my instructions and direction, but to the one great and always sure and blessed standard, the word of God. There I get all that is needed, whether to deal with my own soul, or with the souls of others. There is the true remedy for all, if my soul will only bow and take what the Lord tells me. What we have to guard against is the spirit of the present day, as the common way now is to cut and shape and pare down the word to suit my peculiar views or opinions — thus seeking to make God’s word speak what I or you may please to think. Surely that looks like a perversion of the truth; and such a spirit so using God’s word will do great damage to the simple soul who may listen to language of this kind.
We have a pure word and a full word — a word really needing no additions of ours. Thousands and tens of thousands have steered by this blessed word, and have entered safely into port. Thousands are happy and safe in steering by it now, thank God! The day is fast coming when it will be seen who have and who have not sought, though feebly, to carry out what the word teaches. And, if following the word be invested with more importance at one time than another, or demands more watchfulness of heart, it is so today; and the only safe and true course is to test everything by that word.
These days very much resemble the last days in Scripture; and we know from the word that many will fall away and will not endure sound doctrine. A vast deal of the preaching of the present day is either intellectual or political, that which pleases the man, that which makes a great deal of man, but little of Jesus.
Just the reverse of this is what the word teaches and lays down as the true state of things. With God the question is, “What think ye of Christ?” And those who belong to Him ought not to have or to seek a different object.
The day of our opportunities for obeying the Lord, and following Him is drawing fast to a close. Signs of [p. 465] this are multiplying and widening very fast indeed; and what the child of God is called to is full and positive attention to the word of the Lord, taking it as a light for his pathway, whether of service or suffering.
What can be more comforting and cheering than the promise of His coming to take to Himself all that are His? — and this will be verily accomplished, according to the counsels of God. Nothing will be omitted or forgotten; nothing that God hath said will be passed by as small and insignificant. No, not one single thing. The very points that we may pass so lightly over are of great value in the mind of God.
Take, for instance, the thought of man as to the condition of man. The word considers man as lost; and the teaching of the present day tells him that, with a little care and attention to the word, and prayer, with a little mercy on God’s part, he will be saved by and by. Well, we, by the teaching of the word, know otherwise. We know, not think, that salvation must come through and by the death of the Son of God. Man cannot surely do one thing towards his salvation; he cannot make himself a single whit better, or advance a single inch nearer to God. The words of everlasting truth tell me that man is lost and far away from God; but the voices and pens of divines tell me that man is getting better and better, that by and by God will have mercy upon him. This is not the Scripture way of viewing the case. Let us give heed to the word. The only true and safe course is a constant and entire dependence upon the word of God. Whatever sayings or doings are abroad, or whatever writings teem from the press, if the object of such be not the exaltation of Christ, and for God’s glory, then, at once, the christian’s way is clear. Give no credence to them. Here comes in our short, but expressive, call of the Lord, “Follow me”. And what can be better and safer than following the Lord? What is there, what can there be, in the wide, wide world, comparable to Him? He is Light,
[p. 466] the Life, the Truth, and the Way. In Him I get all that is needed, all that God gives, richly treasured up, a full and blessed fund for all the exigencies of life. There, there, in Him, the believer may find all! Let us see to it, my fellow-traveller, that we abide in confidence in the Lord.
“Follow thou me”, said the Lord to Peter.