Follow Me!
Twenty times in the gospel accounts Jesus speaks these words: “Follow Me!” It has various implications. It can mean “Imitate Me” and it can also me literally “Walk behind Me and live the way I live.” It can also be a way of saying “Go where I go” and “Do the things I do.” It means all of those things.
What is interesting is that this was the very first command Jesus ever gave to Peter. Back in Mark 1:15, 16 it says, “As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon [Peter] and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
And here we are at the end of the gospel record and Jesus makes the same statement to Peter three years later. At the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry He called Peter to follow Him. And now, at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry we see Him off the same challenge to Peter — “Follow Me!”
These commands are bookends. They both open and close the earthly relationship Jesus had with Peter. And I believe John is sending us a message. I think that John is telling us, “Following Jesus is to be the norm for the Christian. From beginning to end, from start to finish, from the moment you give your life to Jesus to your dying breath.”
We are to live our lives following Jesus. Following in His steps. Living like Jesus lived. Doing what Jesus did. Speaking at Jesus spoke. Going where Jesus went.
In some ways it is the simplest definition of discipleship. Living the Christian life is “following Jesus.” Growing as a believer involves “following Jesus.” Maturing in the faith can be summed up with “following Jesus.”
He is the Good Shepherd. And the sheep follow after Him. These are the first words Jesus spoke to Peter and they were some of the last words as well. Apparently they must have been extremely important words.