The Lord wants to make every believer a minister, conqueror and champion. He has set up a five-fold ministry to make the church function adequately and grow. Born to reproduce and saved to serve, every believer must work towards becoming effective in his ministrations. If the service of the believer will produce something significant in the kingdom, he must grow. Just like a useless piece of metal undergoes some process of development before it becomes a coin that is useful to the public, the believer needs the same process to be productive in ministry. God needs to melt the believer from the raw material shape that he had been; put him into a mould of His choice; mend rough edges in him that need to align with the will of God; mature him and make ready to circulate. When Jesus called His disciples, they were mere raw metals. Peter, for instance, became different after he underwent the process of becoming an effective minister. When God is through with His work in a believer, heavenly confidence springs up in him. He no longer thinks of mountains but of God. Transformed, the believer receives answers to personal and national problems.
Christ brings about true change. Christ specialises in transforming ordinary people into extra-ordinary people, and changing people from being failures to being champions and successful people. All that the Lord is waiting for is total surrender to Him. The believer has two roles to play: (i) “Follow me” (ii) “I will make you fishers of men.” Highlighted are human and divine responsibilities. If any man will fulfil his part of the responsibility, God will surely fulfil His. Those who fail to fulfil their parts cannot become fishers of men.
1. The False Followers
Luke 9:57-61
There is a great difference between the faithful and the false followers. Only those who faithfully follow Christ become fishers of men. False followers follow Christ, not for interest of the kingdom but because of personal comfort. People who have no selfless and sacrificial pursuit of Christ are false followers and cannot become champions in the kingdom. False followers do not follow because of what they can give but because of what they want to get. When the conditions of service are not convenient for them, they turn back. Thus, they are selfish. Their comfort and that of their families come first before that of the kingdom. Any kingdom project that does not favour their agenda is rejected. If they are not consulted first and given a prominent and pre-eminent place, then the kingdom project is not allowed to proceed. They follow Christ only when it is convenient for them and cannot experience the power that accompanies followers of Christ. They do not exalt the kingdom principles and projects higher than self and do not give priority to spiritual service and gospel preaching as the Lord commands. While false followers engage in things that do not have eternal value, true followers of Christ are to distinguish themselves by doing God’s bidding despite all odds. False followers are not able to withstand the heat of persecution as they lack the will to stand in days of trials.
2. The Faithful, Fearless Followers: Mark 10:28
Faithful and fearless followers of Christ are those who are yielded to Him. They are people who do not dread His melting fire. They are people who appreciate the moulding hand of God; they love the mending, correcting hand of the Lord and even go further to pray for the removal of the rough edges that do not allow them fit in to the divine mould. Faithful followers are those who are following in Christ’s footsteps. They are people who are ready to pay any price to follow Christ. They are people who close their ears to the noise of the world to get the attention of the voice of Christ. They are people who are not easily distracted by persecutors. They are people who have broken the chain that tied them to the world. The only thing that catches their attention is Christ. What Christ will make of them will be their waking thought, daily plan, sleeping imagination and motivation. They always remember Christ’s command, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. Whatever conflicts with that command is given up. They may be few or many, but He uses them to change the whole world. God is always interested in people who follow wholeheartedly. They are those who make the kingdom of God, its projects and principles their first consideration, in spite of distractions. The Lord demands that we leave all to follow Him. Like Peter, faithful, fearless followers “have left all, and have followed thee.”
3. The Fruitful Followers
Matthew 4:19
True followers of Christ are fruitful. Through a single message of theirs, thousands of people are converted and added to the body of Christ. For them, there is power to evangelise, heal, pray and bring heaven’s treasure down; there is power of deliverance and release, power of converting religious people. Made a fisher of men, anywhere Peter went, sinners got saved, the oppressed got delivered, and the power of death disappeared. While Peter was still speaking in Cornelius’ house, the Holy Spirit came upon the people. This is applicable to all who are faithful, fearless followers of Christ today. You are the next candidate for fruitfulness as you obey the Lord’s command to “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
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