The Latter Follow Me
This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what [shall] this man [do]?Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what [is that] to thee? follow thou me. (John 21v19-22).
In the Lords earthly ministry, when He says to a man follow me , it has a lot to do with a geographical following, but after His resurrection when He told the disciples follow me, it speak of a spiritual following, not necessarily geographical.
A man may leave his natural family, houses, land, for the sake of religious convictions and may still not be following the Lord while another may keep natural family, houses, land etc and still be following the Lord.
The Lord called the disciples first externally during His ministry, then internally after his resurrection. The initial call always deals with the external while the call to maturity, the deep hidden things within. To the Lord disciples to each he said follow me during his earthly ministry and again follow me after His resurrection, which is His everlasting heavenly ministry. One call was the seen while the other the unseen or secret.
In the natural a man leaves his father house to be Join to His wife before the two become one flesh. The woman may be given as a wife to the man by her parent but until they meet in the Holy matrimonial bed, there is no union or a joining together to become one flesh. With all there love of there family, friends etc the Bed is the only place they cannot share with another. It is in the Bed they become separated from father, mother, brothers, sisters friends etc. No compromise here, everything is sacred and secret.
This is true of the spiritual, the Lord first left His father to look for a wife (Disciples) . In His earthly ministry he found His wife but there was no union or spiritual intercourse. When His wife (disciples) left family house land etc ,they where given as a wife is given to a man but there was no way they can be join to become one spirit or flesh until after the resurrection. They Followed Him as a wife follows a man to his house, but they were not able to follow him to the spiritual matrimonial bed to become one spirit. That was why they where told again Follow me after the resurrection.
In the latter called after the resurrection peter was asked in the presence of the other disciples Simon son of jonah, did you love me more than these ?. What a searching question. The first follow me was directed against natural family, friends, possessions etc while the latter follow me was directed against the love of spiritual family more than the Husband (Christ).
There is a place where we cannot bring husband, wife, sisters, brothers, friends, riches including spiritual brethren. We have to leave them where they are; not necessarily geographically and Go upward. It is a secret place with a secret spiritual history written in the book of life not books of inks. This spiritual matrimonial bed is forbidden to be share with any other but our husband (Christ). This is the latter follow me . The seed (word) that He gives us, He will not compromised for anything, but expect us to do as He wills.
The Bride who is not joint in the holy matrimonial bed or intercourse may be free from literal adultery but is bound to burn with lust and passion even for other men but in the bed there is satisfaction and rest.
In the same vein the spiritual bride that is not joint in the Holy matrimonial bed leaves constantly in worries, cares, fear, lust for worldly things and pleasure etc.
Worries, cares, discouragement, unforgiveness , lust etc are a state ;yet there is another a state of rest where we cannot be weigh down no matter what we are going through. It is in Christ by simply leaving all in His care and resting in His strength. To the weary, prayerless and distress soul, He is still saying follow me and I will give you rest, .Amen.
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JAMES F JARJOU
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