- Am I a follower of Jesus?
- Am I a worshipper of Jesus?
- Am I a believer in Jesus?
- Am I stumbling because of Jesus?
- Am I standing with Jesus as my rock?
- Am I guided by Jesus as my cornerstone?
I Will Follow: Jesus choose twelve men from among his disciples to be his personal representatives of the kingdom of heaven. These men became the apostles of Jesus. Before they were selected, they had chosen Jesus to be their teacher and master. They and all who claim to be Christians must first be disciples. The word “disciple” indicates more than just someone who is a learner. A disciple is ruled by the master’s teaching. A disciple was not just, “a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher*;”-Vine’s Dictionary. Am I a follower of Jesus? “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”-Matthew 7:24.
I Will Worship: While he was on earth, Jesus was both God and man. But he remained fully God and thus is worthy of our worship. His disciples made this connection when Jesus walked to them on water and pulled Peter from the sea. “And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”-Matthew 14:33. He is worthy of the worship of angels (Hebrews 1:6) and he is elevated to the highest places. It is written of God the Father and God the Son, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”-Revelation 5:13.
I Will Believe: Not only are we to come to initial faith in Jesus as the Christ the Son of the Living God. We are to remain believers in his crucifixion and resurrection as we serve him as Lord. My faith is not a moment in time. It is a path we walk with Jesus from now until eternity. I have believed. I do believe. I will continue to believe, until I see him face to face. “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”-Romans 8:24.
I Will Not Stumble: One of the most moving scenes in the Bible shows Jesus morning over sheep who would not believe he was their Shepherd and Savior: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”-Matthew 23:37.” The Jews could not imagine a Messiah who would die. Nor could they believe in his resurrection. To the Jews, Jesus was, “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”-I Peter 2:8.
I Will Stand: Jesus is the bedrock of faith to those who are being saved, “as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”-Romans 9:33. Praise God we are saved by faith in the resurrected Son of God.
I Will Follow My Guide: “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.”-Acts 4:11. The King James Version uses the phrase, “the head of the corner” instead of cornerstone. That idea more accurately describes what is in play to the modern reader. In the time of Jesus, to build a strong, stable house; you would set an unmoving corner. It was a stone, but its importance was in the geometrical, home plate it became. All measurements and angles relied on the head of the corner. It you wanted to be right with the builder, you followed the lines laid out by the perfect corner of Jesus. Our Lord is the constant, unmoving, rock-solid, standard by which we measure all things. No matter how “out of line” our lives may become, we can always find a line that guides us back, “to the rock that is higher than I,”-Psalm 61:2. Amen and Praise the Lord!
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