Matthew 9:9
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
When Jesus saw Matthew doing his job of collecting taxes, Jesus said two words that revolutionized his life and direction for the rest of his life. Those two words, Follow me. Those two words are the most powerful words any person could obey. Following Jesus is more than just a cliché; it is a life you are supposed to choose for 24/365. Anything less than following Jesus 24/365 is not following Jesus. Following Jesus is not a time clock we punch on the weekend services and walk away to live a life in the world, but following Jesus is a life-choice you are to make. Following Jesus will not always be easy or popular as Matthew discovered, but following Jesus gives a great investment for eternity and a joy in this present life that nothing else can give. When Matthew chose to follow Jesus, there were several things he left to follow. If you so choose to truly follow Jesus, you must choose Jesus over seven things.
First, follow Jesus as the way to be saved over any other way. The moment that Matthew decided to follow Jesus, he found eternal life was his. You cannot follow Jesus if you will not accept His payment to be the payment for your sins. Following anything else other than Jesus’ payment on Calvary alone to be saved will result in your soul being destined to Hell.
Second, follow Jesus over money. Matthew left his form of income to follow Jesus. If you are not willing to follow Jesus and give him tithes of all your income, you will not be willing to follow Jesus. Your finances are tied to your heart, and if you are not willing to give Christ your money, you will not follow Him any further than your salvation.
Third, follow Jesus over employment. Many people are not willing to quit a job that keeps them out of church on Sunday because they don't trust Jesus enough to supply their needs. If you feel you must work on Sundays instead of going to all the services, your job has become your god. God will always supply your needs even when it doesn't make sense. You must trust God and not your employer to fully follow Jesus.
Fourth, follow Jesus over possessions. If possessions mean more to you than Christ, you will never fully follow Jesus. To be more in love with possessions than with Christ is to set yourself up for great disappointment. True satisfaction is only found in Christ. Any other thing you pursue to try to find satisfaction will disappoint you in the end.
Fifth, follow Jesus over family. Certainly, you should love your family, but following Jesus means there will be times you must choose Him over family. If you are not willing to make your family upset because you choose to follow Jesus, you are not truly following Him.
Sixth, follow Jesus over the world. The world certainly seems enticing, but it always takes from you and leaves you empty. Choosing to follow Jesus means to forsake the world and its ways to do whatever Jesus asks you to do.
Seventh, follow Jesus over self. Following Jesus means to choose the life of faith over self and easy living. The life of faith is the most exciting life to live, and to choose Jesus to live a life of faith will result in the most productive and exciting life you can live.
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