SPECIAL PRÉCIS ON FOLLOWING JESUS: “THO’ NONE GO WITH ME, NO TURNING BACK”

SCRIPTURE. “If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” – JOHN 12:26, AMP

KEY TERM: “FOLLOW.” ‘Akoloutheó’ [ἀκολουθείτω]: “Properly, ‘To be in the same way with.’” Also: “To accompany (especially as a disciple); esp. to follow a teacher; to follow in succession; ‘to continue to the end.’” NOTE: “The verb ἀκολουθέω (‘akoloutheó’) primarily means ‘to follow’ or ‘to accompany.’ In the New Testament, it is often used in the context of Discipleship, where it signifies following Jesus both physically and spiritually. ‘It implies a commitment to adhere to the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus, often involving sacrifice and a change of direction in life.’”

QUOTATION. “The longer you look at Jesus, the more you will want to serve Him in his world. That is, of course, if it’s the ‘Real Jesus’ you’re looking at. Plenty of people in the Church and outside it have made up a ‘Jesus For Themselves,’ and have found that this invented character makes few real demands on them. He makes them feel happy from time to time, but doesn’t challenge them, doesn’t suggest they get up and do something about the plight of the world. Which is, of course, what the ‘Real Jesus’ had an uncomfortable habit of doing.” ― N.T. WRIGHT, Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship, 1995; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘Serve Me’ – Will be my disciple, or will be a ‘[True] Christian.’ Perhaps this was said to inform the Greeks John 12:20 of the nature of His Religion. ‘Let him follow Me’ – Let him imitate Me; do what I do, bear what I bear, and love what I love. He is discoursing here particularly of His own Sufferings and Death, and this passage has reference, therefore, to Calamity and Persecution. ‘You see Me triumph’ – ‘You see (Me enter Jerusalem, and you supposed that My Kingdom was to be set up without opposition or calamity; but it is not. I am to die; and if you will serve Me, you must follow Me even in these scenes of calamity; be willing to endure trial and to bear shame, looking for future reward.’”

‘Where I am’ – See John 14:3; John 17:24. That is, he shall be in Heaven, where the Son of God then was in His Divine Nature, and where He would be as the Glorified Messiah. See the notes at John 3:13. The natural and obvious meaning of the expression ‘I Am!’ implies that He was then in Heaven. The design of this verse is to comfort them in the midst of persecution and trial. They were to follow Him to any calamity. But, as He was to be Glorified as the result of His Sufferings, so they also were to look for their Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven, Revelation 3:21; ‘To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne.’” – JOSEPH BENSON, Notes on the Holy Bible, 5 vols., 1811-1818; edited

THE TESTIMONY. Sometime in the Summer of 1981 as I recall, I gave my First Public Testimony at what was then a small Assembly of God fellowship called Lincoln Neighborhood Church. Was still being minted as a Christian by the Holy Spirit and not yet fully released from old habits. Still, Pastor Eugene Kraft asked me to do it, and I reluctantly (terrifyingly) agreed.

The small sanctuary was packed out mostly by curiosity seekers from the University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA) community where I had been teaching since 1976. I had been renown as an often-inebriated member of what the faculty and admin staff derisively called, “The Death’s Row” faculty. Most of us were alcoholics, with some trafficking in heroin and cocaine in which, by the Grace of God, I never partook.

THE SONG. At the end my roughly 47-minute somewhat rambling but sincere, sweaty palm Testimony, Pastor Kraft struck up the Old Paen (Song of Praise): “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus,” a Christian hymn that originated in Assam, present-day Meghalaya, India.

According to the historical record, these were among the last words of Nokseng, a Garo man, a tribe from Meghalaya which then was in Assam, who converted to Christianity in the middle of the 19th century through the efforts of an American Baptist missionary. He is said to have recited verses from the 12th Chapter of the Gospel of John as he and his family were killed. The formation of the Martyr’s words into a hymn has been attributed to the Indian missionary, Sadhu Sundar Singh. – From the Editors of Wikipedia, May 9, 2024; edited

LYRICS. “I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

2. Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me I still will follow,
Tho’ none go with me, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

3. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus,
My cross I’ll carry till I see Jesus;
No turning back, No turning back.

4. The world behind me, the cross before me,
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.”

THE INSPIRATION. Now I don’t know how you ‘hear’ the Voice of God, but as person who loves “Words and Music,” He will at times speak into my life by one of those two avenues. Well, starting five days ago, I began to nearly audibly “hear” this song meander through this old man’s mind for those several days. Couldn’t shake it, so I finally prayed:

“Lord, if this is possibly You, I promise to do a deep dive on it for a possible Commentary.”

As I began to dig in, that familiar Refrain about Obedience kept emerging from the words, passages and commentaries I was consulting, to this LAST DAYS CALL: ‘REMAIN FAITHFUL to Jesus Christ through afflictions and persecutions, until the very End of the Race!’

CODA. Permit me to conclude then with a restatement of the Word of The Christ from His magnificent Oliver Discourse that I cited just a few days ago in my Commentary on Endurance.

“At that time many will be offended and repelled [by their association with Me] and will fall away [from the One whom they should trust] and will betray one another [handing over believers to their persecutors] and will hate one another. Many false prophets will appear and mislead many.  Because lawlessness is increased, the love of MOST people will grow cold. But [ONLY] the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.” – MATTHEW 24:10-13, AMP

The Hour is so very, very late, beloved. So firm up your resolve once and for all to REMAIN RESOLUTE! Through all the Blessings, the Honors, and the Wonders. And through the Isolation, the Affliction, and increasing Persecutions. Indeed, unto Life or unto Death. Therefore:

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – MATTHEW 5:12, NKJV

Selah.