Master, I Will Follow You Matthew 8:19

Matthew shared, “when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.” He continued, “When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils:

and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matthew continued, “Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side”, and in chapter eight and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shared how a “certain scribe came” and said, “Master, I will follow you” where we read:

And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow you wherever you go.

The verse reads, “And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, ...” Matthew began with the words, “and a certain scribe” or “and a one and particular man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings who was an interpreter and teacher” “came” which means “arose and arrived”, “and said” or “and declared, uttered and proclaimed” “unto him” which means “to Jesus”. Matthew shared how a particular “man learned in the Mosaic law and sacred writings” came to Jesus and declared the following words.

The verse continues, “... Master, I will follow you wherever you go.” Matthew added the word, “Master” or “teacher”, “I will follow you” which means “the scribe promised to join himself as an attendant, accompany Jesus as a disciple” “wherever” or “in whatever case and place” “you go” which means “where Jesus left and departed”. Matthew shared how this “scribe” promised Jesus to be His “attendant and disciple” in whatever place He ventured.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see the verbal willingness of this “scribe” to “follow” after Jesus. His proclamation was commendable, however, the fruit of his words would be whether he really would do as he said. God desires for people to “follow after” Him, and to do so they are to “deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Him”. Not all are willing to make this sacrifice even through they make a declaration to do so. In other words, talking is easy, following through on words is not quite as simple. God wants to have an intimate relationship with everyone who is willing to “follow Him” wherever He goes, and those reading these words should examine whether they are willing to act upon their profession.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus says, “the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.