Follow Me
Posted on Jul 05, 2022 by Jon Brudvig
Have you ever noticed how some of the most powerful passages of scripture get right to the point?
“And Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13)
“Love one another.” (John 13:34)
“Come, follow me.” (Matthew 4:19)
Robert Southey, the author of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” once suggested that the power of words lies in being brief, “for it is with words as with sunbeams — the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.”
Lately, thanks to the lectionary cycle assigned for Year C, we have been hearing about the expectations of discipleship in Luke’s Gospel. While so many elements of our respective faith journeys may seem complicated and mysterious, notice how the biblical call to discipleship is straightforward and uncomplicated, summarized in just three words: “Come … Follow … Me.”
This is our individual and collective invitation as people of the Way: a called, equipped, and sent people who trust that Jesus is “the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE” (John 14:6).
So, my dear partners in ministry, my question for you to ponder this week is: “How is Jesus calling you to reflect God’s love in action?”
I look forward to the opportunity to hear what God is up to in your life and the difference a faith active in love is making in the lives of others, in our congregation, and in the places where we live, work, and study.
The Way of Jesus is as clear today as it was more than 2,000 years ago. Given all that is happening in our nation and world, it can be challenging not to lose sight of the Way that Jesus prepares for us. Yet, amid the chaos, may we remember that we are called to focus not on the events unfolding around us, but on the One who goes before us, encouraging us to “Come, follow me.”
In Christ’s Peace,
Pastor Jon