“Follow me”

Jesus said to so many people, so many times, “Follow me.” What did Jesus mean?

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." - Matthew 16:24 KJV

"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." - Matthew 16:21 KJV

So how would we follow Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection?

The Bible tells us that we follow Jesus’ death by becoming “dead to sin.”

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" - Romans 6:1-2 KJV

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." - Romans 6:6-7 KJV

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." - Galatians 6:14 KJV

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." - Colossians 3:3 KJV

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." - 1 Peter 2:24 KJV

In other words, we repent of our sin. We turn from the world and its sin and lusts and turn our life to Jesus.

The Bible tells us that we follow Jesus’ burial by water baptism in Jesus name.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death..." - Romans 6:3-4 KJV

"Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." - Colossians 2:12 KJV

Because we are “buried with HIM by baptism,” we are buried by baptism in HIS name JESUS. By water baptism in Jesus name, our old man of sin is buried. (Romans 6:6, Ephesians 4:22-24, Colossians 3:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

The Bible tells us that we follow Jesus’ resurrection by being filled with the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Christ that raised His body from the grave. (The glory of the Father.)

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Romans 6:4-5, 11 KJV

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." - Romans 8:9-11 KJV

Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost how we follow Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV