Following Christ
Armistead Mason Barry
Table of Contents
Following Christ
Hymn No. 278 "Savior, we long to follow Thee."
My subject this afternoon, dear young friends and all here present, is the subject of following Christ. We will turn both to Old and New Testament scriptures, for it has always been possible for God's people to follow Him no matter what the state of the world. There has never been or ever will be a day when we are not enabled to follow the Lord. What a marvelous fact that is! To state with all the opposition and all the efforts of Satan that it is still your privilege (and God has fully provided and equipped you as you go through this dark scene) to follow the Lord.
The first subject that comes before me is a man of whom we are told that he, "fully followed the Lord." That man was Caleb. The first mention that we have of Caleb, I believe, is in the 13th chapter of the book of Num. 1 will give just a little account of what leads up to the story of Caleb.
The children of Israel had gone out of Egypt with a high hand. The Lord led them right up to the borders of the promised land and unbelief led to their sending men to spy out the land. Twelve men were sent, one from each tribe, and Caleb and Joshua were among the number. When they came back from traveling through the different parts of the land of Canaan they reported what they had seen. Turn to Num. 13:28: "Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great; and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, 'Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.' "
We will not read on about the sad result of the unbelief of ten of those spies. They told the people that the Anakims they saw there were such giants that they looked like grasshoppers in comparison to these enemies that possessed part of the land. So, they caused the whole congregation of Israel to rebel against the Word of the Lord, and to refuse to go up and take possession of the land.
Now look at the sixth verse of chapter 14: "And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, 'The land which we passed through to search it is an exceeding good land.' " Now, notice especially the next verse: " 'If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us.' "
Instead of listening to the advice of these men of God they rebelled against the Lord and talked about having a captain to lead them back into Egypt. What a sad story! So, because of their unbelief, the Lord told them that they would have to turn back into the wilderness, and that all that great congregation that had come to possess that good land which flowed with milk and honey were to wander in the wilderness until they were all dead. Think of what a discipline! The government of God for His people is very solemn. They would not believe what Caleb told them, that they were abundantly able to go up and possess the land, so there was nothing for them but to spend their days in a sad wandering through that vast and terrible wilderness until life came to its end.
But read what the Lord says about Caleb (verse 24): "But my servant Caleb, because he hath another spirit with him and hath followed Me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it." What a lovely report of the young man at the beginning of his history, that he hath, "fully followed the Lord!"
He had a long, sad experience before him from this time on because he had to go along with that unbelieving congregation and spend those forty years in the wilderness wandering here and there. But what do we find, beloved young people, at the end of that forty years' journey? Turn to Deut. 1:3: "And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment to them." You see that this was forty years after they had come into the wilderness. It was only an eleven-day journey to Kadesh-Barnea, but it required forty years of wilderness life to reach the promised land. But there is something lovely to call attention to in this chapter, what Moses says about Caleb, starting in the 35th verse, "Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land which I sware to give unto your fathers, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD." So, after forty years, it still is said that he, "wholly followed the LORD."
My wife and I were talking recently about the many years we have attended the general meetings in Des Moines. We look back over forty years, and we think of many we knew that have gone on and are now in our Father's house, waiting for that glorious day when the Lord returns, wakes the sleeping saints and takes us all home with Himself. We also think of some who are still following the Lord. Isn't that a wonderful testimony? Some we know and whose faces we look into now were here forty years ago, and they are still following the Lord. I do not expect, dear young friends, that the Lord is going to leave His church here for another forty years, for we are hastening on and there is every indication that the Lord's coming must be very near indeed. But, if the Lord left us here for another forty years would you dear young people be found among the number of those who were still following the Lord? It is possible. God has fully provided so that you can follow on and not turn to the right hand or to the left. I am sure Caleb acknowledged that the fact he followed on and was still wholly following the Lord was because of His wonderful keeping grace during all those years. What a sad experience he must have had to see six hundred thousand people go down to their graves... to see the people destroyed by judgment, plagues and fiery serpents... until that whole congregation was consumed.
Now, turn to the 14th chapter of Joshua. The children of Israel have taken possession of the promised land. The wars of Canaan have about reached their close, and this good land is being parceled out to the different tribes. Here Caleb appears again (verse 6): "Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Galgal: and Caleb the son of Jephuna the Kenezite said unto him, 'Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.' And Moses sware on that day, saying, 'Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance and thy children's forever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD thy God.' "
Isn't that beautiful? We are extending our subject a number of years later, after the wars of Canaan, but here is Caleb again. And what does the Lord say about Him? That he "wholly followed the Lord." What a great reward he received. The other spies frightened the people by telling of the giants that made them look like grasshoppers, the Anakims. But the very mountain of the Anakims that so frightened the congregation became the possession of Caleb. The Lord said that He was going to give that to him and his seed forever. Why did he get such a marvelous reward? Was it because he had a stronger character than other people... or a more wonderful personality... or because he had an iron will... or was a very determined man that you couldn't sway or deceive? No, it wasn't that at all. He might have been a naturally weak character, we are not told.
But (and if I could impress it upon our hearts beloved friends), the only reason he came into this reward was because he wholly followed the Lord. And, the very reason that you can gain a reward that will be worth more than all this world has to offer is because you wholly follow the Lord.
Now we know that our portion is not earthly. The portion of God's people, Israel, was an earthly portion. They had an inheritance in this world. But our portion is in the heavens above, as Peter tells us (1 Peter 1:4): "...an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you." And, for those who go through the difficulties, trials and dangers of the way, the promise is that there are rich rewards waiting for them at the end of the journey. Beloved young friends, is it worth while following the Lord?
You remember when Barnabas came to Antioch and had seen the happy work there? What did he do? He exhorted them all that they should, "cleave to the Lord with purpose of heart." Now I am sure that Caleb had his ups and downs... many trials in his pathway of faith, and many discouragements along the way. But he kept on and on. He didn't surrender the promise that the Lord had made to him. He promised that He was going to give him that mountain for his possession. So the promise was ever before him, and it was his encouragement to press on and not to surrender when everything would lead him to fall in with the unbelieving congregation. No, he continued on and on until he gained the prize that was held out to his soul. So, beloved, we have these great and precious promises that Peter tells us about.
Now, let us consider a reward or two from the book of Revelation. First in Chapter 2, verse 7: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: `To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.' " That tree of life is Christ. It speaks of a special enjoyment of that glorious scene when Christ is going to be the center of all that paradise, where God's glory will be revealed and where Christ will be seen in all His glorious majesty. We get just a little glimpse of the Father's gains, by going on and following that blessed One. For remember, beloved, that the day in which we are living is a day in which our blessed Lord has been rejected. This world has spit in the face of our Savior. Did you ever stop to think of that... the world that would attract you into its empty pleasures has spit in the face of your blessed Redeemer? Well, that is one bright reward which is held out to the overcomers.
There are only two classes among God's people. There are those who are overcome and there are the overcomers. You can belong to either class. If you go on carelessly and take up with the world and its ideas, and seek to get a place, get importance and the highest positions in this world... if the world is holding out its attractions and you are deceived by them... you can end your course among those who are overcome by these present things. But you can be among the overcomers, and we find that in each of these addresses to the seven churches in Rev. 2 and 3 that the Lord has His overcomers in every stage of the church of God.
Notice in this same chapter, in the address to Pergamos in verse 17: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; `To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.' " That takes us into something deeper and sweeter perhaps than even the eating of the tree of life, because here is what expresses a deep communion of heart and soul with the person of Christ Himself. Christ is the manna. He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven to give life unto the world." Oh, think of that blessed, rejected One that the world refused. If you go on and are despised by this world, you are promised a special fellowship that is an individual enjoyment for your soul; so that it speaks of it as giving a name which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. We little enter into the immensity, the marvels of that fellowship in the coming day; to have for all eternity a special nearness to Christ as a result of a walk of faithfulness and going on in communion with Himself. Well, these are just two illustrations of what is promised to the overcomers.
Now let us consider a man that we read so much about in the New Testament, Simon Peter. The Lord said to Peter one time, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." But before He ever said that, Peter had to find out what a poor, miserable and worthless hell-bound sinner he actually was. Beloved friends, I trust that no one here is deceived (as so many are in the world today) in thinking that by your efforts to follow Christ you can become a Christian. You have to become a Christian first; you have to be born again. Your soul has to be saved before you can follow the blessed Lord. Alas, many are trying to follow the Lord as a pattern and example, and they are actually on their way to a lost eternity!
In the fifth chapter of Luke we read that the Lord went to the Sea of Galilee one morning because He knew that there would be a crowd of people there. The boats came in with their fish in the morning, the people came to do their shopping; it was a gathering center. So the Lord took advantage of the situation. Just as some of you dear brothers go to Newfoundland. You find some places where the people congregate, on the streets perhaps, and you take advantage of it. The Lord was just a pattern for us in looking for opportunities wherever He went. It tells us in verse 3: "And He entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from land. And He sat down, and taught the people out of the ship."
Isn't that wonderful that the Lord selected a certain boat which He used, as we might say, as His pulpit or a place from which He could speak to the crowd on the shore? Did you ever think of it, dear young friends, that your being here together was especially ordered of the Lord? Or, perhaps I can say that it was something definitely ordered of the Lord that you were brought into a little Meeting back there at home. Or, it may be that you were placed in a Christian family. In other words, the Lord selected your "little boat" because He wanted to have an opportunity of getting in company with you. The Lord chose that boat so He could be in company with Simon Peter. Not only did He take advantage of speaking to all that throng there, but He wanted to be near Peter. He had His eye on Peter in a special way.
After the Lord had spoken to the people, He said to Peter in verse 4: "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draft.' And Simon answering said unto Him, 'Master, we have toiled all the night and have taken nothing; nevertheless at Thy Word I will let down the net.' And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes; and their net brake." Peter had known enough about the Lord to believe His word in a measure; not fully, as he might have. Because the Lord had said, "Let down the nets," he said, "We will let down the net;" but he knew that it was, humanly speaking, useless to fish in the day after the fish could not be caught at night. He was an old-time fisherman. He knew that lake of Galilee better than anyone else, I suppose. But he listened to the Lord. Friends, are you listening to the Lord this afternoon? The Lord is speaking directly to your soul. Do you fully trust His blessed Word?
When Peter led down the net he got such a haul of fish that the boat was filled, then he called to James and John, and they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. Then Peter just fell down at Jesus' knees and we hear him saying, "Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord." The Lord was still in Peter's boat, and we see this beautiful sight: This old, weather-beaten fisherman falling down before that blessed One and owning that he is nothing more than a poor, sinful man.
What had wrought such a work in his soul? Ah, he knew he was in the presence of One who was more than man. He knew that it was only the One who was God manifest in the flesh who could bring the wealth of the lake into his net. He was just overcome with the majesty and glory of that Person. And, isn't it a remarkable thing that while he was saying, "Depart from me, O Lord," because he felt he was so unworthy to be near such a blessed and holy Person, yet he was getting just as near as he possibly could at the same time. That is the way grace ever works in the hearts of sinners. It makes them feel how guilty, wretched and sinful they are; yet, at the same time, it awakens in the soul a desire and such a love for that blessed One that the heart cannot do without Him. When anyone reaches that state in their soul's history, they are going to hear the very words that Jesus spoke to Simon Peter: "Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." Ah, beloved, if you have found out that you are a poor sinner and that Christ is your all in all, that He is a Savior you can fully trust in, you need never fear as to the question of your eternal salvation!
We find that Peter also had his ups and downs (as we were speaking before). On one occasion we read that he followed Jesus, "afar off," and he got into company with the enemies of Christ. Beloved, let us be careful that we do not follow the Lord afar off. Are there any here of whom it can be said, "Oh yes, he comes to Meeting; he is a "bread breaker" and we see him once in a while?" What about the Prayer Meeting, the Reading Meeting... do you see him there? Oh, how cold our hearts can soon become if we are not watchful!
But, we know how wonderfully the Lord restored dear Peter. I just call your attention to the last chapter of John's gospel where the Lord fully restored Peter in the presence of His disciples. The Lord probed Peter until he at last said, "Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee." Then the Lord said unto him (John 21:18): "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, 'Follow Me.' " What marvelous grace! He had said, in his own strength, that he was ready to go with his blessed Master to prison and to death. But he broke down because he was trusting himself. Now the Lord says, you are going to honor Me at last in the very thing in which you have failed. But, there were years ahead of Peter, years of service, and so the Lord adds, "Follow Me." Oh, what a lovely end it was to Peter's life. He followed the Lord!
Now, let us read what Peter said at the end of his life (2 Peter 1:13): "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me." How would we feel, beloved, if we knew that we were going to be nailed to a cross in a short time? Could we talk to God's people in this way? It humbles us to think of what poor, unworthy, servants we are, when we view ourselves in the light of the faithfulness of these men of God. But if Caleb wholly followed the Lord, we also find Peter wholly following the Lord. Not that he did not make mistakes; not that he did not follow the Lord afar off at one time. But, beloved, we have all made mistakes. Let us get back to Him as quickly as possible; let us not allow time to go by out of communion. God grant that we may keep close to His blessed side; and, oh beloved, what a reward awaits those who follow the Lord with purpose of heart!
Now, let us notice what the Lord said to Peter after He had said, "Follow Me." John 21:20: "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following, which also leaned on His breast at supper, and said, 'Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?' Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, 'Lord, and what shall this man do?' Jesus saith unto him, 'If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.' "
I believe that this is an important word for older ones as well as younger ones... "What is that to thee!" We have been seeing the importance of following the Lord; but remember this, beloved, if you get occupied with the failures of your brethren, or how well they are walking, you may get your eye completely off of Christ and end in a sad, sorrowful departure. Many a one who started out most useful got occupied with the shortcomings of his brethren, got in an unhappy state of soul, and went off and never returned to follow the Lord. I think of a dear brother who was so useful and gifted; but he began to spend his time criticizing and talking about the shortcomings of his brethren. Many of the things were true, and many things sad, too, but he allowed himself to get under that state of things and he left many years ago and has never returned. So let us remember the word to Peter when he looked at John, and said, "What shall this man do?" The Lord has advice for each one of His own. To each one here present who knows His love and grace He says, "Follow thou Me." If you get occupied with others and their short-comings, just take to heart these words: "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me."
Now, let us consider the apostle Paul in connection with the way in which he followed the Lord. The dear apostle Paul was the pattern saint. He was the only one of the apostles who said, "Follow me, even as I also follow Christ." I believe the reason why Paul could say that was because he had seen Christ in glory, and had counted all things but loss for Him. But we can, in our feeble measure, be used 'of God in connection with the pathway of others.
I remember in one of the first copies of the Messages of Love there was an article written by our brother Alec Fleck. He told about an experience he had visiting a farmer who was trying to get his sheep into an enclosure. There was a big pile of snow by the gate, and when the sheep got up toward the gate and saw this big pile of snow, they were frightened and ran in every direction. He tried to coax them through the gate and that failed. Then he tried to drive them through, and that failed also. At last he thought of a plan. He took one of the sheep and petted it until the sheep was very friendly. Then he started toward the gate and the sheep trotted right behind his heels. When the others saw this sheep following so closely, they all fell in line. When he got to the gate the flock didn't see the pile of snow, they just followed the shepherd and the sheep where the shepherd desired to have them. So remember, beloved, that no man liveth unto himself and no man dieth unto himself. Are we helping others to follow Christ, or are we discouraging others from following Christ?" And, this subject of following Christ takes up every affair what we have to do with in this scene.
The blessed One who said to Peter, "Follow Me" is now in the glory above. But He has sent the Holy Spirit down here to guide us through this tangled scene. If it is the place where the Lord would have you gather with other Christians, you have guidance right from your blessed Master about it. One thinks of those two that the Lord sent to find the place where the Lord first spread the table and gave the emblems of His death which they were to use to remember Him all through their Christian history. Do you remember the story? Peter and John were the ones who were told to: "Follow a man bearing a pitcher of water." They followed that man, and they found the very place where the Lord ate the passover and instituted the Lord's Supper that day.
Now, in closing, let us consider a beautiful illustration in the Old Testament of just what we have been speaking about. Our blessed Lord is no longer here on earth so we cannot go to Him, as Peter and John, and unburden our hearts in His visible presence. But, how marvelous to have the Spirit of God guiding and instructing us along the way through His precious Word. One thinks of the time when Abraham sent his servant across the desert to find a bride for his son Isaac. When Rebecca was told the story of Isaac and the question was raised as to whether it was best for her to go on this long, unknown journey with the camels to this far-off land, they brought her and asked this question: "Wilt thou go with this man?" Do you remember her reply? She said, "I will go." Beloved, is that the answer of your heart? As the Spirit of God brings home to your soul the blessedness of following Christ through this dark scene, is your answer to the question, "I will go... I want to follow that blessed One?"
I know, friends, it means a path of trial and of rejection. I have been reading lately of some of the sufferings of the martyrs of old, and it makes one ashamed to think of how little we really suffer for Christ. Because, the same world that nailed Him to the cross is the world through which we are passing, and through which we are called upon to follow that One. We are following, beloved, a rejected Christ. May the Lord keep us and may we be like the dear apostle Paul (he was another like Caleb, who wholly followed the Lord) who, at the end of his journey, was able to say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day..." Then, for our encouragement, he says: "...And not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing."
Sing Hymn 42 (Appendix)
"Savior! lead us by Thy power
Safe into the promised rest..."
Prayer
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