“Jesus called out to them, ‘Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!’’ – Matthew 4:19
What Jesus was asking the disciples in Matthew 4:19 was, by faith, to pursue something they didn’t know. He was asking them to experience total abandonment and a full surrender to Him.
You’ll never experience life change through Jesus without fully surrendering to Jesus. That is what He was communicating when He extended His hand and said, “follow me.”
That phrase, “Follow me,” is better translated, as “Come” or “come after me.” It is the same word found in Matthew 11:28, “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”
That is what He was saying: “Come on!” “Come here!” “Follow me!” “Trust me” Surrender your life to me,” and things will change.
Now, I do want to point out what Jesus wasn’t saying in this passage. He wasn’t saying, “follow my teachings,” I’m afraid a lot of people today are calling themselves “Christians” because they strive to live by the Christian code and the teachings of Jesus.
Did you know you can live by the teachings and principles of Jesus without having a relationship with Jesus? You’re not saved by principles; you are saved by a person and His name is Jesus! Jesus wasn’t saying, “Follow my teachings,” but rather, He said, “Follow me.”
Jesus wants you to follow His teachings and His principles. But that is not what He is most interested in. He is most interested in your relationship with Him. As you grow in your relationship, as you pursue Him, you will inevitably be changed. That is just a byproduct of a close and personal relationship with Jesus.
If you want to experience real change in your life, you must surrender to Jesus Christ. You must go ALL-IN on Jesus Christ, not just His teachings, or His principles, but HIM. It is time for you to go all-in on Jesus today!