Who Should You Follow?
By Isaac Aluochier
All scriptural quotations are from the World English Bible available at http://www.ebible.org/bible/WEB/. "Yah'shuah" is a Hebrew rendition of "Jesus".
Acts 11:25-26 reads,
11:25
Barnabas went out to Tarsus to look for Saul. 11:26When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that even for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.The disciples making up the assembly are called Christians.
Whose disciples are they? Whose teachings do they follow?
Acts 1:15, 1-26 reads,
1:1
The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 1:2until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 1:3To these he also showed himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and spoke about God’s kingdom. 1:4Being assembled together with them, he charged them, "Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 1:5For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now."1:6
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?"1:7
He said to them, "It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within His own authority. 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."1:9
When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. 1:10While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, 1:11who also said, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky."1:12
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 1:13When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 1:14All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.1:15
In these days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (and the number of names was about one hundred twenty), and said, 1:16"Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. 1:17For he was numbered with us, and received his portion in this ministry. 1:18Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out. 1:19It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’ 1:20For it is written in the book of Psalms,‘Let his habitation be made desolate,
Let no one dwell therein,’
and,
‘Let another take his office.’
1:21
Of the men therefore who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, 1:22beginning from the baptism of John, to the day that he was received up from us, of these one must become a witness with us of his resurrection."1:23
They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 1:24They prayed, and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen 1:25to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place." 1:26They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.These particular disciples were followers of Yah'shuah the Christ.
Why were they followers of Yah'shuah?
Christ's Promises To His Disciples
Matthew 4:23-5:12 reads,
4:23
Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 4:24The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 4:25Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and from beyond the Jordan followed him.5:1
Seeing the multitudes, he went up onto a mountain. When he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 5:2He opened his mouth and taught them, saying,5:3
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,5:4
Blessed are those who mourn,5:5
Blessed are the humble,5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,5:7
Blessed are the merciful,5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart,5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers,5:10
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,5:11
"Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 5:12Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.5:3 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples the kingdom of heaven.
5:4 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples comfort from mourning.
5:5 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples inheritance of the earth.
5:6 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples satisfaction from hunger and thirst.
5:7 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples mercy.
5:8 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples seeing the Almighty.
5:9 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples being sons of the Almighty.
5:10-12 - Yah'shuah promised his disciples a great reward in heaven.
In other words, the promises that Yah'shuah has promised his disciples exceed any promises anyone else has ever promised. And Yah'shuah's disciples trust him to deliver on his promises, explaining why they follow him. For if they did not believe that Yah'shuah could deliver on these promises they would not waste their time following him.
Also, seeing that no one else has promised the disciples what their master Yah'shuah has promised them, they should not become someone else's disciples. They should faithfully remain disciples of Yah'shuah.
Serve Christ Only, Your Master
Matthew 6:24 reads,
6:24
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.Yah'shuah taught that no one can serve two masters. Seeing that Yah'shuah is the master of his disciples, his disciples should serve no one else!
Matthew 23:10, 1-12 reads,
23:1
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 23:2saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses’ seat. 23:3All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 23:4For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 23:5But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, 23:6and love the chief place at feasts, the chief seats in the synagogues, 23:7the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. 23:8But don’t you be called ‘Rabbi,’ for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. 23:9Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. 23:10Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. 23:11But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 23:12Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled, and whoever will humble himself will be exalted.23:10 - The disciples of Yah'shuah have one master, Yah'shuah. They should therefore follow no one else!
Faithful And Wise Servants Versus Evil And Hypocritical Ones
Matthew 24:45-51 reads,
24:45
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season? 24:46Blessed is that servant whom his lord will find doing so when he comes. 24:47Most assuredly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has. 24:48But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’ 24:49and began to beat his fellow-servants, and eat and drink with the drunken, 24:50the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it, 24:51and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.Why A Faithful And Wise Servants Is Set Over The Household Of His Master
24:45 - Yah'shuah begins to explain the qualities of a faithful and wise servant. A faithful and wise servant is set over the household of his master. The reason he is set over the household of his master is to give those in his master's household their food in due season.
Christ's Disciples Should Fellowship Together
It is therefore implied that those in the master's household will be eating the food given to them by the servant set over them. It can also be inferred that those in the master's household eat their food together, seeing that they are eating the same food given to them.
Christ Rewards His Faithful Servants
24:46-47 shows that the servant who proves faithful to his master, succeeding in giving his master's household their food in due season, and continuing in the process of appropriately feeding his master's household at the time his master comes, will be greatly rewarded. That servant will be set over all that his master has, exceeding even the household of his master that he had been set over. For his master possesses more than the household he was set over.
Faithful Servants Remain In Righteousness
24:48 shows that if the servant set over the master's household turns out to be evil, he will become impatient at the failure of his master to return by the time he hopes that his master will return. It should therefore be evident that impatience and evil go together. It should also be evident that those who are righteous indeed have great patience. They continue in righteousness even after the passing of the expected time of their master's coming. In other words, they do not do righteousness for only a limited period of time. They do righteousness at all times, without growing tired of doing righteousness, irrespective of the time of season they are in.
Some Disciple Leaders In Christ's Churches Mistreat Their Fellow Disciples
24:49 shows that a servant set over his master's household can ill-treat the fellow servants over whom he has been set over by beating them. Such a head of household servant can also cease his fellowship with those he should be fellowshipping with, his fellow servants, and commence fellowshipping with outsiders, called drunkards.
Christ's Disciples Should Not Fellowship With People Practising Evil
It is therefore implied that a head of household servant should fellowship, including eating and drinking, with those of the household that he is head over. He should fellowship with his fellow servants, and not with those who are not of the same household.
24:50-51 shows the penalty effected upon such evil servants. They are numbered with their lot - hypocrites. For they portray themselves to be servants of Yah'shuah, while in reality they do not follow the teachings of Yah'shuah.
Yah'shuah also shows us that he will catch such servants unawares. For he will come at a time that they do not expect him to return, and will punish them appropriately for their evil and hypocrisy.
The People Christ's Disciples Should Fellowship With
It should be clear from these words of Yah'shuah that his disciples should be fellowshipping, including eating and drinking, with their fellow servants. It should also be clear that his disciples should not be fellowshipping with those who are not his disciples, those who do evil and practise hypocrisy.
It therefore appears that if a disciple stops fellowshipping with another person, it should be because the person that he stops fellowshipping with was a disciple who has stopped being a disciple. Such as a person who becomes evil and practices hypocrisy.
But a person who remains in the way of righteousness, and truthfully practices the teachings of Yah'shuah, following them, should not be excluded from other disciples of Yah'shuah. For all disciples of Yah'shuah should eat and drink together - fellowship together.
John 4:30-34 reads,
4:30
They went out of the city, and were coming to him. 4:31In the meanwhile, the disciples urged him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."4:32
But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you don’t know about."4:33
The disciples therefore said one to another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?"4:34
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.Yah'shuah explains what he means by food. For his food is to do the Father's will and to accomplish the Father's work.
In other words, the food that the disciples of Yah'shuah should be eating is the very same food that he himself ate when he was on earth. The disciples must likewise do the Father's will and accomplish the Father's work.
Should Christ's Disciples Eat His Food Or Someone Else's Food?
Therefore, a disciple who is doing the Father's will and accomplishing the Father's work should not be excluded from the fellowship of other disciples doing the same thing. If a servant of Yah'shuah excludes such a disciple from his company, or from the company of other disciples he is head over, he is behaving in an evil and hypocritical manner, as the evil and hypocritical servant in Matthew 24:49-51.
What should a true disciple of Yah'shuah do when put in a situation whereby he or she has to follow an instruction or order that goes against that of Yah'shuah? Can a true disciple of Yah'shuah have two masters - Yah'shuah and the person giving an instruction going against that of Yah'shuah?
A true disciple of Yah'shuah should follow only Yah'shuah and not another master, even if that other master is a servant set over other disciples of Yah'shuah. For Yah'shuah has clearly shown that some servants who are set over other disciples of his eventually turn out to be evil and hypocritical. Therefore, when a servant over other disciples instructs those disciples to act in a manner contrary to that shown by Yah'shuah, a true disciple should not listen to that instruction, but should follow the example and teaching of Yah'shuah!
Even The Household Of Christ Is Not Always At Peace
Matthew 10:34-39 reads,
10:34
"Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. 10:35For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 10:36A man’s foes will be those of his own household. 10:37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. 10:38He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. 10:39He who finds his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.Yah'shuah shows that households are not always at peace. This implies that even his household, made up of his disciples, is not always at peace.
10:37 shows that those who are truly the disciples of Yah'shuah should love him more than they love any other member of their household. Implying that true disciples of Yah'shuah should love him more than they love any other disciple. Such that if another disciple instructs them to do something that is not the will of Yah'shuah, they should not do it. For they should love Yah'shuah more than they love that other disciple, a member of their own household, the household of Yah'shuah.
Christ's Approval Is More Important Than That Of His Professed Followers
Matthew 16:24-28 reads,
16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any man desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 16:25For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. 16:26For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life? 16:27For the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will render to everyone according to his deeds. 16:28Most assuredly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."Yah'shuah reiterates the same message in Matthew 10:34-39. In other words, not even the approval of our friends, family members or other disciples can be compared to the approval of Yah'shuah. And to obtain the approval of Yah'shuah we must do what he says - follow him, and not follow other human beings speaking different things.
Christ's Reward For His True Disciples
Matthew 19:28-30 reads,
19:28
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on the throne of his glory, you also will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 19:29Everyone who has left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive one hundred times, and will inherit eternal life. 19:30But many will be last who are first; and first who are last.Luke 18:29-30 reads,
18:29
He said to them, "Most assuredly I tell you, there is no one who has left house, or wife, or brothers, or parents, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, 18:30who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the world to come, eternal life."Yah'shuah shows the reward of those who are truly his disciples, those who truly follow him. Those who follow him, even when following him means leaving family members, including family members in the household of Yah'shuah, will receive one hundred times in this life, and will inherit eternal life.
In other words, the rewards that Yah'shuah promises his true followers exceed anything anyone else can give them. And to receive these rewards his true disciples must sometimes take some very difficult and painful decisions.
True Freedom Arises From Being A True Disciple Of Christ
John 8:30-32 reads,
8:32
You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."8:33
They answered him, "We are Abraham’s seed, and have never yet been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free?’"8:34
Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.Yah'shuah clearly says that those who remain in his word are the ones who truly are his disciples. And they know the truth, and the truth will make them free.
True freedom therefore comes from being a true disciple of Yah'shuah, which leads one to having knowledge of the truth, which frees one. Yah'shuah came to release us from bondage. He came to give us freedom.
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© 1999, Isaac Aluochier, All rights reserved. Published by Christ the Lamp, a division of Servants of Yahweh, P O Box 78, Royston, SG8 7WF, United Kingdom. E-mail: christthelamp@christthelamp.org. Permission is hereby GRANTED to reproduce this and other publications in the Christ the Lamp web site, http://www.christthelamp.org, unless otherwise stated.
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