Follow and Serve Christ - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
John 12:26

Follow and Serve Christ
Certain Greeks had come to Jerusalem to worship at the Passover feast. While there, they asked about Jesus and expressed their desire to see Him. Perhaps they had heard that Jesus had come into Jerusalem riding upon a donkey's colt. According to the prophet Zechariah, the coming King would present Himself to the nation of Israel in this lowly manner, as the Son of David.

When Andrew and Philip came to tell Jesus that these Greeks wanted to see Him, Jesus spoke words of anticipation of the day of His glory, when as Son of Man both Jews and Gentiles would come under His righteous rule. Immediately after speaking of His coming glory, Jesus sees the cross before Him, and we hear these words: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain" (v. 24). He did not want to remain alone, but it was His desire to have many spiritual children with Him in His kingdom. Therefore He was willing to give up His life in death so that we might find new life with Him in resurrection. Indeed, this is wondrous love and grace!

Now as Christians, we share the prospect of being with Christ when He comes to reign over the whole world. But meanwhile, we are still in this world that crucified our Savior, and now He appeals to our hearts with these questions: Are we prepared to follow and serve Him? Are we ready to suffer with Him now, just as we shall soon reign with Him? To follow this One whom the world hates involves self-denial: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" (15:18). True service meets with the approval of our Father in heaven and brings joy and blessing to the heart of the faithful servant.

Jacob Redekop