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"Come, follow Me" (Matthew 4:19). "You must follow Me" (John 21:22). "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

The suggested music we shared in Monday's message included a song of thoughtful conviction at the conclusion of our church service last Sunday, "The Jesus Way". The song presents a series of challenges that require a response on our part. Will we respond the Jesus Way?

Peter, who had walked with the Lord for some three years, was in the garden on the night Christ was betrayed. When Judas led a group to arrest Jesus Peter responded by taking out his sword and cutting one of the servant's ears off (see John 19:10,11) That was not the Jesus way. Jesus directed  him to “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” That is demonstrative of the Jesus way.

The first recorded words that Peter heard from Jesus that were directed personally to him, "Come, follow Me" (Matthew 4:19a). And the last recorded personal words to Peter from Jesus were, "You must follow Me" (John 21:22). What a clear message to Peter and to all of us who are called to be His disciples! "Come, follow Me" remains the supreme call of Christ to each of us from the beginning of life to the very end, no matter what challenges we're dealt in the in-between.

Many years later Peter could draw on this personal teaching from the Lord for encouragement when the going got tough, as it surely did for Peter, when he stood firmly in his faith, even in the face of persecution. Many years later when Peter was writing his epistles he again recalled this call to follow and writes, "You should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Charles Sheldon wanted to attract local college students to God, so he began preaching a series of practical Sunday evening sermons on how to follow "in His steps" based on our third daily text. We should seek to apply this in the home, in our work, wherever we go and whatever we do. From the popular series he wrote magazine articles, which in time became the best-selling book, "In His Steps".

Today we urge all our readers to consider again the simple call Jesus made to Peter and to all of us: "Follow Me". Make it a lifelong pursuit. Follow in His steps choosing the Jesus way, for "whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked" (1 John 2:6).

Here's the part of the song we find most convicting while at the same time consoling:

The Biblical allusions in this verse are stunning. Of course they each apply to Christ. But Paul was chained yet sang God's praise (Acts 16), Stephen was stoned (killed) yet God provided him an assurance of heaven (Acts 7). They chose the Jesus way. Let us do likewise, not making the Jesus Way an option button in our lives, but let us make it the default response to the daily challenges that come our way.

Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13