THE FOLLOWER AND THE DISCIPLE

Wherever Jesus went, multitudes followed Him. The Gospel of Luke records how multitudes thronged to see, to hear, and to be healed by Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
– “17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.” – Luke 6:17-19

A simple reading of life tells us that, all who follow us, need not be faithful to us. We do not know why someone is following us. What motivates them to do so. There could be a zillion reasons for someone to do so. All of them need not be noble and upright motives. William Barclay, a Scottish Pastor and theologian, makes it abundantly clear, how one can be a follower of Christ, but not necessarily a disciple.
– “It is possible to be a follower of Jesus without being a disciple; to be a camp-follower without being a soldier.”

At the outset, such a stand may sound contradictory and impossible, but sadly, it is perfectly possible. Let us read what the LORD Jesus Himself has said in Matthew 7:21-23…
– “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

What the LORD Jesus says is this – our “fruit” would indicate, our true status about our faith, in Jesus. There is a world of difference between a follower and a disciple. The following words of Jesus makes it crystal clear.
– “16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit…20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” – Matthew 7:16-17,20

Our discipleship is visible in the fruit that we bear. The fruit, is the visible and physical manifestation of the internal and unseen transformation of our thoughts, words and deeds. When we truly encounter Jesus Christ, we will be no more, the same person, that we once were. Jesus of Nazareth becomes our priority, and we willingly obey Him, despite the cost that we have to pay. This is the Christian discipleship, in a simple form.

When we look at all the apostles, and the early Church, we understand this distinction. Now what about us? Are we being a mere follower, or a genuine disciple of the LORD Jesus? What fruit are we bearing? Do we have fruit at all, that would glorify the One, who died for the sins of the world, on the cross of Calvary? What does Jesus Christ of Nazareth mean to us? Let us seek the LORD, to help us bear fruit. Let us earnestly seek the LORD that He would make us fruitful. Even so the LORD help us.