They were friends of God
Tsidi Amoah was a very respected member of the Paramount Chief’s Court. He was a legendary historian of the Traditional Council. He spoke with wits and wisdom, and had mastery over the local proverbs, which he used skilfully to arrest keen attention in his public speech.
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Tsidi was a reference point for traditional customs and education in the cultural heritage of the Traditional Council.
On ceremonial occasions he wore the traditional honours conferred on him with great pride and dignity. Indeed, he was a friend of a crop of successive Paramount Chiefs. But Tsidi did not attain traditional leadership laurels by sudden flight. He was raised in the palace when growing up as a lad! He was sent to live with the Chief Linguist where he attended Secondary School. He learned to be a leader.
He carried himself in the community as an exemplar of traditional statesman, ethical, and a man of great courage. People feared him. No. People deeply respected him. He was the admired friend of the Paramount Chief.
The narratives in the Gospel of John tell us about a crop of followers of Jesus. The Lord Jesus referred to them as His friends. Listen to Him: “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”
“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! I no longer call you slaves, because a Master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” (John 15: 8&9, 11, 15&16 NLT).
These awesome words dropped from the lips of Jesus into the ears of His devoted followers. They too didn’t get this special recognition and commendation in a sudden flight. They had been in very close fellowship with Jesus for three and half years. He now calls them His friends. They were friends of Jesus. They were friends of God
Would Heaven refer to you too as a friend of Jesus? But what was the journey of these followers of Jesus for the three and half years like? From the Gospel narratives we glean the following sketch.
First, Jesus called them. He called them to follow Him fully. He called them to be with Him. There was a change of allegiance and expression of new loyalty in their decision to abandon everything and follow Jesus: “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And
Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.” (Mark 1:16-20 ESV). Following Jesus was for them a radical decision.
Jesus’ call to follow Him in Mark 1:17 is in three parts:
• Jesus calls them to follow Him (“follow me”).
• Jesus calls them to be transformed by Him (“I will make you”).
• Jesus calls them to join Him in His mission (“fishers of men”).
Jesus called them to follow Him so as to become His true or authentic disciples. Pastor Rick Warren has remarked that, “When Jesus started His public ministry, the first thing He did was to form a Small Group of 12 of disciples.” Indeed, Jesus was on a spiritual journey with a Small Group of people to transform them and equip them for God’s Kingdom service.
In Mark 8: 34-38 Jesus gives teaching about following Him fully. What is following Jesus? Whatdoes it mean to follow Jesus?
1. People are to understand and accept the call to take up their cross and follow Jesus. This call is addressed not only to those who would be Jesus’ Apostles (3:13-14; 6:1; 10:28) but the call is to all who desire to follow Him (8:34; 10:21,52). For some, the call to follow Him is very hard (10:24), but God provides grace (10:27). Others find it easy to respond to Jesus’ call (2:14-15).
2. For everyone, following Jesus requires taking up one’s cross and following Him; a total commitment to turn from selfish ways (8:34-35). Taking up one’s cross is a metaphor for giving up one’s life to follow Jesus even to death, as illustrated by Jesus’ own crucifixion; and the Apostles, and true followers of Jesus' total abandonment and total loyalty to Him.
3. Following Jesus also means being identified with Him without being ashamed, and being faithful to Jesus and His teachings (Mark 8:38).
4. Following Jesus requires removing anything that would interfere with following Him, regardless of how painful doing so might be (Mark 9:43-48).
5. Following Jesus requires entrusting one’s life entirely to Him (Mark 1:15; 5:34; 10:52) and repenting of sin (Mark 1:15; 6:12).
6. Following Jesus requires putting loyalty to Him above one’s own father and mother (Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26).
7. Alongside Jesus’s demands for following Him are the rewards of following Him. Those who follow Jesus are promised entrance into the Kingdom of God (Mark 9:43-47; 10:23-3). They receive His forgiveness for sins (Mark 2:7, 10; 3:28; 11:25, and they become members of the family of God (Mark 10:30). They are saved from judgement (Mark 8:35; 10:26; 13:13) and obtain eternal life (Mark 9:43; 10:17, 23, 30).
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We are to follow Jesus by repenting of sin and wrongdoing; and believing in Him as our sin bearer: “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT). We are to give Jesus our total allegiance; our total loyalty.
(The author is a consultant in authentic Christian Spirituality and Discipleship and former CEO of Scripture Union)
