After years of struggle, prayer and pain – I was still addicted! I had done everything humanly possible and I was still addicted – to this one minister told me, “well even Paul had a thorn in the flesh, just take up your cross daily!” Later when I was in a second lock down psychiatric treatment facility for extreme clinical depression and I began to discover the power of Grace, I looked up “religious” in the dictionary and funny thing, that minister’s picture was there.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.” – Matthew 4:19-20
Jesus! Jesus Christ the Son of God – Never called people to, “come follow the law and do a better job!” He never once said, “do your best and I will bless the rest!” Jesus never once told people that the way to The Father was through the things they did. “Come, follow me” was not an invitation to dinner, but rather it was an invitation to a radical alteration in following the law to the most legalistic people on planet earth!
In this passage He was talking to Jewish fishermen who would have had little education in many things but LOTS of education in the law, religious practices and how to “be a good Jewish boy” and have the God of Abraham smile on you!
Yet Jesus had to die and God knew before the foundations of the earth that things would be this way because the “Good News” was a threat to every “law abiding” citizen on earth – and yet most teach it and preach it today as a source of righteousness!
My point is this – you can follow the law or you can follow Christ BUT you can’t follow both! Grace beacons you to Be Here Now and know that you are as righteous as you will ever be because you followed Christ! Law calls on you to do your best and follow the law at points that you have made comfortable for you to follow and then if you still mess up, oh well God will forgive you and learn and try harder!
The reason why these crazy fishermen would soon “fish for people” is that Christ taught Grace – NO MORE LAW – once you accept Him it’s ALL about Love!
