Come and Sit by My Side

FROM: NOV. 26, @ DECEMBER 2, 2019

Topic: “Come and Sit by My Side” Matthew 8:18-22 "Follow me..." said Jesus. It is that we walk behind Him. That is how we walk, behind Jesus. He tells us: "Come, walk by My side." Jesus was in Capernaum and went to the other side of the Lake of the Sea of Galilee (Vs. 18). Let's understand that it is a matter of Heaven to direct all things here on earth. I don't know how much you know about this. You have to sit next to Jesus to be able to hear Him and when He rises to do good to others, we’re also to rise and walk behind Him. Jesus has to move from one place to another to do good wherever the needs of the souls call Him. Who is willing to follow Him?

I. Jesus kept walking and the men who love Him and are disciples follow behind Him.

A. Here in Matthew 8:19 there is talk of a scribe (of an expert copyist of the Holy Scriptures who later would even be a doctor and interpreter of the Law).

1. The confident scribe went ahead and promised to follow Christ all the way.

2. Let us know that JESUS IS THE WAY and for such reason we must be behind Him so that He can lead us in our walk, to teach us and always show us where to go.

3. The scribe said to Jesus: "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."

4. That man was very encouraged to follow Him wherever He went.

5. This scribe was not called by Christ, but he was so excited that he offered to follow Him.

6. He would say to himself: "I am decided, I will do it."

7. He was determined without limits or reservations: "...wherever you go."

8. But Jesus' response was without a commitment that it would be easy; it seemed that the scribe had not thought well about how difficult it is to follow the path of Christ (Vs. 20 “Jesus replied: Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head. ”).

9. Jesus is very clear challenging him to know well the cost of following Him, IT IS A LIFE OF SELF-NEGATION!

10. Jesus tells him: The foxes (who prefer to be alone and survive in almost every environment and circumstance) have dens (caves), and the birds of the sky nests; but, the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head!

11. Jesus had nowhere to rest His head, He didn't have a house or property, not even a pillow of His own to rest His head.

12. In His public ministry He did not have His own home, of course there were homes that received Him with love.

13. Jesus would let the scribe see that this world could not give him a true or permanent rest, that He had a work to do and could NOT REST UNTIL HIS WORK HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT!

14. Here on earth and in our time, there is no place for us to rest while there is a work to do; it is every work that is in our name, that corresponds to us. For example, working with our family in what is spiritual and everything else that we have to do to others.

15. Just like Jesus, there is no rest for us either.

B. (Vs. 21) “Another disciple said to Him: Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

1. This case seems superior to that of the other teaching, but they are similar.

2. (Vs. 22) Jesus answered him as if saying: "... your first duty is this: Follow me, and let the spiritual dead bury their physical dead."

3. An unconverted person can do this kind of work, to bury a dead man.

4. But there is a work, THAT ONLY YOU CAN DO! If you are a believer, a disciple!

5. GIVE THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE TO WHAT REALLY REMAINS!

6. Don't waste your life on trivial things (on things that are not important).

7. This disciple was too slow to act!

8. The delay in acting is to leave for tomorrow what needs to be resolved today!

9. What can be seen or what can be understood is that many leave Christ to make a comfortable place for themselves in the world and SPEND THEIR LIVES EMBRACING WHAT IS SECONDARY!

10. Mercy is first to hear and follow God and later do what we’re meant to do- mercy to others! Amen.