Matthew 9:9
9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him,Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Let Him Who Loves Me Follow Me
He saith unto him, Follow me. Matthew 9:9.
About four hundred years ago a great war for the possession of Italy was raging between the king of France and the king of Spain. The war was long and fierce. The French were very brave, but they were not a match for the Spaniards. The Spanish soldiers were tried veterans who had had great experience in war, and they had a leader called Gonsalvo di Cordova, who had gained great fame by his victories.
The French were defeated in more than one battle, and lost bit by bit the possessions they had gained. Then King Louis of France made his own nephew, Gaston de Foix, their leader. Gaston was only twenty- three, very young to be the commander of an army, but already he was known as a gallant soldier. His well-known bravery, and their love and admiration for him, gave new hope and courage to the French forces. In two battles they gained the victory over the Spaniards, but in the third, which was fought at Ravenna, just when they seemed to have gained the day, a fierce attack was made by the famous Spanish infantry.
The French wavered, and seemed about to break. Only a desperate effort could save them. Gaston wished to lead another charge against the enemy, but his officers surrounded him and begged him not to try it, saying it was hopeless, and meant certain death. He broke away from them, however, and, shouting,
“Let him who loves me follow me,” he charged. And at his call the French rallied and pressed after him. The Spaniards gave way before their fierce onslaught, and the victory was to the French.
But it had cost the life of their leader. The brave young Gaston lay dead on the field, and with him a great many of the noblest of his army, who loved him so well that they followed him to death. But he had gained the victory, and those who loved him and followed him had shared his glory as well as his fate.
Boys and girls, nearly two thousand years ago Someone went about Palestine saying very much the same thing as Gaston “Follow me.” He said it to His disciples Simon and Andrew, He said it to James and John, He said it to Matthew the tax-gatherer. He said it to many another besides. Some, like the disciples, left all to follow Him. Some, like the rich young ruler, turned sadly away because they loved something better than Christ. They lost their grand opportunity to live with Him, to work with Him, to learn of Him, and to fight with Him the evil that was in the world.
But Christ did not cease saying, “Follow me” when
He died on Calvary. He is saying the same words still. Every day, every hour of our life He keeps calling, calling, “Let him who loves me follow me.” Well, what are we going to do about it? Are we going to let Him call and never answer. Are we going to turn rudely away. Or are we going to say, “I will follow Thee to the end of the world and ever after”? I wonder.