Simon Says

Do you remember the game ‘Simon Says’? The premise of the game was pretty simple. Someone was ‘Simon’ and the other players of the game had to follow ‘Simon’ in mimicking his/her actions. It was a really fun game, and several people could play at one time. Then in 1978 Ralph Baer invented the hand-held game aptly named ‘Simon’. It gave children hours of countless play, and all you had to do was follow what Simon was doing. By today’s 21st century high tech standards, this game is ancient and outdated. However, this one electronic game set the standard for many of the late 20thcentury hand-held videogames. I guess you could say, they followed the leader. In the world today, many people follow many different things. People can follow one another on social media. People follow world leaders and politics. People follow the newest fad or trend. In other words, people follow, but who we follow makes a big and eternal difference in our lives. Who are you following?

How can we live our lives in such a way that helps and is useful to others? The New Testament gives us two views to help answer that question. First, the New Testament gives us a picture of God. (John3:16-17) God sent His Son and recorded His earthly life in the gospels. Hebrews 1:3, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." When we read what Jesus thought, when we read what He said, when we read what He did;

We clearly see what God would think.

We clearly see what God would say.

We clearly see what God would do.

We see clearly that God has sent us a leader to follow.

Second, the New Testament gives us a picture of God’s people. The Book of Acts shows us how people responded when they were taught about God and what was accomplished through Jesus Christ. We see clearly that God desires people to seek after Him. God desires people to respond to Him. To become His friend and to become His children through faithful obedience. Acts 17:26-27, “And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

Acts 17:30, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Acts records the response of people to God even though, they were from different cultures. Even though they were from different nations. Even though they were from different belief backgrounds. When they followed the Leader in Jesus Christ, their lives changed forever.

Still many people refused to change their lives and follow Christ. Matthew 7:13-14 records the consequences of those who choose to follow the wide path and the New Testament is full of warnings for those who choose NOT to follow Christ and for those who think there is plenty of time to “get right” with God. 2 Corinthians 4:1-4, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

The New Testament letters were written to aid those in which they were written to, but God in His glory, has allowed us to have these letters today so we might follow Christ. He gave His Word so we may have the same promise of eternity in heaven. We can read and understand His Word so we may cling to the same hope of heaven. It was given so we may have a relationship with the Father through the Son. We have the Word so we can know Jesus as our anchor and so we can know how God works in our lives. We have been given this beautiful love letter from our Creator so we can be fruitful and effective both personally as God’s people and collectively as the church. We have been given a true leader to follow. Who are you following?