I Corinthians 4:16
"Wherefore I beseech you, (I beg you) be ye followers (he doesn’t say of Jesus, but of who?) of me."
Alright, now what does he mean by that? To pick that up you’ve got to turn and look at another verse. This should make it easier to swallow - I Corinthians 11 verse 1 where again the admonition is:
I Corinthians 11:1
"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
So it stands to reason that the Apostle is not taking anything away from Christ’s leadership or from the fact that He is the Captain of our Salvation. But you want to remember that as Paul came in, he too was the "head of the line" of lost sinners saved by Grace as he made so plain:
I Timothy 1:16
"That in me (Paul) first, Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."
Since Paul was the first (and a pattern for the Church), we’d better pay attention to the instructions that he gives for salvation. Our Lord used Paul to write these great doctrines of Grace based on the finished work of the Cross. And so, since he is the one to whom all these things were revealed, you see, this is why the Holy Spirit inspired him to write, "be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ Jesus." Paul is the one who has truth for this day and age. When this is said my question is what is meant?
Jesus is said to have said in Matthew chapter 11 drop down to verse 25 to get the flow:
"At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him. Come to me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Now we know that in many places He revealed what was ahead of Him by way of the crucifixion, His death, burial, His resurrection and then His ascension. We have to also hear what He is saying in regards to the Passover and especially the last week and the Lord's Supper (as the Lamb of God) and then look closely at what He did and said during it. Because this is for the, most part over looked by the church and the world as it being just another Jewish custom or ritual, but is it? Before we turn to John and while we're in Matthew suppose that we turn to chapter 22 and look at verse 2 to catch the flow and then chapter 25 and verses 1-10.
Matthew 22:1-14
“Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 'The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king (God the Father), which made a marriage for his son (Jesus), And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden (Israel) to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner (the kingdom gospel of Jesus): my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it (how many are there that make light of it?), and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants (the Prophets and His disciples in particular), and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city (this took place in 70 AD). Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy (Israel as a nation was found to be not worthy because of unbelief). Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants (the Apostle Paul and his disciples) went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests (the Gentiles and the individual Hebrew or the mystical Body of Christ). And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless (he was not clothed in Christ nor was the Spirit of Christ found in him). Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.'”
Now I want you turn to chapter 25 and study the verses 1-10 for yourself. Remember that in the book of Revelation chapter 19 is revealed that the Lambs Marriage feast had already taken place but it does tells us when or where, for that we're admonished to hear what the Spirit is saying. Where it says: "for the marriage of the Lamb is come..... he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." Then Paul reveals in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 the rest of the story.
John records this in chapter 12 and verse 24 we'll start with verse 23 and we'll pick this up. But remember that time and time again Paul tells us to heed the Holy Spirit because he is repeating what the Lord Himself said "I can do nothing on My own, I only do and say what I've heard and seen of My Father doing or saying":
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