The Supreme Call – Come Follow Me

Sermon by Pastor Glen Lim

Following Elim Church’s Mission Sunday, Pastor Glen Lim brought the congregation back to the foundation of every believer’s calling. Before Christians are sent into the world to fulfil the Great Commission, they must first respond to Christ’s personal invitation:

“Come, follow Me.”

This simple invitation, recorded in Matthew 4, remains the supreme call of every disciple today. Christianity is not merely about attending church or believing certain truths—it is about following Jesus daily with wholehearted trust, obedience, and surrender.

A Personal Call

Pastor Glen begins by highlighting that Jesus’ call is deeply personal.

Walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus saw Peter, Andrew, James, and John—ordinary fishermen going about their daily work. Yet among the many people around Him, Jesus intentionally called these men by name and invited them to follow Him.

This reminds us that God’s call is never random. He knows our circumstances, our struggles, our gifts, and even the potential we cannot yet see in ourselves.

Throughout the sermon, Pastor Glen shared how God continues to call ordinary people today. He reflected on the lives of Elim’s pastors and leaders who left successful careers to follow God’s calling, illustrating that while not everyone is called into full-time ministry, every believer is called to faithfully serve Christ wherever God has placed them.

A Purposeful Call

Jesus did not simply call the disciples to leave their fishing boats. He gave them a new purpose:

“I will make you fishers of men.”

The emphasis is on “I will make you.”

God does not call people because they are already qualified. He calls them and then transforms them.

Peter was impulsive, Matthew was a tax collector, and the disciples were ordinary men with ordinary occupations. Yet through following Jesus, they became world changers who helped establish the early Church.

Likewise, God continues to shape and equip every believer who responds to His call. Our effectiveness comes not from our own abilities but from Christ working in and through us.

A Prompt Response

One striking detail in Matthew 4 is the disciples’ immediate response.

When Jesus called them, Scripture says they immediately left their nets and followed Him.

There was no prolonged negotiation, no demand for a detailed plan, and no waiting for more convenient circumstances.

Pastor Glen explains that genuine discipleship requires trust. Much like using a GPS that reveals only the next turn rather than the entire journey, God often leads His people one step at a time. He does not always reveal the full picture, but He faithfully guides those who are willing to obey.

Following Jesus begins with saying “yes,” even before we understand everything He has planned.

The Cost of Discipleship

Following Christ has always required surrender.

Peter and Andrew left their nets. James and John left their boat and even their father. They willingly laid aside security, familiarity, and personal ambitions because they recognised that Jesus was worth more than everything they left behind.

Pastor Glen shares honestly about his own journey into ministry. Leaving behind career opportunities and facing opposition from his own family was not easy, yet he discovered that God has never failed those who place their trust in Him.

Quoting Luke 9, he reminds the church that Jesus’ invitation remains unchanged:

• Deny yourself.
• Take up your cross daily.
• Follow Him.

Discipleship is costly, but it is also deeply rewarding. No one who truly follows Jesus is ever ultimately short-changed, for God faithfully honours those who trust Him.

Guarding Our Hearts

Pastor Glen also warns that in today’s world many voices compete for our attention.

Social media influencers, wealth, success, pleasure, popularity, and worldly values constantly shape our thinking if we are not careful.

The question is not whether we are following someone—but who we are following.

To remain faithful, believers must intentionally guard their hearts against pride, bitterness, greed, compromise, unhealthy influences, hidden sin, and anything that slowly draws them away from Christ. Only by keeping Jesus at the centre can we continue walking faithfully with Him.

The Supreme Call

The sermon concludes with a powerful challenge.

Every day presents countless invitations competing for our loyalty, but above them all stands Jesus’ invitation:

“Come, follow Me.”

It is a call that demands trust, surrender, obedience, and faith. It is not merely an invitation to admire Jesus from a distance but to walk closely with Him, becoming more like Him each day.

Pastor Glen reminds the church that following Jesus is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment. As we continue saying “yes” to His leading, He shapes us into disciples who reflect His character, fulfil His purposes, and participate in His mission to reach the world.

May we answer Christ’s supreme call with willing hearts, choosing every day to follow Him above every other voice, ambition, and pursuit, until we faithfully complete the race He has set before us.