John 12:26 “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
Twice, the Lord exhorts us with the phrase, “If any man serve me”! To “serve” the Lord is to Learn what is Commandments are and then to joyfully and humbly obey them to the very best of the ability that He has given us. Obeying our Lord is how we show Him that we love him (John 14:15). John explains it this way, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” (I John 5:3). To “follow” the Lord is to pick up the Word of God and read it and learn and obey it and go to His Church and hear His Gospel preached and fellowship with His beloved Children and live a life of kindness and humbleness and gentleness toward those around us and to reject dishonesty and immorality and greediness and meanness. Those who so “serve” the Lord will perpetually see and feel His Merciful and Gracious Presence with them, and He “will” “honour” them by exalting them and holding them forth as Children of the Most High God – there is no higher honor on this earth! Such honored Children of God often tearfully sing of their “honour” this way, “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me …” (John Newton)!