Follow Me

Publication Data: Belmont, MA: Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2010
Format: softcover
Number of Pages: xxii + 406
Dimensions (l × w × h): 21.4 cm × 14.4 cm × 2.6 cm
Additional Information: black-and-white illustrations
ISBN: 978‒1‒884729‒95‒9

   
Augoustinos N. Kantiotes, Bishop of Florina, Greece
Translation and Foreword by Asterios Gerostergios

“The present book is a study of the apostolic ministry. It is not a scholarly work, with copious references to the most up-to-date academic and scientific advances in the field of biblical exegesis. Rather, it is a first-hand account of what it means to share in the apostolic mission of the Church. Written in a vivid language by one of the most respected spiritual leaders of the Orthodox Church of Greece, Bishop Augoustinos N. Kantiotes, Metropolitan of Florina, this book is a reflection on the call of the disciples of Christ to the apostolic ministry and how this call should affect our lives today. As the reader will readily observe, the book is replete with biblical quotations, which indicate how central a role the biblical message must play in the apostolic mission of our Church.”
—“TRANSLATOR’S FOREWORD”

CONTENTS

   ILLUSTRATIONS
   TRANSLATOR’S FOREWORD
   PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
I. THE CALL
   THE SEA OF GALILEE
   A Sea of Many Names; Natural and Moral Beauty; Capital and Country, Jerusalem and Galilee; Fishermen; The Galilean
   ON THE SHORES OF GALILEE
   The Purpose of the Visit; Creation from Nothing
   THE WITNESS OF JOHN
   The Morning Star; The Famous and the Unknown; The Lamb of God; The Wretched Porter
   AN UNFORGETTABLE HOUR
   The Spark; What Do You Seek?; Where Are You Staying?; An Audience of Two; The Time
   OCCURRENCES OF THE CALL
   An Audience of “Crowds”; Eager Offering; Faith and Reason; The Sinner’s Fear; The Blessing of the Lord; Astonishment; The Miracle as Parable
   THE CALL
   An Old Call; A New Call; Religion Is Not a Trade; Best Man, Not Bridegroom; No Hero-Worship
   “IMMEDIATELY”
   The Danger of Delay; Urgency; Not Now, Later; Not Felix; “I Will”
   TODAY
   The Invitations Are Continuing; Hypothesis; Where Is Absolute Self-Denial?; A Picture
   IN OUR OWN COUNTRY
   Foreign Mission; A Mission at Home; “One by One”
   LET US FOLLOW HIM!
   The Worst Fortune; The Tyranny of Passions
II. TESTING THE CALL
   THE STORM
   First School of Its Kind; The First Lesson; Christ in the Wilderness; “A Great Tempest”; Terror—Little Faith; The Miracle; The Unsinkable Ship; Our Hearts Are Oceans
   THE WILDERNESS
   A Gathering in the Wilderness; “How?”; Material Provision; Spiritual Provision
   THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE MYSTERY
   A Crown for Christ; They Seek Another Miracle; The True Manna; Complaint; “This Is a Hard Saying”; “Do You Also Want to Go Away?”; The Awesome Mystery; Love’s Proof; Homily of St. Chrysostom
   “COMMANDMENTS OF MEN”
   The Talmud; The Pharisees’ Hypocrisy; Piety Within; Judaizing Christians
   EXCLUSIVENESS
   The Gift of Expelling Demons; An Outsider Performs Miracles; He Is Not One of Us!; Sad Things
   “FIRE FROM HEAVEN”
   A Fixed Course; Jesus Undesirable; The Suggestion of James and John Is Rejected; A Lesson for Gospel Workers
   THE CHILDREN
   The Disciples Forbid the Children; Jesus Calls the Children; The Children—Teachers for Adults; Children Far from Jesus—A Satanic Sign
   PETER REPROVES THE CHRIST!
   A Question; The Rock of Faith; No Martyrdom; In a Cave?; The Scandal of the Cross; The Lord’s Cross Is Glory; Friends of the Cross; Contemporary Peters
   THE HIGHEST VISION
   Among the Officials; He Hid His Divinity; The Light of Tabor; Moses and Elijah; The Transfiguration; The Purpose of the Transfiguration; Tabor—Golgotha; Not Rays, But the Whole Sun
   HARSH REALITY
   The Nine in Desperate Straits; The Lord Comes Down; The Nine’s Defeat; O Faithless Generation!; The Weapons; No Defeatism
   THE REWARD
   A Rich Young Man; Peter Asks a Question; What Does “a Hundredfold” Mean?; The Great Family; The Twelve Thrones
   FORGIVING
   Community Conflicts; Clashes Even in the Church; A Rule of Peace; “Up to Seven Times?”; God’s Compassion—Mankind’s Incompassion; Wide Is the Circle of Forgiveness; The Aroma
   PESSIMISM
   In the Wilderness Again; Terrible News; The Disciples’ Fear; Thomas’ Character; Is Everything Bleak?
   FIRST PLACE
   The Disciples’ Hope; The Sons of Zebedee; “On the Right and Left”; Thrones—The Reward of Suffering; First Place; Lord, Where Are the Old Days?
   PRIDE
   A Prophecy; “I’ll Never”; Three Views of Peter’s Pride; Humility—A Sturdy Pillar
   THE TWO SWORDS
   Buy a Sword?; Allegory; Why the Sword?; Misinterpreting “Swords”; Let Us Be Prepared; The Russian Church; The Calm Before the Storm
   THE BETRAYAL
   Vice Instead of Virtue; A Lover of Money; Unmoved Before Christ’s Love; Over the Edge; Unworthy Repentance; The Mystery of Judas; To Gospel Workers
   ARE YOU SLEEPING?
   At Gethsemane; Fear of Death; The Mystery of Gethsemane; The Disciples’ Sleep; The Modern Church’s Sleep
   THE DENIAL
   His Enemies Are Awake; Jesus Is Arrested; Peter’s Denial; The Depth of His Fall; Why Did He Fall?; “Little Denials”
   O FOOLISH ONES AND SLOW OF HEART...
   Sculptors of Hearts; Christ’s Testimony; Educate New Workers
III. ASSURANCE OF THE CALL
   THE SUN HAD RISEN
   Jesus Was Dead; His Enemies Rejoice; The Disciples in Hiding; Women Evangelists; Mary Magdalene; Rabbits Become Lions; The Resurrection, a Glorious Sign; The Resurrection, a Focal Point for Preaching; Remember Jesus Christ; Maybe We Are Dead!
   “A GOOD DISBELIEF”
   Illusionism; Thomas Was Not There; Thomas’ Incredulity; The Lord’s Condescension; Gullibility and Incredulity; Continuous Investigation; For One Man!; Our Faith Does Not Fear Investigation
   “I AM GOING FISHING”
   Disappointment; Return to the Homeland; A Miraculous Fishing Trip; The Miracle Viewed Allegorically
   “DO YOU LOVE ME?”
   After the Fall; The Love of Christ; A Question for Everyone; Christ’s Favors; Christ’s Beauty; Christ’s Lofty Favors; Are We Favored?; An Awful Surprise; Manifestations of Love; A Few Questions
   FEED MY SHEEP
   Dialogue; What Does Pastoral Science Lean On?; Unhealthy Religiousness; Proof of Genuine Love for Christ; Image of the Good Shepherd; The Care of Souls; Questions for Today’s Pastors; The Sweet Hope
   FOLLOW ME
   To the Halls of Caiaphas?; Temporary Abandonment; A Glorious Walk; At Rome; A New Shock; A Martyr’s Death; Respect for Venerable Elders; Martyrdom—Christ’s Glory; Compassion
   “WHAT ABOUT THIS MAN?”
   The Bond Between Peter and John; Peter’s Love; Indifference; Oversensitivity; In the Spiritual Realm; Inquisitiveness; Pure Love
   THE TESTIMONY OF THE BELOVED DISCIPLE
   Peter’s Course; John’s Course According to the New Testament; John at Ephesus; Three Anecdotes; Pastors’ Indifference; Relations with Heretics; “Swan Song”; The Gospel of John; “Many Other Things That Jesus Did”; Co-Witnesses; “Very Happy”
   TO THE END OF THE EARTH
   Critical Moments; The Apostles’ Starting Point; An Incomparable Moment; Spiritual Preparedness; The Way of the Twelve; Their Martyrly Ends; The Apostles’ Offering
   NEW APOSTLES
   From Against Nature to Above Nature; What About Paul?; In Apostolic Footsteps; St. Chrysostom Laments; The Sheep Are Wolves; The Collapse of the Greek Mission; Opposition by the Family; Church Scandals; Division Among Gospel Workers; Desertion of the Elect; A Grievous Image; The Need of Missions; Deep Sleep; Not Just Tears, but Work; A Call to the Young; To Everyone; The One and Us
   PRAYER
   INDEX