Jim Elliot, a young
missionary who was martyred for his faith, encouraged others to serve when he
said: “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot
lose.”
Everyone follows someone.
Who or what are you following? Are
you ready to follow Jesus every day? Where is Jesus taking us?
Why should I follow Him? Why
does he want me to follow him?
Scripture
Truth:
John 6:61 (NIV) Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this,
Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of
Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts
for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64
Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from
the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He
went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless
the Father has enabled him." 66 From this time many of his disciples
turned back and no longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too,
do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord,
to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We believe and
know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Then Jesus replied, "Have
I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant
Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to
betray him.)
·
Following
Jesus is sacrificing what you want for the good of others.
Follow Jesus because he is the master, creator, and God/man.
Matt
8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest. 20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes,
and the birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to
lay [his] head. 21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me
first to go and bury my father. 22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let
the dead bury their dead.
·
Following
Jesus is Serving one another.
Jesus was the servant of all and those who desire to follow him must
become a servant.
John
12:24 Verily, verily, I say
unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth
alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life
shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto
life eternal. 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.
·
Following
Jesus is following him on his Father’s terms.
John 6: 64 Yet there are
some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning
which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say,
"This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has
enabled him." 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no
longer followed him. 67 "You do not want to leave too, do you?"
Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall
we go? You have the words of eternal life.
·
Following
Jesus is possessing eternal life now.
John 6:37 (NIV) All that
the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never
drive away. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to
the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up
at the last day."
·
ARE YOU Following
the Lord? What Type
of followers is there? What Kind
are you?
1.
Those who believed NOT: and Followed Not!
John 6:66 Many turned aside from following the Lord.
They weren’t ready to follow Him.
2.
Those who betrayed and Followed.
These are those who appear to be trying like Judas.
3.
Those who believed and Followed.
These are those who are trying. E.
G. Peter and the disciples.
Will you renew your
commitment to being who God wants you to be?
This is a commitment to the Lord who wants to give you eternal life.
Will you believe and follow Him? Will
you step over the line and sign on the line this morning?
The Ultimate Commitment
by
Bob Moorehead.
I
am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed." I have Holy Spirit
power. The die has been cast. I've
stepped over the line. The decision has been made.
I am a disciple of His. I won't look back, slow down, back away, or be
still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I
am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small plans, smooth
knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, cheap giving, and
dwarfed goals! I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotence,
or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised,
regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by
patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power. My face is set, my gait is
fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions
few, my guide reliable, and my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised,
detoured, deluded, lured away, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of
sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, negotiate at the table of
the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up,
prayed up, paid up, stored up, preached up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go until I drop, preach till all know,
and work that He will have no problem recognizing me.
My banner is clear!
I am committed to Him.
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