September 16, 2007

Following Jesus - God has a Plan for You

Steve Lane

A. Introduction

Jeremiah 29: 11 God's plan for you

B. Forsake All, and Follow Christ (review)

Matthew 4: 18 - 22
Leave and take on His cause at their core being.

Luke 9: 23 - 26
Heading the call daily

Luke 9: 57 - 62
The first is told he must leave everything.
The second was waiting for better conditions and more security.
The third wants to follow, but insists on his own terms.

John 10: 3 - 4, 27
Knowing the voice of Jesus. "It is Well with My Soul" "What a Friend we have in Jesus"

C.
God's Plan for You

Jeremiah 29: 11
1 Samuel 2: 35
Romans 8: 5
Matthew 4: 18 - 22 A change of core purpose

To follow, we must trust.
You don't have to know where you are going, but you must trust who is taking you there.

Being outside of God's plan for you equals failure.
Faith is primarily to get and do what God wants... which means we must go beyond ourselves.

Philippians 4: 13
What are you attempting that you can not do in your own strength?

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God."
-William Carey

The job of the body is to train, equip and prepare each one to labor for the Kingdom...

Matthew 11: 28 - 30
Getting in the yoke with Christ

Ephesians 2: 10
Ephesians 4: 12 - 13
Ephesians 4: 14 - 16
2 Timothy 2: 1 - 10
The call has been given
1 Thessalonians 1: 3, 8
We all have a responsibility to use what we've been given.

Seek God/encourage the body/reach the lost. Do you have a "to do" list?

Parable of the talents in Matthew 25: 14

When Jesus introduced Communion at the last supper, it was a time of intimacy and preparation for the next step...