September 9, 2007

What does it Mean to Follow Jesus?

Steve Lane

A. Review - Love Principle Galatians 5: 6
Love is not first an emotion, but an act of the will.
True emotion, in God's plan, follows true, committed love.
Therefore, when we choose to love, we feel our heart in line with our commitment of love.
A relationship can die and come back to life again.
B. Forsake All and Follow Christ

Examples of following Jesus - responding to the call of Christ
"Those who believe obey, and those who obey believe."

Common traits of those responding to the call to follow Christ
Matthew 4: 18 - 22
Leave
They had to take on His cause at their core being.

Matthew 14: 28 - 31
One man willing to take great risk to respond to the call; "follow Me."... "Come."

Luke 9: 23 - 26
Heeding the call daily

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

Luke 14: 25 - 27
A bond to Christ that dominates all other relationships, situations and attachments.
A surrendering and re-connecting as if Christ were now our mediator in everything.

Christ wants us to follow Him, and to place our hope, desires and security in Him alone.

John 10: 3 - 4, 27
Signs of having responded to the call and knowing the voice of Jesus...
They have heard the call, and they have followed Jesus.

C.
"It is Well with My Soul"