Whatever It Takes to Follow Jesus

What does it take to follow Jesus? in a faithfull way?

ILLUST - one of the best cartoons - Bugs Bunny and Bugsy? the gangster.

— “Would I do this if my friend Bugsy were in there?”

— “You might, rabbit, you might.”

The questions increased in intensity and cost in order to give credibility to Bugs Bunny’s “faithfulness” to his friend Bugsy and the law.

In the same way, we want to explore through our time in the Word the extent and depth of our devotion to Christ.

Ex, “Would I still follow Jesus if. . .”

Would I still follow Jesus if people make fun of me?

“Well, you might Christian, you might.”

Would I still follow Jesus if God doesn’t fit neatly in the box of how I think God should act?

“Well, you might Christian, you might.”

Would I still follow Jesus if it cost me my job?

“Whoa.”

Would I still follow Jesus if my health fails?

if I risk friends or family refusing to talk to me because I’m now seen as a religious biggot in their eyes?

if it means putting aside my own desires for my life and be willing to go or do whatever he asks?

The hindrance we have in understanding this question well is the fact that in our country and culture, it costs us very little to say we are a Christian.

We have made it very easy to say we follow Jesus with very little need to back up that claim.

We’re going to take a look at a story where a some men were called to follow Jesus though it would cost them each a fair amount.

I want us to see what it cost them, and why Jesus is worth Whatever it takes.

Luke 5:1–11 (ESV)

1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

To follow Jesus you need to know Jesus

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master,

In Luke 4:38, Jesus is in Capernaum and goes to Simon’s house, so it would seem that this seaside interaction is not the first time Peter has seen Jesus

When Jesus was at Peter’s house, Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law.

Peter may have first been introduced to Jesus when Andrew, Peter’s brother and disciple of John the Baptist, becomes convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and brings Peter to Jesus.

John 1:40–42 (ESV)

40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Peter, James, and John did not blindly follow a man they had only met a few minutes before

they had already witnessed what Jesus could do

A premise we must hold to as we as pray “Whatever it takes” is that GOD IS GOOD . . . ALL THE TIME

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/whatever-it-takes-lord

To follow Jesus you need to take him at his Word. (v 5)

5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.”

There are no excuses.

Peter didn’t have a “better idea” for Jesus. He didn’t try to figure Jesus out before he acted. He didn’t ask Jesus to explain a bit more before he lowered the nets.

It wasn’t “Upon further consideration” or

(What would others think? What would the other fishermen on the shore say as Peter did something so silly as to try to fish in the deep during the day?)

Jesus calls us to take him at his Word based on his character. Sometimes all we have to go on is God’s Word and promises.

Genesis 12:1–4 (ESV)

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Notice how God did not give Abram a destination when he called Abram. The call was to follow God’s Word indefinitely.

God’s call is to follow His Word not just from this difficult point to safety or through this valley - the call to follow God’s Word is indefinite.

Exodus 3:11–12 (ESV)

11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

No matter how strange that word seems

We need to know his Word

What is / has Jesus been showing you in his Word? How have you (have you not) responded?

To follow Jesus you need to be honest about who you are and submit to who he is. (v. 8)

You must be honest about yourself and submit to who he is.

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

When Peter recognizes Jesus’ work in his life he responds in worship

Then responds with worshipful acts.

He didn’t say “Stay here - I’m going to go do my job - make some money - you’ll be here when I get back and I’ll ‘worship’ you here and then go back out there.”

All of life is worship — you either act out of worship or apart from it.

True worship is less about singing about Jesus and more about submission to Jesus

Luke (Come Work with Me: The Gathering of Disciples (5:1–11))

Simon Peter represents all disciples. His humility and awareness of his sin do not disqualify him from service; they are the prerequisite for service. Simon’s response recalls the reaction of earlier great servants of God like Isaiah and Jeremiah, who also bowed low in humility when they caught a glimpse of God’s presence (Is 6; Jer 1:1–10). Jesus does not call those who think they can help God do his work. God does not need or want servants who think they are doing God a favor. Jesus calls those who know they need to be humble before his power and presence.

11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

To follow Jesus you must be willing to give up everything.

everything means everything.

not only the big stuff but even the small stuff

not just the Sunday stuff but also the Monday stuff

not just the spiritual stuff but also the “secular” stuff

There is no “casual Christianity.” There is either a Jesus-first, “He owns every area of my life” or there is hypocrisy.

It doesn’t say, “They were so moved they commited to read the Torah a little more.” OR “They promised to tithe a tenth of the fish.”

They left:

Their job

Family

Friends

A huge pile of fish

Look at what Peter and the brothers gave up in their everything to follow Jesus.

Their ‘identity’

as fishermen

Their future plans

When Jesus called them to follow him, where was he going?

Surely, they had no idea it may (and eventually) would cost them their lives

Is God calling to you full-time ministry? As a missionary? To live missionally?

Me: I would SO go to Africa as a missionary IF God called me BBUUTT I know he is not, so I’m good to continue to make my own plans for my life.

(How I test my own heart):

If God were to call me to stop serving as a pastor and to move into a house on ________ Street in South Bend, in order to live missionally (for the purpose of the gospel), would I do it?

Be honest. Would you?

That’s crazy!!

No less crazy than dropping the net and following Jesus.

Or are we too busy chasing the “American Dream” to arrange our lives to advance God’s kingdom?

Their control

They were comfortable

You can’t hold onto the net AND hold onto Jesus!!

What area of your life are you still trying to control or (listen) unwilling to give up?

Their relationships

They were giving up the relationships they knew everyday and following Jesus with . . . tax collectors?!

Who has Jesus been asking you to journey with as you follow him?

Jesus was taking them into Gentile lands to meet “unclean” people!!

Their view of “success”

That was probably the most amount of fish these men had ever caught.

(Modern Ex.) You are struggling to make ends meet, you pray, and God provides (through an inheritance, etc) then Jesus calls you to leave it all to look to him for your daily bread

You’ve been working hard to finally be noticed at work, you receive the promotion, you’re now SOMEBODY, and Jesus calls you to start a new career you feel completely unqualified for.

What is the most you’ll give up for Jesus?

Important: As we speak about giving up everything for Jesus, we are speaking of giving up CONTROL of everything in our lives, not necessarily giving up all the physical objects in our lives.

Poverty does not equal piety. It’s not about bank account but about heart attitude.

I have nothing therefore I am holy - incorrect

I have given this “big thing” therefore I gave alot to Jesus - but I’m holding onto all the rest

Remember, Peter’s response was not simply to leave the fish on the sand, it was to bow in worship.

The reality that Peter, James, and John understood (maybe not fully at first) that whatever it takes to follow Jesus is worth less than what they gain by following Jesus.

What did we way it costs to follow Jesus? Everything.

Therefore,

To follow Jesus you see he is worth more than everything.

The only way this makes any sense is if Jesus is worth more than what is left behind.

Philippians 3:12–15 (ESV)

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way,

What do you gain?

There is nothing that you give up for Jesus that you will not gain in greater measure.

You can give up everything for Jesus because you gain everything with Jesus.

Let’s start with:

Eternal life / eternal plans

If this were it, this would be enough!!!

2 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

New Identity

Fishers of men

New power (for the loss of control)

From riding the waves to walking on them

New relationships

Willing to die for

While in England Dwight L Moody heard evangelist Henry Varley say, “The world has yet to see what God can do through a man who is totally yielded to Him.” Moody was captivated by these words and resolved, “By the Grace of God, I will be that man!”

ILLUST - It’s kind of like a dirty air filter (hang with me) - an air filter accumulates “stuff” over time and soon it is clogged and keeping the vehicle from running the way it was meant to run.

I also find the common Christian experience is one that is “clogged” with the things of life in such a way that it can keep the Christian from running the way she was meant to run - to live the way he was meant to live. To have the Holy Spirit flow freely through every area of life so that the Christian begins to experience the new, risen, victorious life of Christ now!!

Is that you? What is is that is clogging your life and restricting the Spirit? Will you do whatever it takes?

What would Granger, Edwardsburg, Elkhart, Mishawaka, South Bend, look like if it found not just one man or woman fully devoted to Christ but a whole church — better yet, a whole community full of follower of Jesus willing to leave anything and everything if needed and live fully devoted to Christ?

What is the most you’ll give up for Jesus?

Will you do WHATEVER it takes to follow Jesus?

How will this be more than hypothetical spiritual theory in your life?

We can pray “Whatever it takes” because we know GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME