Follow the Lord Fully

Text: Numbers 14:24

The Children of Israel Lay encamped below Mount Sinai for about a year, during which time God gave them the law and the tabernacle. Then moving on they crossed the desert with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire at night before them. They soon came to the border of the promised land. Here under direction of God the sent twelve spies to search the land and to bring back whether the people strong or weak (Num 13:18-19) after forty days they returned bearing a cluster of grapes between two upon a staff also some pomegranates and some figs. With all this fruit they stand in the mist of the Isrealites and give them report (Num 13:30-31). God punished the Isrealites because they would not fully follow the Lord (Num 14:23).

Firstly: I believe we need to see that it is a blessed thing to follow the Lord fully.

We need to follow our Lord Jesus Christ all the days of our lives. For was this not what Caleb did. We find it recoreded of him forty year later when he was an old man of eighty five, he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. He did not follow God for a time or by bits and strats. But all the days - he followed him fully. Yet there are many like lots wife, who flee out of Sodom and for a while all was well. She was greatly alarmed and while the angel had his hand upon her all was well. It was while she heard the words of warning she fled from the wicked city. But it was only for a while for soon all was quite. She gave up fleeing - she looked back and became a pillar of salt. So many are awakend from evil all around us and we flee for life. We weep, we pray we seek salvation, but it does not last long. For when the danger have past we look back, we long for our old companion or our favourite lust and soon we are drawn back into our old way of life. Many are like those spoken of in John 6 They follow Jesus for a time and where called his disciples, they hear the gracious words that proceed out of His mouth. Then some discovery of doctrine and duty is made which offends them. From that time on many of His disciples went back and they walk no more with Jesus. It is only those who never turn back that follow Him fully. There are many like the Galatians when Paul first preached they recieved him as if he where an angel of God. They loved Paul and if it had been possible they would have plucked out their own eyes and given to him and yet they did not follow the Lord fully. For they were soon removed from the Gospel of Christ to another gospel. We find Paul saying “O foolish Galations who hath bewitched you. Now they hated Paul for speaking the truth in them. So it is with many of us that not fully follow Christ.

How many of us here this morning can testified that we have not followed Christ fully. You started well but what stopped you. How many of you were impressed - Divine things appeared great and precious in your eyes. You come to the Lord table and you been blessed Ho, But where are you now. You no longer follow Christ fully. Since if we claim to belong to Christ should we not follow Him fully. For was this not the case with Paul. From the day of his conversion, Paul was a new creature. The love of God constrained him, and he lived no more unto himself but for Christ who died for him and rose again. We never hear of his slacking his pace or giving up the race, no instead we hear that he forgets the things behind him, and he reaches to the things ahead of him. “I press towards the mark”. Even when he was an old man, he did not loose the fire of his love, zeal, or his compassion. Instead at the end of his way Paul saying “I have fought a good fight - I have kept the faith”. He followed Christ fully he never looked back - he never halted - he never slumbered - he was a second Caleb. So must you be if you are to be saved. “He that endurerath to the end will be saved.” not he that follows half hartedly but he that follows fully many christians do not do not reflect Christs image in every part of their lives because they believe it is not nessary. They start well but are soon discouraged from seeking it. Many think it a must we must have our weakness because of that great excuse we are not follow Christ fully. Even though Christ had no sin of His own to make Him humble, yet He was humble in His own nature. He did not seek the praise of men. Many Christians do not follow Chrsit in this way we seem to be so unlike Christ. We are proud - proud of being saved - proud of being different to others. We also do not follow Christ in self denial. He was rich yet for our sakes became poor that we through His poverty might be rich. While we were sinners Chrsit died for us. He had no place to lay His head. Yet most christians first seek thier own comfort and ease before everything else. We do not drunk into Christ Spirit in this. Even sadder we do not Christ in His love. Christ came to earth - love - lay in a manger out of love - live a life of sinless obedience - out of love - live a life of sinless obedience - out of love - Christ suffered - out of love Christ died out of love yet in spite of all this we do not follow Him in this - we do not love as He loved some of us have very little compassion for other. We do nothing unless we personally are benifited. If you want to follow the Lord like Caleb we must follow Him fully.

Secondly let ask ourself how can we follow the Lord fully.

Firstly by keeping our eyes upon Him. For was this not what enabled Caleb to follow the Lord fully. Caleb was always his first piority. If Caleb had been seeking a name or wealth or fame or honour, then you can be asured he would not follow Christ fully. He could not have followed God all his days or with all his heart or in the storms of life. If you are going to follow Chirst fully you need to know there is only one way in which we can get to know our Lord Jesus Christ. It is all here in the Bible. It is only as we read and study the Bible that we come to know God. It is the sight of His beauty that draws us to Him. Then secondly we want to follow Christ fully we need to spend time in prayer. It is there that you will find that Jesus will answer the need of your soul. There is nothing that can satisfy the soul more than Jesus. Then we also find the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ draws us to follow Him. We can come as we are, for in no way will He cast us out. We need to repent from our evil ways. Then Christ will forgive it is, then that we can be asured that we will be cleaned with the precious blood of Christ. It is the keeping our eyes on Christ that makes you follow Him. It is seeing the King in His beauty that makes the soul cleave to Him and run after Him. Then lets us not overlook the fact that we need the Holy Spirit. Did Caleb not have another Spirit (Num 14:24). The other spies were carnal men but Caleb had another Spirit He had the Holy Spirit dwelling in him - leading him - upholding and renewing him. So it is with all who follow the Lord fully. We need the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit with in us is like a constant stream - a well of water springing up unto everlastinf life. The Holy Spirit is a filling Spirit - He loves to fill the heart - to fill every chamber.

Then Lastly: What motives to follow the Lord Fully?

Numbers 14:24b - The other spies died in the wilderness along with the other. But Caleb and Joshua lived to see the promised land because they follow the Lord fully. To follow the Lord fully is the only way to happiness. There is no happier life under the sun than to follow Chrsit all the days of over lives. There is not a more miserable creature on earth than a backslider. Every time we turn aside from follow Chrsit, we are providing misery of all kind for oursleves. The only happy life is to follow Chrsit with all our hearts. We generally think it is happy to have this or that idol but we are quite mistaken - job - sex - alcohol - your true happinessis self -surreneder in giving up your heart and all you have to Him. Anyone inconsistency mars your joy - mar comunication. For when where your happiest times in your life was it not the times when you were closest to God? Our problem today is that many Christians are not willing to deny themselves to suffer for Christ sake - not willing to bear reproach or persecution. Only if we will we will find Christ will give a hunderfold more - peace of conscience.

Following Christ fully: Also a way to be useful:

It is the one who is follwoing chrsit fully that is the most useful. We look at Abraham who followed God fully. The blessing to him was “ I will bless thee and make thee a blessing” this was also true of Paul. He followed Christ fully and what a blessing he was. So it can be with you. If you follow Christ fully what a blessing you be to this church. What a blessing you be to this town, what a blessing to your children, your spouse, your neighbours.

This is the way to die happy.

It is the inconsistance in christian lives that gives us the fear of death - say like Paul. “I am ready to be offered” or Job “ I know that my redeemer liveth”

Then Lastly: You will be asured of a great reward:

Every person shall be rewarded according as his work has been done. Some will rule over five, some over ten cities. Every time we turn our back on Christ or backslide, we are taking away something from your eternal glory. And it is a loss for all eternity. Yet on the other hand the closer we will walk with Christ now the closer we will walk with Him in all eternity. and hear what the Lord has to say about it in Rev 1:4-6.