Living Like Jesus L1: New Life

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Q: How does living like Jesus bring a more abundant life?

Living like Jesus is living fulfilled in a relationship with God with joy, peace, hope and without the bondage of sin and the world’s emptiness.

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Q: What did you have to change when you decided to follow Christ?

The book talks about the young man who had to change his habits and friends. (ill: Student I knew who had a hard time changing his choice in entertainment, e.g. music, movies, ect.)

We might have to change these things but also we must change our minds and actions.

Q: Does following Christ require minor or major adjustments to our lives?

Living Like Jesus takes Change

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Matthew 4:12–17 ESV

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Q: What was changing when John the baptist and Jesus began their preaching?

The Kingdom of God was at hand, God was about to change from the Old Covenant to the New and better covenant.

The Messiah had come and belief in Jesus was essential. Those who were lost were going to have to repent of their sins.

Q: Why “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand?” Why Repentance? Why not belief for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand?

Because if a person is unwilling to repent of their sins they are not willing to truly follow Christ. There is not a scenario where you can follow Jesus and still have your sin. (Yet people still try…we must make sure we do not)

Jesus requires a wholehearted and whole life decision. He does not want a maybe or partially but an all-in, no looking back decision. Jesus said, “no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is...” What? Fit for the Kingdom....

Something that people often look back to is there past lifestyle of sin. That is why there are so many reminders to not do this in the NT. For example: ;

Q:Besides knowledge what does it take to really come to repentance?

2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

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There is real sorrow for what has been done. People will not really allow change in their lives just because of knowledge. Change of heart must be a part of it as well.

Living Like Jesus takes Trust

Q:

Matthew 4:18–22 ESV

While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Q: Why would it have taken a lot of trust for Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow Jesus?

Because they were leaving their jobs and means of survival at this point. There is nothing that says they had lots of money tucked away to be able to just not work for so long. They had to trust.

Just as they would have to trust Him when Jesus told them (in ) “take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money” when He sent them out to preach. Can you imagine this?

Q: In what ways do we have to trust God when we decide to follow Christ?

To take care of us physically as well. To take care of our needs emotionally and spiritually as well. This is important because this is where many people get tripped up. They want to follow Christ but they do not trust so they go back to or run to other things to take care of their needs…i.e. temporary comfort of sin, working as if it all depends on them, do not wait for God to fulfill as He promised.

Q: What makes it hard for you to trust God at times?

The reason we may do this is we may struggle is that we want to see and have everything prepped and supplied for a long way out. There is nothing wrong with planning and such but we must also trust in God day to day.

God does not work on our timetable or as

Even after you are following Jesus for a long time your faith in His will is tested many, many times.

Think of the times that the Apostles faith was tested. Jesus continually grew their faith by questions, teaching and situations where their depth of trust would be shown. (i.e. Storm on sea, feeding the 5000, arrest, death.)

Living Like Jesus is Abundant Life

John 10:7–10 ESV

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Q: We know that Jesus is not talking about material possessions here so how is it that living like Jesus brings abundant life or “life to the fullest?”

Eternal life is the main abundant life that we will have but did Jesus live an abundant or full life on earth? Yes because of the spiritual fullness of life lived in close relationship with God.

Life with spiritual family (support, love, help), forgiven life without guilt or regret, life with joy and peace, life with hope, life led by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 10:39 ESV

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Q:How is it that Jesus can say this and what He said in ?

If you lose yourself and give up your old life then you will find abundant life in living in Christ.