Will You Let Go
Notes
Transcript
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Though John was arrested and imprisoned, the gospel was not! It was carried on through the one who came after him, stronger and with more authority. Tying back to the last couple of weeks. John prepared the way for Jesus. As John’s ministry ended, we see Jesus taking His place to usher in the new ministry.
Jesus came preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. It was the proclamation of victory after the temptations in the desert. Again, God's access to us through Jesus to setup His kingdom, and He did it through the sharing of the gospel.
Listen to what He says in verse 15:
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
All things foretold in the OT were happening. It was made known, and now it is here, He is here! The kingdom of heaven is at hand and it came through Jesus.
Jesus preached repentance and faith. We must have both.
Repentance alone will not save us. We cannot merely do good things and turn away from the bad in order to receive salvation. Without trust in the righteousness and grace of God, there is no salvation. It's not just about being a good person.
Neither can we trust that our belief alone without the transformation of our hearts and lives will save us from judgement. The demons believe.
These two things cannot be separated. True faith and repentance will be seen in the fruit of our lives! Faith causes us to repent and repentance strengthens our faith.
This is crucial for us as believers to understand, not only for ourselves, but especially when sharing and witnessing to others.
This is how Jesus began His ministry on this earth. He preached salvation and then He went out and made disciples.
Let’s read the next few verses.
16 And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
Jesus went out to where they were and related to them in their own lives when He called them to follow Him. Rich and poor alike, and they followed, leaving behind their livelihood, businesses, family.
Why did Jesus call these fishermen? Of all the people He could have chosen, he chose them. This should tell us something about what being a disciple means and what it requires of us.
Why did Jesus call these fishermen? Of all the people He could have chosen, he chose them.
Look at the people He didn’t choose. Rich, famous, powerful, religious. He didn’t choose kings or scholars or politicians.
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
The reason this verse holds true is because the rich man is not willing to let go of what he has in order to follow Jesus. He will always value his own will over God’s will.
The men Jesus chose knew the value of hard work and the knew the value of working with others. They also recognized the value of what Jesus was offering, salvation, purpose, eternity. They knew it was far greater than anything they could be a part of without Him. That’s why they let go of all they had and who they were to follow Him.
Being a disciple of Christ requires us to work hard and work alongside others, not because it’s necessary for salvation, but because we see the value in it. The men that followed Him were either directly impacted by Him or impacted by someone who followed Him. They saw the value.
The Point
In order for us to surrender everything we have to follow Jesus, we must also recognize the value of what He offers us. We must see the value, weigh the cost, and go all in like these men did, letting go of who we are in order to become who we were created to be, leaving everything else behind. As long as we are unwilling to let go, we will continue to live a luke warm life. We will continue to sit on the fence. He will spit us out of His mouth. And we will continue to live unfulfilled, unsatisfied, and when our time here is done, there will be nothing we did that was truly of significance for the kingdom of God.
So many of us in here today are unwilling to let go of the things that prevent us from moving forward. Past hurt, anger, bitterness, failures. We’ve become so attached to them that we’ve become afraid to let go of them. They are a part of our lives and it scares us to think of our lives without them. I can’t let go of this hurt, I’ve always had it with me. I cant’ let go of this pain, I wouldn’t know how to act without it. I can’t let go of this memory, it is a part of who I am. But we will never be able to receive the blessing if we can’t let go of the curse.
Because it's only when we have nothing else to fall back on that we can truly commit. Few people today can commit to anything without leaving themselves an out. This is true in so many aspects of our lives (jobs, relationships, religion), which is why so many people are hesitant to make commitments. This has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.
We have to get to the place where we understand that Jesus is really all we have in this place. All else will pass away. He is all we need and we need nothing else. Until we realize that we have nothing else, He will never be priority.
Jesus left everything behind. When He left heaven, He knew there was no getting back until the work was done. There was no other out for Him. He was fully committed to His Father's will to the point of death. It literally cost Him everything. As it did John before Him and as these men willingly followed. It was for us!
Jesus called us to follow Him. He asked for disciples. He didn't set up a school to produce scholars, and He didn't preach so that He could have hearers, He asked for followers to make disciples. So that they would become the fishers of men. And He went out to find them! We need to do the same!
So many churches today expect people to come to them and look like them and act like them and like the same things that they like. If someone who doesn't fit the bill walks in the building, it's easy for them to feel out of place, judged by others. Many churches today are not very welcoming to outsiders. Not on purpose, but because they have set up an experience that caters to a certain type of person, people that look just like them. We have to look at ourselves honestly and ask if we are doing the same thing. Have we created an atmosphere that only people just like us would feel comfortable and welcome in?
We have to look at ourselves honestly and ask if we are doing the same thing. Have we created an atmosphere that only people just like us would feel comfortable and welcome in?
Because of that , it is even more vital that the process of discipleship begins outside of this building. That it begins in our homes, families, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces. When we become a church that is outwardly focused, then our identity no longer comes from the things that surround us, but from what is within us.
What would we do if we no longer had this building to worship in? What would we do if no longer had a pastor or a music man? Would we refuse to worship because it wasn't on our terms? I don't think we would. I think we would find somewhere else to meet or even meet outside to worship and praise our God. If we want to break that pattern, we have to stop letting our building, music, programs, traditions, and our preferences identify us to the world. As much as we cherish our traditions and our memories, we have to understand that our identity comes from God through Jesus Christ!
What would we do if no longer had a pastor or a music man? As much as we cherish our traditions and our memories, we have to understand that our identity comes from God through Jesus Christ!
We must not lose sight of who we are and why we are here and we must continue the appeal for faith and repentance both inside and outside of this building.
If we want to break that pattern, we have to stop letting our building, music, programs, traditions, and our preferences identify us to the world.
We have to let go of all of it, and surrender to the identity given to us by God through Jesus so that the world knows us through the lives of repentance and faith. The love we share and the impact we have on those around us. We must continue the appeal for faith and repentance both inside and outside of this building.
Like John and like Jesus and everyone that came before us, we have to prepare the way for those that will come after us. For people to continue what we are doing, we have to prepare them, we have to have people to prepare which means we have to go out and find them, in order to go out, we have to be willing to leave what we have here.
We can't lead people where we've never been.
We can't teach people what we don't know.
Will you let go of the things that are holding you back this morning?
We can't show people what we don't do.
Let go of the curse so that you can receive the blessing.
Receive the blessing so that you can share it with others.
Share it with others so that they may continue when you are gone.
There is value in what Jesus offers you. But you have to empty yourself of yourself in order to receive it. He is calling you to receive it this morning.
We can't prepare people to do something we've never done.
We can't teach people to share the gospel if we don't share it ourselves.
We can't set the example of true surrender to Jesus if we have never surrendered.
You may have done all of these things in your life, but if you never bring someone with you, are you really doing what you were created to do?
Will you let go this morning? Repent
Will you receive what God has for you? Believe
Will you surrender your will for His? Disciple
Invitation