In His Steps

Luke 18:18-30 (Also seen in Matt. 19:16-26 and Mark 10:17-30)

I. Introduction

What does it mean to “follow Jesus?” We sing the song, “Where he leads me I will follow…I’ll go with him, with him, all the way,” but what does that really mean? What was Jesus asking of this rich young man? (read sections of the book In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon.) Is there a difference between being a “Christian” and being a disciple of Christ? Before we answer this question, we must first answer a couple others.

II. Why should we follow Jesus?

A. Of all the different religions, how do we know that ours is correct? Why Jesus?

1. The Bible is one of the only religious texts that can be historically and archaeologically validated.

a. All of the peoples and places mentioned in the Bible have been found and verified.

b. Archaeological findings:

1) City of Ur—Abraham’s homeland

2) Dead Sea Scrolls dating back to 175 B.C. (oldest known manuscript of biblical text in any language; contains the book of Isaiah, Gospel of John, Mark, and Revelations)

3) Chariot wheels in the Red Sea

c. The Book of Mormon, which claims to be the supplement of the Bible, mentions many people groups and places, but none can be validated.

2. The Validity of the Bible­—It is the only book in history to have accomplished all that it did, literary and prophetically.

B. After all the scientific, archaeological, and literary evidence of the Bible’s validity, how do we know God exists?

1. There is no physical proof of God’s existence.

2. Science will always find a way to explain away miracles.

3. There comes a point when you just have to take a step of faith and stop asking why.

C. To be identified with Christ.

1. Mark 3:35—“For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.”

2. What a wonderful compliment to be identified as a Christian!

3. Mark 10:45—“For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

III. What do we do to follow Jesus?

A. Matthew 16:24—“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

1. Jesus had just told his disciples of his upcoming death on the cross.

2. He challenged them to follow him to the death.

B. Following Jesus means making a sacrifice.

1. Luke 14:26—“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”

2. If you do not have to make daily sacrifices, you are not following Christ.

IV. How do we follow Jesus?

A. What Would Jesus Do?

1. (read the pastor’s challenge—WWJD?)

2. Following Jesus means making a conscious, daily decision to ask WWJD before each action and following what you believe to be the most accurate description of the answer, no matter what personal sacrifice you may incur.

B. If you want to truly be a follower of Jesus, make this commitment today.

V. What will be the result of such a commitment?

A. There is a price to pay…

1. In the book, In His Steps, many people have endured difficult times.

a. The newspaper editor will no doubt suffer a tremendous loss to his business as a result of following Christ.

b. What will your sacrifice mean? Only God knows.

2. If you don’t meet Satan on the way, you’re going the same way he is!

B. …But the reward is ETERNAL.

1. You can rest assured that whatever God asks you to give up, he will replace with something much better.

2. Philippians 4:19—“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

3. Luke 18:28-30 (text)

VI. Conclusion

Do you want to be a real Christian? Make the commitment today to follow in His steps. Mark 10:21—“Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” Will you let your Earthly possessions and pride keep you from truly serving God? Or will you accept the life God has planned for you and live for him? Stop making excuses, and start living today.

Summary of In His Steps(ch. 1-4)

One Friday morning, Rev. Henry Maxwell was trying to finish his sermon. The phone and other things had constantly interrupted him all morning. As his wife left for work, the house was silent, and he could finally finish his sermon in peace. His sermon was from I Peter 2:21—“For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffer for you, leaving you an example that ye should follow his steps.” As he was just getting his thoughts together, the doorbell rang. He frowned but decided to answer it. At the door stood a shabby-looking young man. The man said, “I’m out of a job, sir, and thought maybe you might put me in the way of getting something.” “I don’t know of anything. Jobs are scarce…” replied the minister. “I didn’t know but you might perhaps be able to give me a line to the city railway or the superintendent of the shops, or something,” said the young man nervously.” “It would be of no use. You will have to excuse me. I am very busy this morning. I hope you will find something. Sorry I can’t give you something to do here, but I keep only a horse an a cow and do the work myself,” said the minister as he closed the door. That night, the minister’s wife mentioned a similar experience with the young man while teaching at school.

That Sunday, the First Church of Raymond was filled with people, as it usually was, and the service began promptly. The pews were filled, and the music beautiful. The choir sang, “Where He leads me I will follow, I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.” The sermon was very energetic and motivational; the reverend delivered the message well. As the sermon ended, the Rev. closed his Bible and the choir prepared to sing the invitation, but was interrupted by the same shaggy-looking man who had appeared on the pastor’s doorstep that Friday. He walked down the aisle to the front of the auditorium and faced the congregation. “I’ve been wondering since I came in here if it would be just the thing to say a word at the close of the service. I’m not drunk and I’m not crazy, and I am perfectly harmless, but if I die, as there is every likelihood I shall in a few days, I want the satisfaction of thinking that I said my say in a place like this, and before this sort of a crowd.” The stranger went on to explain that he had lost his job as a printer due to more efficient printing machines about ten months ago and had wandered around searching for a job—to no avail—since then. The man said, “I was wondering…if what you call following Jesus is the same thing as what he taught. What did he mean when he said: ‘Follow me!’ The minister said that it is necessary for the disciple of Jesus to follow His steps, and he said the steps are ‘obedience, faith, love, and imitation.’”

After three days of wandering through Raymond, he explained, he had received not a word of sympathy, except from the minister. “I understand you can’t all go out of your way to hunt up jobs for other people like me. I’m not asking you to; but what I feel puzzled about is, what following Jesus means. Do you mean that you are suffering and denying yourselves and trying to save a lost, suffering humanity just as I understand Jesus did? My wife died four months ago, and my daughter is staying with a printer’s family until I find a job. Somehow I get puzzled when I see so many Christians living in luxury and singing, “Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow thee,” and remember how my wife died in a tenement in NYC, gasping for air and asking God to take the little girl, too. Of course I don’t expect you people can prevent every one from dying of starvation, lack of proper nourishment and tenement air, but what does following Jesus mean? A member of a church was the owner of the tenement where my wife died, and I was wondering if following Jesus was true in his case. It seems to me there’s an awful lot of trouble in the world that somehow wouldn't exist if all the people who sing such songs went and lived them out. I suppose I don’t understand. But what would Jesus do?”

The man then suddenly lurched forward in pain and collapsed, unconscious, in the aisle. He died a couple days later in the pastor’s house, who had insisted on providing him shelter after the incident.