3 Reasons To Follow Jesus

3 toys and there fathers. Metal tractors, bull barrels saddle horses, & bubble mowers. Why were these toys so significant? Because it aloud us to follow in the footsteps of our fathers.

As good as our fathers were and as much as we wanted to imitate them when we were kids, there is one who we all should want and desire to follow more than our parents, more than any idol, more than any other thing in this world and that is Jesus.

Matthew 16:24 NASB95

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

At first glance that statement of Jesus sounds crazy. We may look at that statement and wonder why anyone would ever want to follow Jesus. I must deny myself? My own desires, my own wants, my own passions? And why would I ever want to take up a cross, an instrument of pain, suffering, and death.

Well this morning and put forth 3 reasons why you should want to to follow Jesus.

In Jesus There Is Forgiveness

I guarantee that every person in this room is in need of forgiveness for something. Maybe we have wronged our spouse, our children, friends, neighbor, brother and sisters in Christ, etc. Maybe we are in need of forgiving ourselves. I know all of us at some point have sinned against God and we are in need of his forgiveness.

No matter what Situation we need forgiveness from Jesus offers forgiveness and shows how to find forgiveness and to forgive others, and release from the burden of bitterness and anger.

For those who are not in Christ yet the bible tells us that we can be forgiven when we come to Jesus...

Acts 2:38 NASB95

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 1:13–14 NASB95

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 2:13 NASB95

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,

Maybe we made the commitment to follow Christ but we have stumbled and made some mistakes, the bible tells us

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 9:22 NASB95

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Maybe we need to forgive others or be reconciled to others, guess what jesus teaches us how to forgive others and be reconciled to one another.

Luke 23:34 NASB95

But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

he teaches us to forgive

Matthew 6:14–15 NASB95

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Matthew 18:21–35 NASB95

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. “When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. “But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ “So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ “But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. “So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

There is forgiveness in Jesus, there is also hope in Jesus.

In Jesus There Is Hope

In a world that is full of pain, misery, chaos, turmoil, etc. who doesn’t need hope. If you look at the world all you’ll find is a bleak future but with Jesus there is hope.

Ephesians 2:12 NASB95

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 NASB95

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3–6 NASB95

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

hope of the resurrection

hope of inheritance

hope of salvation

all based on the living hope that Jesus is not in the grave, he is resurrected. No matter how many people have tried over the years to prove that jesus was still in the grave. They all have failed, no one has ever been able to give any compelling, factual, evidence. Paul though would give us several witnesses

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 NASB95

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

Romans 15:13 NASB95

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus there is forgiveness, hope, &...

In Jesus There Is Salvation

We all need salvation form something. Maybe it from ourselves, maybe it’s from our sins, for all sin and fall short of the glory of God.

Titus 3:4–6 NASB95

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Luke 19:10 NASB95

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Acts 4:12 NASB95

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Will you come to Jesus today and follow Him. Will you be washed in the blood of Jesus through baptism and find forgiveness, hope, and salvation through Jesus. Or will you continue in the pleasures of sin that only lead to destruction pain and misery. Will you come to Jesus today to find the forgiveness, hope, and salvation that you so desperately need and long for or will you keep putting it off until its too late.

Jesus is offering you this today and today you have the opportunity to accept it. Maybe this morning you need to confess sin, repent and come back to Jesus. Like the prodigal sons father Jesus is eagerly looking and waiting to run to you and embrace you as you come home to him.