6: Follow Me is the Key to Christianity

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Over the last 5 weeks we have discovered that...

Biblical Belief is Total Trust.

Biblical Belief is not a wish or a guess.

Biblical Belief is not just affirming the historical reality of Jesus.

- like this: ‘Yes, I believe Jesus of Nazareth lived, was crucified, & was buried. He might have even risen from the dead.’ No.

There is a difference between believing THAT and believing IN.

James 2:19 (NIV) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

Biblical belief is Total Trust. Demons believe THAT God exists, but they don’t believe IN God - they don’t trust and follow Him.

Our Theme Passage

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith [pistis (noun)- meaning total trust] it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe [(verb) trust] that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Do you believe [trust] God exists? Have you examined the evidence? Design demonstrates a designer.

Do you REALLY believe [trust] that He rewards those who earnestly seek him? Do YOU earnestly seek Him?

The Benefit of Our Belief

John 20:30–31 (NIV) Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe [trust] that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing [trusting] you may have life in His name.

What’s that kind of trusting faith LOOK LIKE? Or put another way, what is it that Jesus wants from us? It’s the same thing He wanted from His first disciples. It can be boiled down into a 2 word phrase: “Follow Me.” Let’s put that into a tweet-able phrase:

BIG TRUTH: Follow Me is the KEY to Christianity

So, let’s take a look at their journey. Four of the first disciples of Jesus were Peter, Andrew, James (Jacob), and John.

Matthew 4:18–22 (NIV)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Then there was Matthew, a tax collector. He certainly wasn’t the guy any of the other disciples would have chosen. Tax collectors were despised and disfellowshipped by other Jews, no longer able to participate in synagogues - traitors who often cheated their own people while collecting money for the Roman Empire.

Matthew 9:9 (NIV)

As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

That’s what everyone who really BELIEVES/TRUSTS Jesus does: Follow Me.

But those who don’t believe Him, don’t follow Him.

John 10:24-27 (NIV)

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

You can’t be a disciple of Jesus and NOT follow Him. It IS the job description.

Luke 9:23–26 (NIV)

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

Follow Me is the KEY to Christianity

Followers of Jesus follow Jesus.

Remember Peter? One of the first guys Jesus told to “Follow Me”? Look at some of the last words Jesus says to Peter before Jesus ascends to heaven.

The First Challenge is the Last Challenge

John 21:17b–19 (NIV)

...Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Follow Me is the KEY to Christianity

Followers of Jesus follow Jesus.

Then, followers of Jesus tell others to follow Jesus.

These fishermen did become fishers of men/women. And that’s exactly what they did. If they hadn’t, then we wouldn’t be talking about being followers of Jesus today.

And if we don’t tell others to follow Jesus, then Christianity will end with our generation. But that won’t be the case, because...

Followers of Jesus tell others to follow Jesus.

First, let’s SHOW Jesus with our LIVES.

Then, let’s SHARE Jesus with our LIPS.

The Gospel Message in 5 words:

God, Man, Sin, Jesus, Judgment

Here is the entire message of the Bible in 5 words:

GOD, MAN, SIN, JESUS, JUDGEMENT.

GOD is the Creator of all things.

Genesis 1:1 (NIV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

MAN has been made to know God and make Him known.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.

SIN has separated us from right relationship with God.

Romans 3:23 (NIV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23a (NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

JESUS came to bring us back to right relationship with God.

John 1:29 (NIV)...John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Romans 6:23a (NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 10:9 (NIV) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe [trust] in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

JUDGMENT is coming - eternal life and eternal

Matthew 25:34 (NIV) Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Matthew 25:41 (NIV) Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:46 (NIV) Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Eternal punishment is the part that so many Christians aren’t willing to warn about. We have somehow come to the conclusion that 1) God really isn’t going to judge people and send them to hell OR 2) We don’t think we can LOVE them and WARN them at the same time.

We need to both 1) warn of God’s wrath AND 2) offer God’s peace.

When Tonya got cancer, the doctors told us the truth. We didn’t want to hear it. But they didn’t tell us what we WANTED to hear. They told us what we NEEDED to hear. Yesterday was the 4th anniversary of Tonya’s first surgery to remove the cancer. We are so glad the doctors told us the truth and helped us make a wise choice, even though it wasn’t an easy choice. Because of that, Tonya is alive and well today!

Follow Me is the KEY to Christianity

And following Jesus means that we OBEY what He SAY.

We must follow Jesus AND tell others to follow Jesus.

Believe it or not, some people actually WANT to hear the truth!

Last night at 8pm I received a phone call from a young couple wanting to get married. They have been attending for weeks, and showed up this past Sundays to hear one of the toughest messages I have ever preached - from 1 Cor 5.

I thought the phone call was just going to be about lining up a time to start marriage counseling. NOPE! Here’s the story. They were listening Sunday as the Scriptures made clear that “We can’t live for the sin that Jesus died to pay for anymore.” The specific sin in 1 Cor 5 was referring to sexual sin…and that’s what God was dealing with them about. They have been living together - I had no clue. They went home that Sunday very convicted and had a long talk. They told me they had to options 1) for her to move out and commit to sexual purity as they grow in the Lord 2) to get married soon and grow in the Lord as a young married couple.

Long story short - they are going to refrain from any more sexual activity until this Saturday…when they get married. I will share their story at their small wedding and we will celebrate their desire to follow Jesus.

Because...

Follow Me is the KEY to Christianity

Are you FOLLOWING Jesus? Would there be enough evidence to convict you of following Him? Is there any sin you need to cut out of your life?

Are you warning of God’s wrath and offering God’s peace? Don’t know how? Ask a mature Christian to SHOW you how.

Get in the Scriptures. Live the Scriptures. Pray for opportunities to share Jesus with others.