130 likes | 506 Views
DISCIPLESHIP 3. FOLLOWING JESUS Luke 9: 23 - 26. Introduction. . Three Areas to Explore: Jesus’ call to discipleship. Imitating Jesus as his disciples. Losing life to gain life – the ultimate paradox. Jesus’ Call to Discipleship.
E N D
DISCIPLESHIP 3 FOLLOWING JESUS Luke 9: 23 - 26
Introduction. • Three Areas to Explore: • Jesus’ call to discipleship. • Imitating Jesus as his disciples. • Losing life to gain life – the ultimate paradox.
Jesus’ Call to Discipleship. • If you don't feel an urge to follow and become like Jesus, God isn’t at work in you. • ‘When you hear the words of Jesus saying ‘follow me’, and the urge to obey rises up within you, then you can be assured that God is at work!’
Mark 1: 16 - 18 • ‘16 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Key Word: FOLLOW • The proof of your faith is not simply believing in Jesus, even the devil believes in Jesus, rather it is in following Him. • Q: What is your greatest battle in terms of self-denial?
Imitation. • 1 Corinthians 11: 1: ‘you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ’. • Imitating Christ should be the first goal in discipleship • Would you be happy to say to a younger Christian, “imitate me, that you may see Christ?”
Philippians 3: 7 - 11 • 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Losing life & Gaining Life. • If you want to save your life, then you will lose your life! If you are prepared to lose your life, then you will save it! • This paradox is really counterintuitive to our minds, but it is one of the great teachings of Jesus. • We empty ourselves, to become full of Him. We die and yet become fully alive! We exchange our old life for a new life in Christ!
What is YOUR Mission? • ‘By accepting non-discipleship Christianity, many people don't have a mission, so they sit in a pew and wait’.Hull. • Does that describe you? • What is your mission in life? • What has God called you to do? • Simple advice: Do it!!!!
Application. • Hold your life loosely, forget yourself and all your issues, the me, me, me’s of life, and follow Jesus. • Let Him take you where you need to go. • Allow Him to be in the driving seat of your life. • Lose yourself in your mission and your calling. • And just see what God can and will do through your life.
Conclusion. • God is NOT calling you to sit on the sidelines watching His kingdom being played out. • He is inviting you to partner with Him, to be a player in His kingdom. • And His promise to you: Its far, far, far more than you could ever dream of, hope or imagine.