Following Jesus

John 1:35-42

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter)

Mark 1:16-20

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

 

FOLLOWING meant BEING WITH your rabbi.

 

Rabbi - Master Teacher

Rabbi used 60 times in the four Gospels.

"...Covered in the dust of their Rabbi."

 

 FOLLOWING meant BECOMING LIKE your rabbi.

 

 

Over time, we BECOME like the people we have FOLLOWED.

 

FOLLOWING meant DOING WHAT your rabbi did.

 

FOLLOWING JESUS and being CHRISTIAN-ISH are not the same thing.

 

3 TRUTHS ABOUT FOLLOWING JESUS:

I. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS means becoming a disciple.

 

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

 

Christian

• Spiritual person
• Believes in God
• Baptized
• Said a prayer/Invited Jesus into their life
• Goes to church

Follower/Disciple

• Been with Jesus
• Becoming like Jesus
• Doing what Jesus did

 

The greatest issue facing the world today with all its heartbreaking needs is whether those identifying as Christians (63% of Americans) will become disciples (4% of Americans call themselves followers).

 

3 TRUTHS ABOUT FOLLOWING JESUS:

I. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS means becoming a disciple.

II. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS is open to all!

 

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

  

Jesus has opened a door that no one can close.

 

3 TRUTHS ABOUT FOLLOWING JESUS:

I. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS means becoming a disciple.

II. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS is open to all!

III. The invitation to FOLLOW JESUS leads us to a new way of life.   

 

Mark 1:16-18

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:19-20

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

John 1:38a

Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

John 1:38b

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

Matthew 7:24-27

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

    

Discipleship starts with an INVITATION, but it leads to a CHALLENGE.

 

   

 "Ultimately, each church will be evaluated by only one thing: its disciples. Your church is only as good as her disciples. It doesn’t matter how good your praise, preaching, programs, or property are; if your disciples are passive, needy, consumerist, and not moving in the direction of radical obedience, your church is not good."  - Neil Cole  

 Are you CHRISTIAN-ISH or are you a DISCIPLE?