WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW JESUS
Follow Jesus Campaign
“As Jesus was going down the road, he saw… Matthew sitting at his tax-collection booth. ‘COME, BE MY DISCIPLE!,’ Jesus said. So Matthew got up and followed him.” Matthew 9:9 (NLT)
A disciple is: a student, a learner, a pupil, an apprentice.
TO BE A DISCIPLE…
1. I MUST SPEND TIME WITH JESUS.
“IF YOU WANT to be my disciple, YOU MUST COME AND FOLLOW ME, because my servants MUST BE WHERE I AM. And if they follow me, the Father will honor them.” John 12:26 (NLT)
(3) FACTS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Spiritual Growth is a CHOICE.
“IF YOU WANT…”
Spiritual Growth is a COMMITMENT.
“YOU MUST COME AND FOLOW ME”
Jesus’ Invitations:
“Come to me…”
“Come and see…”
“Come an follow…”
Spiritual Growth is a RELATIONSHIP.
“MUST BE WHERE I AM…”
“The plan was that they would BE WITH HIM, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word…” Mark 3:14b (MSG)
2. I MUST LOVE JESUS SUPREMELY.
“IF you want to be my follower you must, love me more than your own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, more than your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:26 (NIV; TLB)
SPIRITUAL GROWTH IS MEASURED BY LOVE!
“The most important commandment is this … You must love the LORD your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind, and ALL your strength.” Mark 12:29-30 (NLT)
THIS IS CALLED RADICAL DEVOTION – WORSHIP.
“Worship” proskuneo – means to “kiss.”
To show affection — To shower with affection.
3. I MUST LOVE EVERY OTHER DISCIPLE.
“IF you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.” John 13:35 (GNT; TEV)
“If someone says I love God but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar. For if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God whom we have not seen?” 1 John 4:20
SPIRITUAL GROWTH HAPPENS IN COMMUNITY!
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers…” 1 John 3:16 (NIV)
THIS IS CALLED RADICAL COMMUNITY- FELLOWSHIP