Following Jesus
A. MANY DESIRE TO FOLLOW - DON'T KNOW WHAT'S INVOLVED.
B. JESUS TELLS US TO COUNT THE COST( Luke 14:28-32 ).
C. "IF ANY MAN WOULD COME AFTER ME..."
A. AN ESSENTIAL FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT( Gal. 5:22-23; 2 Pet. 1:5-6 )
B. CONNECTED TO JUDGMENT( Acts 24:24-25 ).
C. CONNECTED TO THE REWARD( 1 Cor. 9:25-27 ).
D. SOMETIMES WE CAN'T SAY "NO" TO OURSELVES.
A. SELF CRUCIFIXION IS NECESSARY TO SELF-CONTROL.
B. SELF CRUCIFIXION IS AS VITAL AS HIS CRUCIFIXION
( Gal. 2:20; 5:24; Rom. 6:6 ).
1. Romans 6. A treatise on stopping sinning.
a. vs. 2. Dead to sin, die to it in intent and purpose.
b. vs. 3-4. Die with Jesus, raised to a new life.
c. vs. 5-7. Justified in his death.
d. vs. 11. "Reckon yourselves" - a purposeful conscious change ( vs. 12-13 ).
2. The mind is involved( Prov. 23:9 ).
3. The heart must be set on heaven( Col. 3:1-2 ).
C. WHO IS THE BOSS?( Gal. 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:15; 2 Cor. 5:14-15 ).
D. AGAIN - WE CANNOT SAY "NO" TO SELF!
A. NO REGRETS LATER( Luke 9:62 ).
B. THIS IS NOT OUR REST( Heb. 4:8-11 ).
C. GOD IS NOT JUST A HOMETOWN GOD( Jer. 23:23-24 ).
A. INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE( 1 Pet. 2:21 ).
1. The goal of all early Christians( 1 Cor. 11:1 ).
2. "What would Jesus do?"
B. INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS TEACHINGS.
1. Discipleship depends on it( John 8:31 ).
2. Judged by his word( 12:48 ).
3. Obedience an outgrowth of LOVE( 14:15 ).
4. "What would Jesus have me to do?"
C. FOLLOWING JESUS HAS ITS REWARD( John 8:12 ).
A. DISCIPLESHIP DEPENDS ON FOLLOWING JESUS( John 8:31 ).
B. AND ON SELF CRUCIFIXION( Luke 14:27 ).
C. THE COST OF NOT BECOMING A DISCIPLE IS GREATER.
