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Following Jesus
Scripture Passage:
Matthew 4:18-22; 1 Corinthians 11:1 INTRODUCTION: We sing songs about following Jesus. We read Bible verses about following Jesus (like Luke 9:23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
See All...). But what does it mean to follow Jesus in our daily lives? The Bible tells us several ways in which we should be like Jesus. Let’s look at a few of them.
- Follow Him in Love (Ephesians 5:1-2 [1] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
[2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
See All...) - The Love of Christ (Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
See All...) - A directed love – "us" -not a general feeling of well being, but a love that is directed toward real people
- A giving love – "hath given" -John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
See All... "For God so loved the world that he gave…" - A sacrificial love – "himself…an offering" -compare the widow who gave her two mites (Luke 21:1-4 [1] And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
[2] And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
[3] And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
[4] For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
See All...) - A God-pleasing love – "a sweet smelling savour"
- The Love of the Christian
- An obedient love (Ephesians 5:1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
See All...; 1 John 4:19We love him, because he first loved us.
See All...) - A walk in love (Ephesians 5:2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
See All...) -it should saturate our daily lives - Follow Him in Forgiveness (Colossians 3:12-13 [12] Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
[13] Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
See All...) - The Forgiveness of Christ (Colossians 3:13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
See All...) - A personal forgiveness – "you"
- A completed forgiveness – "forgave"; in the past tense
- The Forgiveness of the Christian
- A characteristic forgiveness (Colossians 3:12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
See All... – "put on"); we are to wear it continually - An active forgiveness (Colossians 3:13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
See All...) - Forbearing; this involves not taking offense in the first place
- Forgiving; see the 70 times 7 forgiveness of Matthew 18:21-22 [21] Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
[22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
See All... - Follow Him in Humility (Philippians 2:5-8 [5] Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
[6] Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
[7] Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
[8] Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
See All...) - The Humility of Christ
- A satisfied humility (Philippians 2:6Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
See All...) - A willing humility (Philippians 2:7Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them?
See All...) - A submissive humility (Philippians 2:8Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.
See All...) - The Humility of the Christian (Philippians 2:5Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
See All...) - A mental humility – "Let this mind be in you"
- An inward humility – "in you"; compare Philippians 2:3-4 [3] For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
[4] Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
See All... - Follow Him in Honor (Romans 15:1-3 [1] We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
[2] Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
[3] For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
See All...) - The Honor of Christ (Romans 15:3For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
See All...) - A selfless honor – "pleased not himself"
- A suffering honor – "reproaches…fell on me"
- The Honor of the Christian (see Romans 12:10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
See All...) - A strengthening honor (Romans 15:1We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
See All...) - A building honor (Romans 15:2Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
See All...); edification means the process of building up - Follow Him in Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-23 [19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
[20] For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
[21] For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
[22] Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
[23] Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
See All...) - The Suffering of Christ
- A sinless suffering (1 Peter 2:22Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
See All...); He did not let His trials rob Him of His spirituality as we often do - A quiet suffering (1 Peter 2:23Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
See All...); He did not brag about how much He was suffering - The Suffering of the Christian
- A blameless suffering (1 Peter 2:19For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
See All...); "for conscience toward God" - A patient suffering (1 Peter 2:20For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
See All...) - An obedient suffering (1 Peter 2:21For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
See All...)
CONCLUSION: We are to follow Jesus in the way that He lived. We are to be more like Him who died for us. Are you following Jesus in love? In forgiveness? In humility? In honor? In suffering? Would you make a commitment to be more like Jesus?