Sermon

Following Jesus – What does it mean?
Following Jesus sounds so simple, but to some it is a confusing concept. Following Jesus consists of:

The desire to follow Him
Having faith in Jesus and who He is
Accepting the offer of eternal life He extends to us.
It is that simple. Once we do so, we are agreeing to submitting or surrendering ourselves to Jesus, to pattern our lives after Him and to place our relationship with Him above our own will and desires. Following Jesus is a life-changing commitment to be taken seriously. What does all of that mean?

Following Jesus is making a very personal, individual decision. It is a choice every human is offered and must choose through faith. Following Jesus is not about religion, since different denominations or religions tell us there are dozens of different ways to follow Him. Being followers of Jesus Christ is associated most with Christianity, but God never intended Jesus to be for a select group of people. God intended for everyone, from every nation, to accept His Son.
Following Jesus – What does it mean to accept Him?
How is following Jesus possible? What does it mean to accept His Son and how do we do it? The only way is through surrendering our all (no matter our nationality, gender or bloodline) to the one who surrendered himself for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17).

Have you ever truly loved someone so much that you would be willing to do anything for them? Many of us have said we would. Jesus not only said it, but proved it. He paid the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus gave His life for us. In return, He only asks that we follow Jesus. In John 8:12, the scriptures say “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.’”

Has your life been a mess? Have you felt like you are walking in perpetual darkness with no hope? Are you willing to submit your destructive ways to Him and follow Him? If your answer is yes to these questions, you have the opportunity to surrender it all to Him. He can lead you into a better, hope filled, and blessed life.

Following Jesus – Can I be a disciple?
Once you have made the decision to follow Jesus, you can become one of His disciples. The word disciple actually means to learn or follow. You may be thinking that you are not good enough or worthy to become a disciple of Jesus. But the Bible tells us that He loves us all equally as Peter says in Acts 10:34-36, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear [honor] him and do what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

Following Jesus doesn’t mean we are without trials. In fact, a great many followers of Jesus have suffered tremendous persecutions. Paul addresses this in 2 Corinthians 12:1-9. He said, “Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That is why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

God can demonstrate His might, mercy, and sovereign grace through our worst times. And He says that trials make us stronger. But as His follower, we now have Jesus to help us, guide us, and comfort us through our trials — large and small. Following Jesus brings comfort and reward beyond our comprehension.