Christ's Challenges To Every Christian

Text: Matthew 4: 18-20

Christ’s Challenges To Every Christian

A. Some questions I’d like to ask Jesus one day…

a. Why our variety of Christianity is not more

contagious?

b. Why are we not winning more of our friends,

family, and co-workers for the Kingdom of God?

B. According to survey by George Barna, only about

half (53 percent) of born again Christians feel a

sense of responsibility to tell others about their

faith. In other words, nearly half of the church

doesn’t think it’s our personal responsibility to

share our faith in Jesus Christ with those who

don’t know Him.

C. Today I want to look into three challenges Christ

made to the disciples while calling them into

ministry.

First, Christ challenged His disciples to…

A. Follow Him

a. Let’s look into four promises of those who

follow Jesus Christ…

i. Promise # 1 = Spiritual Knowledge

(Hosea 6:3)

ii. Promise # 2 = Spiritual Light

(John 8:12)

iii. Promise # 3 = Spiritual Guidance

(John 10:12)

iv. Promise # 4 = Spiritual Honor

(John 12:26)

b. It pays to be a follower of Jesus Christ

i. We should surrender our hearts to Jesus

ii. We should serve Jesus with all our

hearts

Second, Christ challenged His disciples to let Him…

B. Fashion Them

a. Jesus said, “…I will make you.” In the

parallel account of this passage

(Mark 1:17) Jesus said, “I will make you

become…”

b. Every Christian must realize…

i. God is the potter (Isaiah 64:8)

ii. God’s children are the clay

c. Every Christian must allow…

i. The potter time with the clay on the

potter’s wheel

ii. Their the potter will form the borrowed

vessel

iii. Their the potter will fix the broken

vessel

iv. Their the potter will fill the barren

vessel

d. Fashion statements are made around the

world daily…

i. It is high time for every Christian to

make a fashion statement

ii. We need to be clothed with the

righteousness of Jesus Christ

iii. We need to let our light shine

iv. We need to let our faith speak

v. We must let the world see Jesus in us

Third, Christ challenged His disciples to become…

C. Fishers Of Men

a. God purpose for everyone…

i. To be saved

ii. To be spirit filled

iii. To be soul winners

b. God promises two great blessings to every

soul winner…

i. Blessing # 1 = Spiritual Wisdom

(Proverbs 11:30)

ii. Blessing # 2 = A Spiritual Reward

(Daniel 12:3)

c. Great Illustrations:

i. Some years ago the New York Fire

Department had a parade. Included were

buses loaded with people from all walks

of life. Each group of people carried

a sign through the parade that

said, “Each of us were saved by our

Fire Department from burning buildings.”

ii. “In Paul’s letters, he said that those

he had won to Christ were his crown of

joy, his trophies of grace.”

d. Great thoughts to remember:

i. Jesus has saved us from a tragic death,

a horrific judgment, and a tortuous

eternity.

ii. It’s high time the church…

1. Gets excited about Jesus

2. Gets a compassion for the lost

3. Goes out to share their faith with

the lost