Follow Jesus~ Series

“FOLLOW JESUS” Luke 9:23-27

FBCF – 4/6/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Following Jesus is a daily decision.

Every day, there’s a real enemy to face & real battles to fight. Every day, there will be temptations to resist. Every day, you & I must decide if we are going to glorify God w/ our lives or not. Every day, we must decide if we are going to live for ourselves or live for Jesus. Every day, there will be decisions to make that will impact your life & the lives of so many others. Think about these questions: “Will I…”

- …honor my husband or wife as I’m called to do? ...honor my parents? …bring my children up in the fear & admonition of the Lord?

- …conduct my business w/ Godliness & integrity? ...be a hard worker or will I be lazy & slothful?...live a greedy life or a contented life?

- …show compassion to those who are in need?

- …truly love others no matter who they are? …lift people up or tear people down? When I’m at school, will I resist the temptation to gossip about others & intentionally try to hurt them?

- …live a life of humility or pridefulness?

- …control my tongue? My temper?

- …guard my eyes & my mind from immoral & ungodly images on the Internet, in the movies I watch, & on social media? …flee sexual temptation of any type that comes my way? …protect my marriage bed? …protect my virginity?

- …use the financial resources that God has given me to support the work of the Church & advance the K’dom of God?

- …actively look for opportunities to tell others about Jesus, or will I look the other way? …intentionally seek someone to disciple?

William Plumer – theologian 1800’s – “The daily business of the Christian is to resist the devil, deny himself, overcome the world, crucify the flesh with its affections & lusts, imitate Christ, walk w/ God.”

EXPLANATION – Luke 9:23-27 (Dee Dee/Brody – p. 867)

Luke – 3rd of the 4 Gospels. Been called the most beautiful book ever written - the longest of the 3 & the most detailed (Luke was a physician). Writing from his Gentile perspective (only NT writer who was a Gentile), Luke gives us a beautiful picture of our compassionate Savior who was not turned off by the poor & needy outcasts of the world who were all around Him. In fact, they were the primary focus of His ministry. We see this clearly in Ch. 9 where the crowds of thousands of people came to Him to hear Him teach & to have Him heal them. Then He fed them in the miracle of feeding of the 5000. THAT’S our Savior who calls us to come to Him to be saved & follow Him for the rest of our lives!

APPLICATION – If you are a Christian, following Jesus is not optional.

I think sometimes we think it is optional. We definitely live like it’s optional sometimes. Tend to separate our salvation experience from the daily walk of following Jesus. If you prayed a prayer at some point in your life but are choosing not to follow Jesus, probably means that you did not truly get saved when you prayed that prayer.

- “Oftentimes people say a salvation prayer and remain satisfied with this first step. If they’re asked, “Do you know God?” most will say they do. But there’s a vast difference between knowing facts about God and personally relating to Him.” (Charles Stanley devotional)

- “Fire insurance” salvation is not true salvation. Pray a little prayer b/c you think that means you won’t go to hell but then live a life that shows no indication that you belong to Christ is clear evidence that you truly do not know Christ & have never been truly saved.

o Christ-followers will still sin, but they hate their sin & hate it when they sin. Question: Do YOU hate your sin?

o Christ-followers will still give in to temptation, but are miserable when they do. Question: Are YOU miserable when you give in to temptation?

o They will still be defeated in battle sometimes, but they will quickly get back up & into the fight…still stumble & fall in the race sometimes but will quickly confess & repent & get back in the race…still lose their focus sometimes but will quickly get their eyes back on Jesus. Question: Are YOU quick to confess your sin, quick to repent of your sin, quick to get back in the fight, back in the race, & get your eyes back on Jesus?

When you follow Jesus, you bear fruit. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)