Following Jesus - For The Rest Of My Life Series

Following Jesus – For the Rest of my Life

December 11, 2005 Mark 8:34

These are my actual notes and sermon handouts and they probably mean more to me than they do to you. If you don’t understand something in my notes – feel free to e-mail me for clarification (stevenmary7@hotmail.com). Here’s some deciphering hints: I use hyphens (-) to separate key elements in a thought progression. I use quotation marks when I’m illustrating what some one in the congregation might be thinking or asking at that particular point in the message or to illustrate different character voices in an illustration. Bullets are springboards for thought progressions associated with main points in a thought.

MK 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his lifen will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."

Summarize the series…

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

Many don’t understand – after series will – make your decision

1. I had a _Choice_ to make. – most important…

A worldview to _release_. – turn back on - unlearn

A worldview to _embrace_. -

2. I had a _Citizenship_ to change.

I had a _Kingdom/family_ to leave.

I had a family to _Join _. - change of allegiances

3. I had _Consequences_ to face - intervention - persecution

4. I had a _life_ to learn. - Discipleship = learner (286)/ Christian (3)

Followers must consciously decide to follow Jesus

Counting the Cost of Following Jesus

1. A true Christian has no greater _Allegiance_ than Christ.

Luke 14:25-26

LK 14:25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.

2. A true Christian is willing to lay down his _Life_.

Luke 14:27

27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

3. A true Christian counts the cost…

Luke 14:28-33

LK 14:28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30 saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

LK 14:31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Of finishing what was _Started_.

Of submission to a more powerful _King_.

4. A true Christian is a _preserving_ influence.

Luke 14:34-35

LK 14:34 "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Followers give up everything to follow Jesus.

Counting the Cost of Following Jesus II

1. Following Jesus Supersedes Earthly _Security_.

Luke 9:57-58

57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

LK 9: 58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."

2. Following Jesus Supersedes Earthly _Relations_.

Luke 9:59-60

LK 9: 59To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."

LK 9: 60And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

3. Following Jesus Supersedes Earthly _Distractions_.

Luke 9:61-62

61Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home."