Helping People Find And Follow Jesus Series

HELPING PEOPLE FIND AND FOLLOW JESUS

Luke 9:57-62

#followJesus

THE PURPOSE OF CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN CHURCH IS TO HELP PEOPLE FIND AND FOLLOW JESUS

INTRODUCTION

Every year I like to start the year with focusing on the purpose of our church family. I hope you know our mission. I hope you already know our purpose. Purpose and mission are one of those things in life and in organizations that can drift if not repeated and given proper focus.

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian retired astronaut, engineer, test fighter pilot, musician, and writer. He was the first Canadian to perform extravehicular activity in outer space, flown two Space Shuttle missions, and served as commander of the International Space Station (ISS). Before becoming an astronaut, he served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 25 years as a fighter pilot. Chris Hadfield once said: “Ultimately, leadership is not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it, especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter.”

When I think about the purpose of our church family, I think about a purpose that has high stakes and the consequences really matter. The stakes of our purpose at this church is the salvation of souls. The stakes of our purpose are a relationship with God for anyone who would seek Him. The stakes of our message and purpose is the acceptance of grace and the giving of direction in life. The consequences absolutely matter. We serve the God of the Universe Who has given us orders in Matthew 28:19-20...

READ MATTHEW 28:19-20 (ESV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

The consequences of NOT doing our purpose is that we are not fulfilling the great commission. We end up being a group of people with no purpose. We will not hear “well done good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25, Luke 19). We miss opportunities in the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21) to help people become whole in their soul.

In summary, Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20 that we are TO HELP PEOPLE FIND AND FOLLOW JESUS. This is a purpose that has very high stakes and clear consequences. Last week, we focused on FINDING JESUS and this week we will focus on FOLLOWING JESUS. We will find ourselves in Luke 9. We will be focusing on the very end of the chapter in verses 57-62, but before we get there we need to take note of the context of the passage. It is never good to read the Bible without context.

BACKGROUND OF LUKE 9

Luke 9 is a long ‘ol pivotal chapter where Jesus Christ reveals much about His mission and calls His disciples to commitment to Him. He calls them to follow Him all throughout the chapter and especially as the chapter concludes.

In Luke 9:1–6, Jesus empowers His disciples for ministry sending the Twelve to preach the Kingdom and heal. They are to repeat what they have thus far heard Jesus say and they are to heal as they have seen Jesus do. He gives them authority to do this and makes them dependent on God’s provision during this evangelistic effort.

Luke 9:7-27 shows us that the identity of Jesus is becoming evident to people inside His ministry and outside His ministry. King Herod is confused about Jesus' identity and is a bit afraid of Him. Jesus’ disciple Simon Peter confesses that Jesus is “the Christ of God.” Right after this confession of Simon Peter, which is indeed a turning point in Jesus’ ministry; Jesus talks predicts His suffering, death, and resurrection and then moves into the subject of following Him which requires self-denial and sacrifice.

Luke 9:28-43 records for us that Jesus has the authority and power to do all that is needed for our salvation. Jesus is transfigured before some disciples on a mountain top and He reveals His divine glory. God the Son is affirmed by God Father: “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” Jesus then exercises His authority by exorcizing a demon right after coming down the mountain.

We are almost to our focus this morning. Luke 9:43-56 shows that there is still some misunderstanding about Jesus for all is not clear. Jesus again predicts He will die, but the disciples don’t understand. The disciples argue among themselves who will be the greatest in Jesus’ Kingdom which shows how much they do not understand in reality. A whole town even rejects Jesus as He is traveling to Jerusalem. And yet twice in these verses the phrase “He set His face to go to Jerusalem” is mentioned because Jesus was facing God’s will for Him with resolve. Jesus sets out for Jerusalem showing His determination to submit to the will of God and sacrifice Himself for anyone who would believe in Him.