Intro: I love reading the Bible in story form. Taking each story, paragraph by paragraph, and trying to put myself in the scenes. I have always loved to read the Word of God like I am actually there, to try to soak up the entire experience of every event. That may not be theologically gratifying to some, but it makes scripture come alive for me. Our story today takes place as Jesus is walking by the sea of Galilee, he spots Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net into the water to catch some fish, he said to them, "follow me and I will make you fishers of men." They immediately drop everything and follow him. Can you believe it, leaving everything behind just to follow Jesus. A little later he sees James and John, the sons of Zebedee, mending nets, he calls to them and they immediately leave everything and follow Jesus. As they follow Jesus, he begins to teach, preach, heal the sick, talk about the kingdom, cast out devils, heal people in their minds who are lunaticks, this goes from Galilee to Decapolis, and Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond Jordan. Witnessing all of this you ask the simple question, “ Why Do People Follow Jesus.”
Matthew 4:17-25
I guess anyone could get a few guys to follow them around promising to do great things in them and for them. But Jesus had this effect on the multitudes. For 3 more years the story was the same, Jesus shows up, the multitudes follow. But why did people follow him, and why 2000 years later do people still follow him, share his message, die as martyrs for him, give their lives for this one man. I guess that is the gospel, I guess it comes out in scriptures that we will use today. The reason people follow Jesus:
a. they hear things they have never heard before
b. they see things they have never seen before
c. they do things they have never done before
d. they go places they have never gone before
I. They hear things they have never heard before: Matthew 7:28-29 (when Jesus ended his sermon, the people were astonished at his doctrine,(or words), for he taught with authority, not like the other religious teachers.
Today that is why I follow Jesus, because of His Word. I know some who have turned following Jesus into a chase for an emotional high, a feel good experience, but I have learned that my emotions can be up and down, sometimes the top of the mountain, other times the bottom of the barrel. That is where the Word comes in, it causes me to be like a tree planted by moving waters, and I can say, I shall not be moved.
When I hear the gospel, when the Word becomes flesh and I behold His glory, I say with Peter, where could I go but to the Lord. You have the words of life. You are the way, the truth, the life, there is no way to God except by you. If I have a question, He is the answer. If I have a problem, He is the solution. I could read a million novels, I could read about all the great leaders and all the history of the world, but I follow Jesus because I am going to hear things I have never heard before, for instance, “ with men this is impossible, but with God nothing is impossible.” I need to know that, when I face something that seems impossible for me, I need to hear Jesus say, don’t worry about tomorrow, God is taking care of everything else in this world, surely He will take care of you. He isn’t like the great minds of this world giving me a theory on things, but He is from above, giving me the truth that will set me free.
II. They See Things They Have Never Seen Before:
Mark 2:12–insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God saying, we have never seen anything like this before. That is why people followed Him then, that is why I follow Him now, I have seen things I never have seen before. Like the times I have seen someone that the world had given up on, said there was no hope for them at all, but they surrendered their life to Jesus, and they were never the same. They didn’t get a rehabilitation, they got a brand new life, they became a brand new person. The more you follow Jesus, the more you see. You see a marriage about to fall apart, Jesus comes in and makes it a happy home. You see someone who can’t kick a habit, but after Jesus touches them, they never touch the stuff again. With Jesus it is a total transformation,not just a make-over. I have seen Jesus make things new, and turn sorrow into joy. I guess it is like John wrote at the end of his gospel, if every miracle Jesus did were to be written down, there wouldn’t be a big enough library to contain it all. I follow Jesus because I have seen some things I have never seen before.
III. They Do Things They Have Never Done Before–Luke 10:17-20–if you walk with Jesus long enough, not only will you hear some things, and see some things, but you will do some things that you have never done before. They rejoiced that His power was their power and through His name there was nothing impossible. It is very exciting when you go from catching fish to catching men, it is exciting when you go from collecting taxes to collecting souls. If you spend enough time with Jesus, His walk will become your walk, His life will become your life, and His power will become your power. The first time I ever preached I had 15 pages of notes and could only preach 15 minutes. I thought there is no way I could ever preach, especially 3 times a week for 21 years. But when you spend time with Jesus, His Word becomes your Word, when He touches you, you will never be the same. Just ask Saul who was out to destroy Jesus, but after he met Jesus on an old dusty road, he began to preach Jesus, his testimony was so powerful that people said, he preaches the gospel he was at one time trying to destroy, and they glorified God because of him.
If you walk with Jesus you might find yourself walking on water, raising the dead, doing things the world is saying can’t be done. Religion can become a rut, but following Jesus will always be lifes greatest adventure.
IV. They Go Places They Have Never Gone Before:
Mark 9:2-9 Jesus takes Peter, James and John up into a mountain and there reveals to them His glory. In verse 5 Peter says, what everyone says when Jesus takes you to that place you have never been before, “ Master, it is good for us to be here.” That is why people follow Jesus, He takes you to places you have never been before. One place he takes you to is an old rugged cross, and let’s you know the blood on that cross can wash all of your sins away. You can be white as snow in the sight of God. He takes you by an empty tomb, and let’s you know, no grave is going to keep your body down. He takes you into His glory, where you know the presence of God, and you shout out, it is good for me to be here. He calls people to take his message all over the world, and because they love Him so much, and know His gospel is so important, they give their lives sharing Christ to the nations. He causes insignificant people like a lady at a well, to win her city for God, he takes a widow’s small offering and declares before the world, she has given more, because she has given her all. The reason people follow Jesus, the reason I follow Jesus, he takes you from sin to salvation, from darkness to light, from error to truth, and from death unto life. When you follow Jesus it doesn’t matter where you have been, but where he will take you too. He says, I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go I will return, that where I am, you will be also. So today, everyone who walks with Jesus are pilgrims and strangers to this world, for we are looking for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Close: why do people follow Jesus, because they hear things they have never heard before, they see things they have never seen before, the do things they have never done before, and they go places they have never gone before.
No matter what you go through, no matter what the cost, no matter what the obstacle, following Jesus is the best life. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Years ago they sang that old song, I can see the lights of home. And for all those following Jesus the good news just keeps getting better, and sweeter, we are nearer now than we have ever been before.
Some people have walked away, others have given up, but like an old saint told me years ago, I have come to far to turn back now. When the religious world examined the early disciples, and realized they were ordinary men with an extra ordinary ministry, they took note that they had been with Jesus. Who are you following today. Always remember, the one you follow most will be the one you will become--who do you see in the reflection of your soul.
If this message touched your life, follow Jesus with all your might, with all your strength, and will all your soul.
