Intro: Vince Lombardi Head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1959-1967. What was it that Lombardi did to spur his team on to greatness? He got back to basics. What is the famous quote from Vince Lombardi? “This is a football.”
From the condition of churches around the United States and AR, and even here in Carlisle, and Immanuel itself it seems some of the basics of what it means to be a Christ follower have been lost.
The book of Acts is the History of the early church. Luke the Dr and historian was led there was a need first in the Gospel of Luke to write and orderly account of what the eye witnesses saw that Jesus said and did.
Then he set about in the book of Acts to show how the early church was empowered by the Holy Spirit and engaged the known world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
There is a very interesting statement made in Acts 11.26 “They were first called Christians at Antioch.”
What do you mean first called Christians? You mean Christian was not the first name used of those that believed in Jesus? Do you mean it is possible that they were called something different?
Yes! We have got to get to the point in our walk and relationship with Jesus Christ that we read the Bible and ask questions of it!
The reason we are asking the question what were the followers of Jesus called before Christian is delve deeper into what it means to be a Christ follower. Christian is packed with so much baggage. The crusades, the inquisition, the intolerant, etc, etc. . .
I. A Christian is one who believes in Jesus Christ
John 20.31 “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Confidence in the Lord
Confidence in Jesus being who he said he was. Not arrogance but confidence. The disciples were confident, they were persuaded that Jesus was God and that he was crucified and raised from the dead. They were confident that Jesus was their connection to God. As a believer in Jesus Christ I realize that I can do nothing to get to God. It is by His grace that I am saved and sealed until the day of redemption.
What do you have in your life that shows you are confident in Jesus and your need for His saving Grace? Does your prayer life look as though you’re confident in Him. Does you financial life look as though you are confident in Him. Does you thought life look as though you are confident in Him. Does you speaking life show you are confident in Him. Does your working life show you are confident in Him.
I hate to have to keep telling you this but it is so true. Does you belief affect your behavior?! Does you trust and confidence in Jesus change the way you view the world. Does your trust and confidence affect they way you make your decisions.
Has your confidence in the person, work, and words of Jesus made you a share in His life?
How can we know if we have confidence in Jesus? Examine His words and see. What are some things He tells us not to do? Don’t worry, don’t be anxious, don’t fear, these are results of depending or having confidence in ourselves. We will continue to struggle with anxiety, fear, worry, etc most of our life but saving faith produces confidence in Christ.
II. A Christian is one who follows Jesus Christ
They were first called Christians at Antioch.
Mark 1.17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
Jesus may change your profession
Mark 2.14 As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.
Mark 8.34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny, himself, and take up his cross and follow me.”
Jesus will changes you passion
Mark 10.31 “Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
What does this Greek word mean literally? Well I hate to burst your bubble but it means come here! Follow Me! With everything that is in Church Media, that is offered in conferences for pastors, and churches that say do this and you ministry will grow, do that and you will be successful what really matters is that we follow Christ!
We will never be successful living off the faith of others. What we must realize that Jesus is calling us to a personal walk. Follow Me! Come and take a dangerous step. Come and take a chance. Lend me your ear and hear the soft whisper of my voice. Hear the dangerous plans I have for you. Wonder at the power that comes from merely being obedient to Follow Me!
Kierkegaard once said “To become an ‘admirer of Jesus’ is much easier than to become a follower.” You can admire from a distance and be relatively unaffected – but followers have their lives turned upside down. If the gospel doesn’t turn our life upside down then we need to ask why?
Are you an admirer or a follower? Why follow Jesus, because it was what we were made for. Because in Him is the life that God intended for us to have. Following Jesus is a journey and adventure. The hard part is remembering that He says follow Me!” Jesus calls us to a drastically different way of life. Is it possible that there are so many things in our life that we do not hear His voice saying Follow Me!”
Remember He is the good shepherd. He leads us beside still waters, He leads us to green pastures. If we follow Jesus we have what we need! His rod and staff comfort us. He gives us clear direction for where we need to go and clear discipline to protect us from bad decisions and wrong paths in life. I must say again, if the gospel hasn’t turned your life upside down why? Are you really following Jesus?
III. A Christian is one who learns from Jesus Christ
Matthew 11.29 “learn from Me”
Learn from me is preceeded by two commands from Jesus.
First He says come to me. This is the call to faith, come to me. This is in complete contrast to what the Pharisees of his day would say, do! Jesus says come. His is an invitation theirs obligation. Remember Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished,” Done!
The come to Jesus is a call to depend on Him, believe in Him, place your confidence in Him.
“Take” is the second command that proceeds learn. This is the deeper experience of the Christ follower. This is the follow me portion. This is deep surrender and obedience to God’s will for our life. Some places God’s will is clear, rejoice always, pray without ceasing, etc. But some require journeying with Jesus. Follow Me! Take a journey where you will make mistakes, where you will have some pain, but through it you will discover that Jesus’ yoke is light.
To take a yoke in Jesus’ time meant to become a disciple or follower. Take my yoke it is easy, more appropriately it is translated “well-fitting.” When we are connected or yoked to Christ we have the power to do His will in this we find true rest.
Finally “Learn” The first two are clear commands, this is a process. As we depend and follow God invites us into an amazing process of discovery.
As we learn more of the person of Jesus we trust more in the promises of Jesus. Life is truly simplified and connected completely in the Jesus’ person.
There is no shortcut in this process there is not enough books we can read. There are not enough classes we can take. We must respond to His call believe, follow, learn.
Conclusion: That is what it truly means to be a Christian. Christianity is not a box of rocks it is life based on the Rock. Be confident in His power to forgive your sin and connect you forever to God, be willing to follow Him in a journey that is will turn your life upside down, be teachable as you learn from the master of life what living truly is
