WHAT MUST I DO? FOLLOW CHRIST – PART 2
JOHN 12:24-26
Big Idea: If we are to follow Jesus then we must walk as he walked (1 John 2:6)
John 12:24-26
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
INTRO:
Following has its privileges
In his book None of These Diseases, the Christian medical doctor S. I. McMillen, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she read the question on the application blank that asked, "Are you a leader?" Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, "No," and returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: "Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower."
Sometimes it pays to be a follower. In fact, when it comes to your salvation and spiritual development, being a follower (a Christ-follower) is absolutely essential.
We are asking ourselves “What Must I Do?” and looking at the New Testament for answers. We have discovered that “Whatever God’s Word says I MUST do, God knows I CAN do!” and it is with that confidence that we approach these Biblical charges.
Last week we began looking at John 12:26; “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”
We discovered that following and walking have a lot in common and that if we are to follow Jesus we must walk as he walked. In fact, that is another “MUST” from the New Testament. Listen to 1 John 2:6, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
I gave you three elements of walking like Jesus … of following Jesus last week:
Following Jesus means:
1. We’ll Walk in Newness of Life (Romans 6:4)
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, KJV)
2. We’ll Walk in Holiness (1 John 1:6-7)
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7)
3. We’ll Walk in Love (Ephesians 5:2)
“{A}nd walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2)
Today I would like to offer you a three more characteristics of a Christ-follower … of one who walks as Jesus did.
4. WE’LL WALK BY FAITH
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, KJV)
Some of you have recently taken the Spiritual gift workshop and others (all) of you will be offered the chance in coming days. One of the pleasant discoveries I have made as I review your questionnaires is how many of you have “the gift of faith.” Now faith is something that each believer has but there are some that are given special endowments of it. It expresses itself through a deep abiding conviction that that God is sovereign and in control of your circumstances. It expresses itself in a deep awareness that you are not alone and that gift enriches the body of Christ because your faith becomes contagious and helps those of us who are inclined to look at the circumstances instead of THE SOLUTION (which is nothing less than God’s presence).
I have the gift of administration. One thing about overseeing a church is that you are, in one way or another, always addressing systemic needs and “big picture” problems. That tends to wear on a person; if you are not careful you can lose heart … you can become discouraged and overwhelmed. But, those of you with the gift faith help those like me to walk by faith and not by sight. You help us to walk in confidence that Jesus will build His church and that God is participating in our lives.
You see, “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). As we follow Jesus we will learn to trust God to direct life’s journey.
Landmines
The wars of the past century have left a unique danger in Southeast Asia. Countries like Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines see thousands of the people killed or maimed each year by landmines. In fact, up to 20% of Vietnam alone is still uninhabitable due to these abandoned booby traps. When the landmines were first put in place (during times of war) maps or grids were often made so that they could be negotiated and/or removed but the maps have long since disappeared. There are stories of people getting trapped in landmines and the military bringing in the maps and helping them walk, step by step, out of the landmine to safety. If you were to find yourself in a mine field and did not know where to turn it would take an enormous amount of faith in the one with the map to help you get out.
Truth be told, life is full of landmines. There are so many ways that life can come closing in – it is enough to paralyze some people and it is enough to make the rest of us pause and take a survey of the mine field. I am convinced that there is only one sure fire way to properly navigate life – that is by following Jesus. There are times when Jesus will take us down some rather tumultuous and unpredictable trails. If we are not careful we will look at the dangers and pitfalls of the trail (landmines) rather than the Mighty God we serve. Trusting God and taking the next step is the wisest way to successfully negotiate life.
And that brings me to the next characteristic of one who follows Jesus.
Following Jesus means:
We’ll Walk by Faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)
5. WE’LL WALK IN WISDOM
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. (Colossians. 4:5, KJV)
This verse gives us a clear reason why we are to walk in wisdom. It is our first proclamation of the power of the Gospel. What you are and what you do speak louder than what you say.
In his book, I Almost Missed The Sunset, Bill Gaither writes:
Gloria and I had been married a couple of years. We were teaching school in Alexandria, Indiana, where I had grown up, and we wanted a piece of land where we could build a house. I noticed the parcel south of town where cattle grazed, and I learned it belonged to a 92-year-old retired banker named Mr. Yule. He owned a lot of land in the area, and word was he would sell none of it. He gave the same speech to everyone who inquired: "I promised the farmers they could use it for their cattle."
Gloria and I visited him at the bank. Although he was retired, he spent a couple of hours each morning in his office. He looked at us over the top of his bifocals.
I introduced myself and told him we were interested in a piece of his land. "Not selling," he said pleasantly. "Promised it to a farmer for grazing."
"I know, but we teach school here and thought maybe you'd be interested in selling it to someone planning to settle in the area."
He pursed his lips and stared at me. "What'd you say your name was?"
"Gaither. Bill Gaither."
"Hmmm. Any relation to Grover Gaither?"
"Yes, sir. He was my granddad."
Mr. Yule put down his paper and removed his glasses. "Interesting. Grover Gaither was the best worker I ever had on my farm. Full day's work for a day's pay. So honest. What'd you say you wanted?"
I told him again.
"Let me do some thinking on it, then come back and see me."
I came back within the week, and Mr. Yule told me he had had the property appraised. I held my breath. "How does $3,800 sound? Would that be okay?"
If that was per acre, I would have to come up with nearly $60,000! "
$3,800?" I repeated.
"Yup. Fifteen acres for $3,800."
I knew it had to be worth at least three times that. I readily accepted.
Nearly three decades later, my son and I strolled that beautiful, lush property that had once been pasture land. "Benjy" I said, "you've had this wonderful place to grow up through nothing that you've done, but because of the good name of a great-granddad you never met."
What does your reputation say about you? Like Grover Gaither, it says more about you than the words you speak.
Colossians says to walk in wisdom. In 1 Thessalonians 2:12 it states it another way: “{W}alk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:12, KJV)
Those who follow Jesus will walk in a wise and worthy manner … a manner worthy of associating your name with God’s name.
Walking in a worthy manner leads me to my final element that describes following Jesus.
WRAP-UP
Following Jesus means:
We’ll Walk by Faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)
We’ll Walk in Wisdom (Colossians 4:5)
Following Jesus means:
6. WE’LL WALK IN THE FEAR OF THE LORD
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied. (Acts 9:31, RSV)
Do you remember the book I referenced a few minutes ago? It was Dr. Millen’s None of These Diseases. In it he says this: "If Christians would practice such Biblical admonitions as fasting and disciplining of bodily desires, perhaps we wouldn't have so many ‘chocolate soldiers’ who melt down when they have to undergo the hot and fierce experiences of unexpected sorrow, desertion by a mate, or financial losses."
Those are strong words I know; but they ring true. On too many occasions we fear man or events more than we fear God and we melt under stress or temptation. Yet the fear of the lord is a common characteristic of those who follow Jesus and that changes us.
I have spoken to you on many occasions about the fear of the Lord. When I preached through the Revelation, Hebrews, and 1 Cor. 13 I addressed it (in each case). Hebrews 9:28 defines the fear of the Lord as “reverence and awe.”
We must never begin to think that following Christ is a casual thing. We must never think it is a “take it or leave it” proposition or that it can be on again and off again. Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 9:29) and we must remember that following Jesus comes with responsibility and accountability as much as privilege and blessing.
• The fear of the lord produces obedience
• The fear of the Lord produces sobriety
The Judgment Seat of Christ
One time many years ago, the king of Hungary found himself depressed and unhappy. He sent for his brother, a good-natured but rather indifferent prince. The king said to him, "I am a great sinner; I fear to meet God." But the prince only laughed at him. This didn't help the king's disposition any. Though he was a believer, the king had gotten a glimpse of his guilt for the way he'd been living lately, and he seriously wanted help.
In those days it was customary if the executioner sounded a trumpet before a man's door at any hour, it was a signal that he was to be led to his execution. The king sent the executioner in the dead of night to sound the fateful blast at his brother's door. The prince realized with horror what was happening. He stepped to the door and was seized by the executioner, and dragged pale and trembling into the king's presence. In an agony of terror he fell on his knees before his brother and begged to know how he had offended him. "My brother," answered the king, "if the sight of a human executioner is so terrible to you, shall not I, having grievously offended God, fear to be brought before the judgment seat of Christ?"
I sometimes I tremble Christian lifestyles that make Jesus sound like my buddy; like I can slap him on the back, kick back a cold one with him, and tell him he dresses funny. When we follow Jesus there is a sense of holy reverence and submission that accompanies the relationship.
Our God is a consuming fire.
To paraphrase “The Chronicles of Narnia,” God is good but He is not safe. He is to be feared with reverence and awe.
So, you now have six characteristics of those who follow Christ … those who walk with Him.
1. We’ll Walk in Newness of Life (Romans 6:4)
2. We’ll Walk in Holiness (1 John 1:6-7)
3. We’ll Walk in Love (Ephesians 5:2)
4. We’ll Walk by Faith (2 Corinthians 5:7)
5. We’ll Walk in Wisdom (Colossians 4:5)
6. We’ll Walk in the Fear of the Lord (Acts 9:31)
Do these traits describe you? If you are following Jesus they do.
Keep in mind, it is possible for us to “stray.”
It is possible for us to neglect our walk and when we do these six characteristics begin to wane. I want to encourage you today to take inventory of your life and see whether you are “walking worthy of God.”
Because … “Whatever God’s Word says I MUST do, God knows I CAN do!”
Proverbs 4:26 says, “Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm.”
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This sermon is provided by Dr. Kenneth Pell
Potsdam Church of the Nazarene
Potsdam, New York
www.potsdam-naz.org
