Series- Follow Well
Tag line: Learning how to follow well through Paul’s journey’s!
Questions: The art of following well how well do you follow? Who do you follow Jesus? Do you follow well or cause issues for Jesus? Do you do your own thing and wander off?
Scripture Texts on “Following Well:”
• Lev. 18:4: and be careful to follow my decrees.
• Dt. 5:1: Learn them and be sure to follow them…
• Mt. 16:24: and take up his cross and follow me ----Jesus
• Jn. 8:12: Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness…
• Jn 10:4: His sheep follow him because they know His voice…
• 1 Cor. 11:1: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
• 1 Cor. 14:1: Follow the way of love and eagerly …
• Rev. 14:4: They follow the Lamb wherever he goes…
I Corinthians 10: 31-33: 11:1: 11:2-3:
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
1Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
2I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you. 3Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread…
Thesis: Paul modeled, taught and demonstrated how to follow well after His encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road and through his writings to the Body of Christ. He followed Jesus and he encouraged others to follow his lead. Why? To dominate or control – No – so people would themselves find Jesus. Following well from the Bible means we follow God’s chain of command – it means we follow in Biblical authority and Biblical submission as modeled by Jesus example, and Paul’s example.
Introduction:
Following well is all about taping into the Spirit of Jesus (The Holy Spirit) and seeing how He followed the will and desires of God the Father. He had to say “Yes” to the Father and no His desires. The greatest example is found in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42) “Where he said to God the Father not my will but your will be down!”
Following well was passed onto the Apostle Paul by Jesus on the Damascus Road see Acts 9. When He came out of his encounter with Jesus and stood up from the ground he initially was blind. I thought interesting – then I looked around me in the Prayer room. I saw and recalled the following.
Illustration: When I was International House of Prayer last week I watched a Father lead her daughter around the prayer room repeatedly as he prayed and she prayed for hours as they walked around, then I saw a lady leading a man around the prayer room who also was blind. I thought interesting I am writing this section of my sermon and I cannot say I ever saw a blind person in this place before and here are two them being led around the room as they are praying and walking – could this be an illustration for my sermon from the Holy Spirit? I thought “Is it coincidence in the moment I am reading this passage and am preaching on “Following Well” – I have a few God moments about following well – living examples – what do you think?
As I watched and observed these two blind people, I observed how they had to choose to follow well or they would suffer the consequences. They had to stop when their leader stopped – they had go when the leader went. They had to turn with their leader when he or she turned. Whether to the right or left. I watched this over and over and I said, “The two blind people followed well.” They never tripped over chairs, or ran into others or got lost in the prayer room – they just held onto the arm of the other, stayed in step with them and followed well! Over and over!
I went back and read about Paul on the Damascus road Acts 9:
Acts 9: Saul’s Conversion
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
Paul actually thought that by persecuting and getting Christians killed He was following God’s Will. But in reality, he was in opposition to the God he said he followed. He was not “Following Well!” He was doing his own thing – without the guidance of God! Yet, he thought he was following well! Many are doing the same today! So he becomes blind in his encounter with Jesus – but there is a divine purpose in this blindness – Paul needed to learn to “Follow Well!”
Back to our Scripture Passage:
9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
I would imagine this was scary, frightening for Paul – he had to be led into the city by the others – Paul was use to leading the way – but the problem was he lead people astray not in the right way – but the wrong way – So the Lord choose to blind him to make a point about “Following Well.”
Back to the story:
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Notice Ananias had learned to “Follow Well” when the Lord said go do this he did it – even though he had to battle the fear element of what Saul had been doing to Christians. But he listened – he obeyed – He followed the directive of the Lord in spite of the danger he may be in.
Story continues:
18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
Paul once again “Follows Well” as others lead him out to safety.
The truth is Paul had to choose to follow the ones around him who led him by the hand from the Damascus – then he had to choose to follow the directive of Jesus – the calling of the Lord. He had to believe that God would send someone to pray for him so he could receive his sight again. Ananias had to battle his fear to follow the Lord well. Paul had to follow the whole teaching of Scripture. Paul had to follow his people to escape being killed by the Jews. Trust me you will be tested in “Following Well” in your life and Christian walk. Many spirits and people will try to lead you astray and to follow their wrong way. Your flesh will also try to lead you astray from following Jesus.
Question: “Who do you follow?” “Do you follow well?”
Can I say something that you may not like – “I think it would be good for all of us to be blind for a few days so that we learn to follow well – this reality check could save a lot of us some heartache and pain. It could prevent us from destroying our lives and going the wrong way.
The decision to “Follow well” Or the idea of following the Lord will come in pinnacle moments or times of your life. You have to keep choosing to go the right way! You will be challenged not to follow the ways of the Lord over and over.
Following Well is being willing to step into places were cannot see the path – because it requires faith – trust on our part in Jesus – a deep inner peace that He will never lead us astray.
Following well – what does that mean for you and me! Following well – most people do not want to follow others instead they want to be in the lead. They want to do their own thing – they will even twist Scripture to pave their own way to destruction.
I see today in society a lack of “Following Well” everyone doing their own thing and even thinking they are on the right path.
The first thing Jesus said to his disciples was...follow me. But what does it take - and what must we yield - to be good followers?
Examples from Today:
T.S. -- Paul teaches and models the following character traits of a person who follows well a she learned it from Jesus and the Word.
Following Well – means you do the following according to the Bible and Jesus:
• You learn His Decrees – The teachings of the Bible (Lev. 18:4)
• You obey His Decrees – Do the teachings (Dt. 5:1)
• You pick up your cross – die to yourself daily (Mt. 16:24)
• You learn His voice – so you know the right way (Jn. 10:4)
I. Paul taught that we as followers must learn the truth of Scripture!
a. He did this in alignment with the teaching and command of Lev. 18:4 and other OT passages. Which he learned as a religious teacher.
b. 2 Timothy 2:15: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.”
c. Following Well means we know the Bible!
d. How well do you know your Bible?
II. Paul emphasized in His writings that we must also obey the teachings of Jesus and God’s Word.
a. You are to be doers and to live by the truths of Scripture this is following well:
b. Colossians 2:6-8: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
c. Following well means I do the Word of God in my life!
III. Paul stressed in his writings and teaching that we must deny self like Jesus said too.
a. You are to die to yourself daily by living holy this is following well!
b. Colossians 3:1-25:
i. Set you hearts on things above! Set your minds on things above…
ii. For you died, and your life is now hidden in Christ…
iii. Put to death, therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature…
1. Colossians: 1 emphasizes:
a. Following well means having the right attitude of faith and Love
b. Having love for all the saints.
c. The faith and love that spring from hope stored in Heaven is to be released through our lives
i. Key phrase here: Hope stored up in Heaven! Verse 5
1. We are getting another glimpse of Heaven. Hope speaks through the Word of God.
2. All over the world the Gospel of Hope is producing fruit.
3. Stories of hope in the darkness.
a. When you heard the word of Hope it instilled something in you of more than what you could ever have hoped or dreamed of or brainstormed for.
ii. Are you known for the love of the Spirit.
1. Have others heard about you – are they praying for you.
d. Has God filled you with all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
i. We need the above items in our life to have a life worthy of the Lord and a life that please Him in every way. A life that bears fruit – in good work – a life that grows in the knowledge of God.
ii. These things will strengthen you so you endure – so you can be patient in waiting and laboring in love for others-You are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light – what have you inherited that awaits you in Heaven?
iv. Following well means we have hearts of Thanksgiving and lives rooted prayer Col 1:1-14
v. Following well means we are Following the faith of the faithful Col. 1:15-23
vi. Following well means we are Laboring for the Body of Christ Col. 1:24-29
1. Which means suffering – the theology of suffering.
2. Which means serving the church.
3. Which means presenting the Word to the lost.
a. Christ is in us the hope of the glory
b. Means Teaching with wisdom
c. Laboring in love for the Body of Christian Hills ---Struggling – yearning anguishing over the Body of Christian Hills. So, others may know the mystery of God – Jesus – His love – His forgiveness – His mercy and His grace.
d. In him is hidden treasures far greater than money – than things than – fleshly pleasures.
vii. Paul stressed the truth of Jesus my sheep will know my voice and follow it:
1. Following well means you know the voice of the Lord!
a. Colossians 1:1-12
i. We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love…
ii. You learned it from Epaphras…faithful minister of Christ…
iii. We …asking God to fill you with knowledge of his will through spiritual wisdom and understanding…
iv. We pray this in order you may live a life worthy of the Lord…
2. Do you know Jesus voice?
3. Have you discovered His will for your life?
Conclusion:
Follow Well!
Thoughts from http://blog.christianleadershipalliance.org/2013/11/25/4-reasons-why-following-well-matters/
Some might say, “I don’t care about following well. I want to lead. I want others to follow me well.” Or, “I already know how to follow — been there, done that — I want to improve my leadership now.” Here are some reasons why everyone should care about following well and continuing to grow as a follower throughout life.
1. The best followers are more likely to be the best leaders.
a. The more we understand about following, the better we will be at leading followers. Those best at following well are the ones most able to show others how to follow well.
2. Being a good follower helps us to deal with poor leaders.
a. A courageous follower is not afraid to pull leaders aside and give them straightforward feedback on how to lead better.
3. All of us will always remain a follower.
a. No matter what leadership position we attain in life or how high we climb on the ladder of leadership, we will always be following somebody.
4. How well we follow others offers people quick insight into our character.
a. If someone cannot take direction or avoids accountability, others will spot that shortcoming instantly. When someone is rebellious or indignant under the direction of others, character flaws show through like warning lights. A leader can be haughty and people may not see it clearly.
What do they need to know?
Answer: Following well is rooted in the Bible and made alive by the teachings of Jesus. It’s linked to following Him and His divine plan of authority and submission.
Why do they need to know this?
Answer: To many Christians today do not follow well instead they get deceived and follow the wrong people and way. This deception comes from evil spirits, the culture of this world, and even from their own flesh.
What do they need to do?
Answer: They must follow well by knowing their bibles, by doing the word, by dying to yourself daily and most importantly being able to discern Jesus voice over all the other voices.
Handout – Which Jesus are you following?
Question: Who or what are you following?
