Sermon I Saw Jesus Part 2: Follow Me! {Edited 3/15/2023}
How do we follow Jesus in this day & age?
> In last weeks gosple Luke 12:1 taught us that “A crowd of thousands upon thousands had gathered so that they were crushing each other!” {Common English Study Bible}
< The New English Translation reads for Luke 12:1 Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples:
& New Living Translation says Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them:
= We know from this Scripture & from others that Thousands of people were following Jesus! Why? + What was it about Jesus that caused or inspired Thousands To Seek || Follow || Want to be with Him after Him? ? What was it that made Jesus so Irresistible and Popular?
> It wasn't that He was good looking! ? Jesus is a plain, ordinary looking person ? We know that from Scripture.
< I think every person has their own beauty ? The way God made each person beautiful in their own way!
& That is true for Jesus as well but there is nothing special about His appearance.
= Jesus is not Hollywood beautiful ? God did not make Him exceptionally handsome.
= As Scripture says ? There was nothing in His Appearance that made us attracted to Him! + If I was the head of a marketing department & was looking for a really super handsome man to sell a product ? I wouldn't pick Jesus based on His looks ?
So... Why were Thousands of People following Him?
> I Believe the best answer to that Question is B/c Jesus is filled with Grace & Truth.
< I Believe that many many people saw the Grace that was evident in the person of JC. ^ I don't think Jesus was inclinded to stumble over things ? Or stub his toe! ? or spill His cup.
+ I believe He was in perfect union with God. ? Jesus was Grace in motion with all of the beauty of movement that implies ? & I believe the crowds saw that & followed Him.
= I remember when I was a teacher with Norfolk Public Schools there was a an A-A Teacher who was sort of tall & Not thin or fat just well shaped & very good looking. ? & when she walked down the hallway it was with such Grace that I'd swear she had been to some type of Beauty School. + She walked with such grace & poise it was just stunning ? really impressive! ? She carried herself with dignity & confidence + ? & I believe Jesus was this way as well. ? Not clumsy ? Not rushing ? Not a hectic personality ? But perfectly in sync with His Father & THS & Creation. & people Saw & recognized It & were Amazed by that! = Luke teaches us that Jesus grew in wisdom & grace before God & the people who knew Him!
= Jesus was filled with Grace & Truth. ? People saw the Grace & heard the truth. ^ God's children are still hungry for Truth. ? It was true then & it is still true now.
There is always a ratings battle between Fox News & CNN. = I think this is true B/c most people are seeking out their ow truth or seeking to justify what they already believe is true. + I think it can be a difficult challenge in our day just to get the unfiltered truth about events that truly matter in our time. # But Jesus was & is The Truth ? & So Thousands & Thousands were attracted to Him & followed Him to the point were they were crushing each other. ? Crushing Each Other! ? Now that is being hungry for the Truth.
Jesus was filled with Grace & Truth. ? They Recognized the Grace & they Heard the Truth. > Flowing from His Grace & Being filled with THS came many miracles. ? Many diverse kinds of miracles from casting out demons ? to creative works thru the power of THS ? to the multiplication of food ? & more! Thus, many people followed Jesus for other reasons as well but I think even His Miracles flowed from His Grace & Truth. < The world will never see such a person again until Jesus returns ? Which is not far away anymore. ?
So, How do we follow Jesus Now? ? How do we follow this Invisible Person ? Who Is Jesus Christ? PAUSE
A long time ago ? About 40 years ago ? I was singing in the Choir at Church. It was a Saturday night Service & It was also Advent ? The New Christmas Season. > I enjoyed singing in the choir ? & after church there were
probably about 7 or 8 of us gathered in the parking lot for a brief conversation ? as we still do today! < I remember one person saying “Well, I'm about to go to this Christmas Party... and they went on with that. & then the next person said ? Yes I'm about to go to a Christmas Party too! ? & Then a couple spoke up & said Yes, we are about to go to a Christmas Party too! & I thought... Gee I don't have a Christmas Party to go to ? I think I'll go home! ? My social skills were never the best! = So I went home & probably went to bed about 9 O'Clock which is still often times my bed time. > When I went to bed on this particular night I was praying & asking God to love everyone in the world more than He loved me. ? I was feeling very blessed ? & grateful for all the good things He had done for me! + So... I was praying... I wanted Everyone in the World to know God's love & to know His blessings.... > Looking back, it was an extremely adolescent prayer but that is what I was praying that night about 40 years ago! ? & when I was done praying I rolled over on to my side to go to sleep.
< Suddenly ? In the middle of my being ? In my torso ? I saw Jesus full of Grace. ^ When he moved, it wasn't just graceful movement, ? it was Grace itself moving. + It was like I saw the perfection of Jesus in my spirit. > This aspect of the vision God
gave me was very beautiful. = I saw part of His hair & beard, but He was turning away as if to say "follow me." > This vision wasn't a brief flash of a picture in my mind ? but rather a revelation in my spirit, ? slightly longer lasting, & leaving a lasting impression on my soul. < I remembered this vision clearly for probably 20 years. + I was awestruck by what I saw. ? I said to myself, "I have seen the Lord Christ." ^ Why I said that precise title I still have no idea to this day. # But what I do know and have learned by this is that Jesus is Grace itself. > From that day onward I understood that whatever Jesus decided for me was the best for me. < Whatever Jesus allowed to happen to me would Become the best for me because Grace does not make mistakes. + In the light of this vision it is easier to believe ? All Things will work together for good for those who love God! = This maybe 2 or 3 second vision had a lasting impact on my soul. ? … I remembered it vividly for probably 20 years. > Now that 40 years have gone by ? I still remember having it but it has faded from my memory somewhat. < This vision was mostly beautiful but Jesus was turning & standing up to leave. ? In my heart I had feelings like: ? Don't Go! Where are you going? Why are you leaving? = I was perplexed for quite a while about this! ? & the only biblical solution I could come up with regarding to His rising up to leave is today's text: “Follow Me!” {Matthew 4:19; Matthew 8:22} ?
= Jesus wants us all to follow Him! Amen? “Follow Me” Jesus says over & over again in Scripture ? + This phrase “Follow Me” is 51 times in the 4 Gospels!+ # But despite this great vision ? I did Not follow Jesus very well in that Season of my life. = I was all zeal & no wisdom! ? I was running around hungry for Jesus & wanting to learn more ? # But with little understanding about life & the nature of God & His Word -Or- His plan for my life. = This was about 1983 & I was about 25 years old. > I would go to the local baptist church & hang out with my baptist friends who I loved ? & I would go to the local Pentecostal Church ? & I was still involved with the Catholic Church. > I would go to the Local Charismatic Prayer meeting where the gifts of THS were said to be in operation. < It was at one of those prayer meetings that an old man said to me that God Said He wants you to be a Catholic Priest. ? + Being young & naive & foolish I believed him ? & began to pursue the Catholic Priesthood. ? ^ I became a Fransiscan Friar & did a lot of Good Work but I was Not following Jesus. + It took me 10 years to figure out that that old man was wrong & that he should Not have said those words to me. ^ I followed someone else's will for my life instead of Jesus' + I believed a Lie & followed after it with all of my heart & all of my soul & all of my mind & all of my strength until I AND my life collapsed.
> I was told by my Religious Hierarchy ? “Eddie, you finish your last paper {I was in the Seminary at Seton Hall} ? & we will Ordain you a priest!” # But I was completely empty on the inside & didn't feel like I had anything to say! & All of this pressure of living these vows & never getting married was weighing heavily on my mind. + It all gave me a headache that just wouldn't go away! = So, instead of accepting Ordination I went back home ? I Quickly jumped back into business ? & started my life over ? again! > I was born again & spirit filled & even had this beautiful vision ? But I was Not then following Jesus!
I had chosen the wrong way || path for my life ? & it all fell apart. ? Lord have mercy, my headache would last 10 more years! # But praise God for new beginnings! Amen?
How do we follow Jesus? ? That's not really learned in a day or a month or even a year!
= Next week - In "I Saw Jesus Part 3" - I hope to share some biblical principles to following The Will of God for our lives! May the good Lord continue to bless you & keep you in His peace. Amen and Amen.
