Sept. 7 Follow Me
Christians by and large are dull and boring. Jesus would never call us to a mediocre life.
The american dream is not the same as the life Jesus calls us to live - a reasonable life.
What’s Reasonable?
Is it reasonable to work 45 years at a job you hate so you can buy stuff you can’t keep?
Is your life deeply satisfying? Do you wake with eager expectation?
Are you really making a difference? No one cares how many things you do!
What God asks is "Are you doing the right things?"
Is the life you are living leaving an impact - making a legacy.
The reasonable life Christ calls us to live begins with moving from success to significance.
A reasonable person knows the difference between valuables and what is of value.
An unreasonable life may seem to be fast paced and full - but it is going nowhere.
How do you close your day? Is it restful, peaceful reflection of a day well spent?
Is it filled with regret and confusion, wondering if you did what matters most, worrying about what remains undone. Multiply nights like those by 10,000 and you have a wasted life.
Evening and morning - that was the rhythm of the ancient Hebrews.
One day begins in the evening with reflection and rest in the Lord.
Every night you’ll look forward to the next morning.
What’s God got planned for tomorrow? You’ll find out then.
Imagine a church where church means people in community and more time talent and energy is spent on insuring spiritual well-being than the upkeep of the facilities
Whatever happened to the church? - It turned into Religion
Religion is about physical location, it’s territorial, all about turf and brick and mortar, budgets and job descriptions - programs and denominations, rules and boundaries. People care more about degrees and credentials than about effective ministry. Religion is about pretending. Its about being nice people
I Challenge you to renounce Religion - do spring cleaning - become disciples wholehearted Christ followers.
Christianity is about life and death issues, about mission, about spiritual yearnings, its about growing people, putting down roots, networking with others. Christianity is about admitting that I am lost without Christ, that I need to be saved, I can’t figure life out all on my own. It is about connecting directly with God - not through others but in person. Faith is dynamic and scarry - not to be defended but to be delivered!
The gospel is not a program or a bunch of rules but the outrageous claims of love made by a God who is willing to personally pay the price for all of my sin - just to have me back home again.
Most of you have barely tasted this kind of life - this reasonable - normal - exciting and thrilling Christian life.
Weeks go by for most of you without experinecing genuine community.
Most of you don’t know a single soul let alone an entire community of people who love you so deeply that they would take a bullet for you. Many of you are more preoccupied on advancing your career, thinking about that next home or job or relationship than you are on following Christ. How can we change that?
Two words that can drastically alter your life - FOLLOW ME
You will follow someone -
Mike Yanconelli’s dream of following after Jesus then hears Him turn and look in his direction and say "Follow Me" - "Not you the guy behind you."
Follow only the guide who’s been where you want to go
If you’re lost - who you follow makes all the difference in the world (Donner party followed the trail book of a man who never walked the trail himself
If you’re a novice - inexperienced learn from the best - attach yourself to Jesus
If your serious about makeing spiritual progress - invest at least as much effort as you would in your favorite hobby.
The call begins with two words - listen for them. (have people say them)
MT 4:18 One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers. They were Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake. They were fishermen. 19 "Come. Follow me," Jesus said. "I will make you fishers of people." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers. They were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. As they were preparing their nets, Jesus called out to them. 22 Right away they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.
MT 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew. He was sitting at the tax collector’s booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him. Matthew got up and followed him.
JN 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."
Following is Simple - but that doesn’t mean it is easy
It Costs to Follow Jesus
JN 12:25 "Anyone who loves his life will lose it. But anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it and have eternal life. 26 Anyone who serves me must follow me. And where I am, my servant will also be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
MT 10:34 "Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I didn’t come to bring peace. I came to bring a sword. 35 I have come to turn "’sons against their fathers. Daughters will refuse to obey their mothers.
Daughters-in-law will be against their mothers-in-law. 36 A man’s enemies will be the members of his own family.’ 37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And anyone who does not pick up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 If anyone finds his life, he will lose it. If anyone loses his life because of me, he will find it.
MT 16:24-26 Then Jesus spoke to his disciples. He said, "If anyone wants to follow me, he must say no to himself. He must pick up his cross and follow me. 25 If he wants to save his life, he will lose it. But if he loses his life for me, he will find it. 26 "What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what can anyone trade for his soul?
MT 8:18 Jesus saw the crowd around him. So he gave his disciples orders to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. 19 Then a teacher of the law came to him. He said, "Teacher, I will follow you no matter where you go."
20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes. Birds of the air have nests. But the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
21 Another follower said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me. Let the dead bury their own dead."
Does this mean life is boring and Predictable
Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Jesus got into a boat. His disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a terrible storm came up on the lake. The waves crashed over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up. They said, "Lord! Save us! We’re going to drown!" 26 He replied, "Your faith is so small! Why are you so afraid?" Then Jesus got up and ordered the winds and the waves to stop. It became completely calm. 27 The disciples were amazed. They asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" - Does this sound boring to you?
Follow Christ whole-heartedly - What does that look like?
It is a messy Business - Messiness is the workshop of authentic spirituality
What does Spirituality look like?Micky Mouse Spirituality
Pretending Everything’s OK, no problems - marriage Is perfect, don’t admit to specific sins Lots of pretend relationships
Finished Myth of fixing ourselves - Self made man
Competence world and church cares too much about getting our act together look professional
Complacency Contented with your relationship with God God is an add on or plug in not the main app. Your thoughts turn to Him occasionally Usually when you are uncomfortable
Messy Authentic Spirituality
Unpretending
We aren’t OK Good days and bad days.
Peter - You are the Christ - Get behind me
Unfinished
Incomplete, imperfect, in process
Under construction
When will I be finished?
Incompetence
Jesus more interested in desire than
Competence
Desperateness These are the people in the Bible They get to see - hear - touch God Plain Mary - short leg - last picked Daniel Taylor
Get Right or get left
Use the questions in your bulletin for reflection -
Go out to lunch with someone to talk about them
Talk with your spouse about them
Just do it!
