PROV. 28:25 “FAT CHRISTIANS IN 2005”
A) One of the things that we may have gotten over the holidays is an unwanted possession (Fat)!
* New Year’s Eve often brings resolutions concerning diets and determination to lose pounds.
* But tonight, I want to say that we need to be FAT Christians in 2005!
* Note: Psa. 92:13-14 and Pro. 28:25
* I am not talking about being fat physically, although many of us are dealing with that problem as
well ... I am talking about our growth in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
B) It is not a matter of our genetics or our education!
* It should not be evaluated on the basis of how “good” we are or how much we’ve kept from
certain sins! * Jesus selected His disciples and related to them on the basis of their attitudes.
* God wants us to be FAT Christians in 2005! * Acrostic with the word FAT .......
(1) “F” IS FOR FAITHFUL! * Faithful: Allegiance to duty or a person; loyalty.
A) A Disciple Loves The Person Christ!
* The men and women that followed Christ enjoyed His company!
* They were loyal to Him and wanted to be like Him.
* John 14:21 “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
B) The religious leaders liked His teaching, but they hated Jesus, the person!
* The multitudes liked what He gave them, but they had no desire to learn to be like Him!
* A true disciple wants Jesus ... He follows from the heart, not from duty!
* He wants internal changes in his character so he can know God better and serve Him more
effectively. * Are we faithful to God? * Is He at the center of our lives?
* Prov. 28:20 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich
shall not be innocent.”
* 1 Cor. 4:2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”
C) God wants us to be faithful to Him in all things ... He requires that out of all of us!
* Shouldn’t you love Jesus enough to be faithful to Him?
* What if He was as faithful to you as you are faithful to Him?
(2) “A” IS FOR AVAILABLE!
A) A disciple pays a price to serve Christ! * Don’t think that it’s not gonna cost you nothing .......
* A disciple of Christ sacrifices personal agendas (e.g., business, hobbies, family, his very life’s
desires) to be around those who are like Christ!
* He counts the cost of following Christ, and pays it as the need arises. * Note: Matt. 10:37-38
* The meaning of these words is clear to those of us who will allow the Spirit to teach us!
B) Jesus is not advocating that one hate his father or mother, or not love his father or mother ...
* But He is saying that He must be loved supremely, above all others!
* We cannot allow our love for our parents or our children to be stronger than our love for Jesus!
* If we are not willing to leave father and mother, home, relatives, houses and lands for His sake,
then we are not worthy of Him and we are certainly not His disciples!
* The phrase “not worthy of Me,” means that such a person is not fit to be called a child of God or
a disciple of Jesus ... Such a person is not a true born again believer! * v.38 ...
C) Occasional involvement in church programs will not produce real change in character!
* Change comes from rubbing shoulders with those who have become more like Jesus!
* Such opportunities are valuable and rare ... They require sacrifices to take advantage of them!
* When there’s a choice between our will and God’s will ... God’s way, and being with God’s
people ... How far are we willing to go? * God wants us to be available to Him at all times!
D) Jesus wants us to take up our cross and follow Him ... And at times that cross gets heavy!
* Rom. 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the ... present (yield) your bodies a living ...”
* Are you making yourself available for Jesus to use at all times?
(3) “T” IS FOR TEACHABLE! * Don’t ever become unteachable!
A) A disciple submits to Christ’s training process!
* God uses challenging circumstances and truth from His Word to make us and mold in us Christ-
like character! * Luke 6:40 .......
* “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.”
* “A student is not greater than his teacher. But the student who works hard will become like the
teacher.” * Is there anybody here tonight that don’t want to become more like Jesus?
* How do we do it? * By being teachable and submitting to the Lord’s training process!
B) The true disciple is open regarding his lack of knowledge, skills, and character!
* He wants challenges that will help him reach his goal!
* He is willing to let go of his own way of dealing with things, his own ideas, in order to develop
new convictions! * I ask you tonight ... Do we have anything to learn from Christ?
* Let’s determine to remain teachable!
CLOSE:
A) God wants us to be FAT Christians! * Faithful ... Available ... and Teachable!
* Just how faithful are you? * To Christ? * To Church? * To the Bible? * To prayer?
* What are you teaching others ... Especially your children?
* How important is Christ to them? * The church ... The Bible ... Prayer?
B) They are going to be what you teach them to be!
* If you’ll fall in love with Jesus, you’ll do what’s right!
