In Pursuit: The Jesus Walk: Sermon#2 Watching the steps We take.
Read Matt 16:23-25.
Intro:
Last week we began the series “In Pursuit: The Jesus Walk” By introducing ourselves to these 3 questions.
A. Who Are We?
B. Who Are We Following?
C. Who Are We To Follow?
From these questions we hopefully have gained the understanding that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ the Son of God! To say we are a follower says we are actively pursuing Jesus-were seeking to take the Steps He took! The first step in following Jesus as we discovered last week is to recognize that we need to follow who we say we are following! Theres a big differnce between saying you are following Christ And actually following Him.
Pursuing Jesus and seeking to walk the Jesus walk brings us to our 2nd message “Watching the Steps we take”. Its one thing to follow Christ and it is another thing to be stepping where He steps.
In preparing this message and looking at the recently fallen snow I began thinking back a couple of years ago when we were living in the North. I had to get into the shed in the back of the house. But each step I took I ended up in snow up past my knees, and each step I took it was hard to walk. And I kept falling over. Finally I was able to grab a shovel and was able to make a path. And then the walking became much easier. The reason why this picture came to my mind as I was preparing this message is because a follower of Christ is careful to be in the way with Christ not in the way of Christ. A follower of Christ is careful to watch the steps Christ takes and endeavours to walk in those places . A follower of Christ is careful to stay on the path Christ makes. A follower of Christ is careful not to get ahead of Jesus and get in the way of what Jesus is trying to do, but instead find the place where Christ has prepared for us to serve. To be a follower of Christ means that Christ is the centre of our lives as well as all our experiences in life.
Our Solar system Shows us what it is to follow Christ.
Primarly our solar system consists of the sun and 9 other planets with the sun being at the centre. The sun holds the solare system together by a force causing the planets to revolve around it. The sun dominates the gravitational field as it makes up 99% of the solar systems mass.
Joseph Stowell says: There is always something at the centre that defines and directs everything else that moves around it As the sun is to ur solar system, so the SON should be to our existence.
What is the centre of your life to which everything else revolves around? Jesus ,Career, Family, money, goals, friends, self? Is Christ the gravitational pull in your life? Is He pulling you closer to Himself?
Questions often probe our minds and hearts more so than the theological answers we often give to explain away the questions. So lets ask ourselves this morning,” Are we in the way with Christ or in the way of Christ?
1. Are You In the Way With Christ?(Stepping Where He steps. Luke 5:27-28.
Jesdus said to Levi (Mathew) Follow Me The Bible says that Levi,left all and followed Him. Matt Abandoned(To Forsake) his business to follow Jesus which means he left everything to be in the same way -to embrace personally all that Jesus is about. Today mentoring is about as close as we come to understanding what it is to be in the way with Christ. A mentor is a trusted friend or counsellor, who helps to guide and direct your life by giving practicle teaching and wise counsel. For the most part mentoring is a lost art and we suffer because of it. In the setting in New Testament times it was not un common for a man to attach himself to a Rabbi (teacher). The attachemnent was radical in nature because the one who wanted to follow literally gave up everything . The purpose for such an attachment was four fold.
1. To Know God And His Ways.
2. Too understand God and His Rightousness as revealed through the Law.
3. To replicate the ways of God in his own life.
4. To please God.
When one followed a Rabbi he was committing himself to do certain things.
A. He would stay with the rabbi all day long so as to watch him and learn from him.
B. He would serve the Rabbi in that he was willing to do whatever the Rabbi Asked of Him.
C. He would surrender his will to the rabbi . He was Through doing His own thing.
We find this so radical and un-orthodox in nature, because we have been taught the exact opposite. We are taught to follow no one,be yourself (self serving) and surrender to no one for that is a sign of weakness. Christ is not merely to be a mentore to ur lives, He is the Way we are to be in,the Truth we are to be about, And the Life we are to be living His call to us to follow Him is to make Him the centre of our lives that passionate pursuiit to which everything else in our lives revolves around. AS the centre of our lives He establishes all that we are about and hope to be.
If Jesus were to look over His shoulder, would He see you and Me following Him? In all measures of our lives? Finances, relationships, career, church? Are we on the path with Him? Are we staying with Him or straying From Him? Serving Him or serving Self? Surrendering to Him or fighting against Him? You see when you follow yourself you will end up in snow trhats over your head and clawing for each step. Jesus is looking at you this morning and is saying “Come follow me”, step in my steps!! When Jesus called to Matt Peter Andrew, James and John to follow Him He was Asking them to abandon everything about their lives and to embrace Hinm as the way for their lives. They understood and left to follow Do you understand? Are you in the way With Christ?
2. Or Are you In the Way Of Christ?( Getting ahead of what Jesus is doing? Matt 16:23-25.
It is important for followers of Christ to make sure they don’t get ahead of where He is leading them. Its important that they step in the steps He is making and go to the places He puts them.
J Stowel says:” We are quite happy to relate to Him, accept His liberation from Hell, praise Him, find comfort, solace, and Joy in Him and be intrigued by Him. But few are bent toward following Him un-conditionally“.
Peter had just made a brilliant God given confession as to who Jesus was (Matt 16:16)But quickly found himself hindering the Work of Christ a Few moments later. There is a strong spiritual lesson here for all of us Yes, we belive in Jesus and may be fully aware of who He is … but are we in the way of allowing Him to accomplish His work in our lives? Do our thoughts, careers, relationships, finances, words, actions,and so much more get in the way of following Jesus? following Jesus means giving up our lives and in doing so we truly find life. The way it was originally designed. Thats why Jesus said (Luke 9:23-24.) Whatever designation we want to tag ourselves with be it Christians, believers, Pentecostals, disciples or followers-our position is clearly defined with the Words of Christ…”Get behind me” That is the natural position of a follower.
we must not be so hard on Peter , for all of us at times are too mindful of the things of man rather than the things of God. We all have trouble keeping up with Jesus as we are so easily distracted to look here and there , even with Good intentions ,as Peter had. We say Hey I just want to contribute I just want to help, and Jesus answers That’s Great!! But you are in the way of what I am doing-go to the place I have prepared over here for you and follow me! Our fellowship is to tbe the denial of self thus putting to death those selfish desires that lead us astray and then getting behind Jesus so as to radically follow Him Wherever He leads us!!
Concl:
What is the singular passionate pursuit of your life? What charectarizes your daily life? Who are what does your life revolve around? Yuou need to find the answers to these questions for in doing so you will see if you are in the way, or in the Way!! Will your testimony be….. So He(She) left all, rose up, and followed Him.
