What Does Jesus Expect From Us If We Claim To Truly Follow Him?

We have talked a lot about how when we become Christians that we are called to do things

• We talked last week about the church

• Its importance (Unity, Meeting together, The Importance of coming each week, The importance of putting Church First)

• But is this all that we as Christians are supposed to do?

• What does it mean to follow God’s will, and how do we apply this to our Lives?

• What does Jesus expect from us if we claim to truly follow Him?

• So today we are going to try and discuss these questions and see what scripture tells us.

• By looking at 7 key areas:

1.First we see that an Action required

Lk 6:46 “So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me?

Lk 6:47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then obeys me.

Lk 6:48 It is like a person who builds a house on a strong foundation laid upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm because it is well built.

Lk 6:49 But anyone who listens and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will crumble into a heap of ruins.”

Here we see that Jesus is placing the emphasis on doing

• He say that it doesn’t do any good to refer to Him as Lord and not follow His instructions

• By following His instructions it is the same as building the house on a solid foundation.

• It gives us Roots / Strength / It grounds us against the Wind and Waves The Struggles that we face in life.

• So while the most important thing we can do in our lives is to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord,

• His own words tell us it’s just as important to live our lives according to His teachings, which He said came from the Father (John 7:16).

2. Second we see that we are to Worship in spirit and truth

When was talking with the Samaritan woman by the well, Jesus directed worship toward God the Father, by saying

Jn 4:23 But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way.

These words were and are very similar to what Joshua said in the Old Testament near the end of his life in the Promised Land.

Jos 24:14 “So honor the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone.

He was reminding Israel and us that they were to “fear the Lord, / serve Him in sincerity and in truth.”

• We see that in both the Old Testament and the New that Truth and Sincerity are both key elements in true worship of God.

• Just any form of belief and worship won't do.

• It must be sincere as well as biblically accurate.

3. Third we see that Church attendance is important

God expects us to show up when He commands a meeting,

• And He does this every Sunday (The Sabath)

Lev 23:3 You may work for six days each week, but on the seventh day all work must come to a complete stop. It is the Lord’s Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day to assemble for worship. It must be observed wherever you live.

God said the Sabbath is a holy, commanded assembly (convocation) where attendance by His people is required (Leviticus 23:3).

• How seriously we take this command says a lot about how sincere we are in our worship.

In Luke 4:16 we’re told that When (Jesus) he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures.

This was Jesus' custom (His regular practice) to gather in the synagogue every Sabbath to appear before God.

• In Acts 18:4 we see that Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike.

4. Fourth we see that we are called to Regular prayer and study

While Jesus was on Earth we see that He was a praying man

• As we read through the Gospels we find numerous passages that mention His going off by Himself to pray.

• And He expects His followers to imitate His example.

• In Matthew 6:6 as part of the the Sermon on the Mount, He said “when” you pray—not “if” you pray