“Follow Me!”

Would you be willing to turn your whole life around and make someone else’s priorities your priorities without even really getting to know everything that you can about the guy that you are following?

Let’s say that you did give up your whole way of life for some guy whose background you never really checked out. Wouldn’t you then at least want to stop and find out exactly what it was, precisely, the he wanted you to do?

Still, at some point, while you’re following this guy (that you don’t really know) and doing things for him that you’re not really sure that you should be doing: Would’nt you maybe want to maybe stop and ask, “Hey! What? Why? Why do I need to do any of this, anyway?”

Think about it, Christian who says that he’s following Christ. Isn’t it possible that getting clear on these three important issues in your life might make you, you know: more effective? Like maybe even give you the kind of great results that those people had in the Bible, back at the beginning, when it all began and was all so right?

Wow! That’s… That’s worth looking into, huh? So yeah, let’s check that out. Let’s try to get a few important answers here, today.

I. Who is this guy, anyway?

Is he…

     A. Man or God?

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17-18)

     B. Dead or alive?

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

     C. Absent or right here every day?

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ Amen.” (Matthew 28:20)

II. Is he talking to you?

Of course he is, but…

     A. Why you?

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

     B. Why not somebody else?

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

     C. How to get out of it being you.

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:14)

III. Why should you want to be a “fisher of men?”

Yes, why?

     A. You’ve got to do something.

“What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.” (Ecclesiastes 1:3-4)

     B. Why not do something else?

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

“And he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’

“But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.”

     C. Why do this?

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Conclusion:

“And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, ‘Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.’

“And he said unto them, ‘How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?’

“And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.“

(Luke 2:48-50)

OUTLINE:

“FOLLOW ME”

“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

1. Who is this guy, anyway?
2. Is he talking to you?
3. Why be a fisher of men?

“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” (Matthew 4:20)