Mat 4:12-23 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into

Galilee; (13) And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: (14) That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, (15) The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; (16) The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. (17) From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (18) And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (19) And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. (21) And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. (22) And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. (23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Topic: Pursuit of His Purpose Following Jesus

Introduction: What on Earth am I on Earth For? What is our purpose as Christians?

What has God planned for us to focus on - to make our lives meaningful. We all know that - in order to find out the purpose of a thing - you go to the manufacturer not to the thing? You do not ask the thing to tell you what its purpose is for? You look up the manufacturer s manual the one who made it? How is it to be used? How can you derive the most advantage out of it? What should you not use it for so that you do not destroy it etc?

Well - the same principle applies to us and to our lives! If we are made by God he has the manufacturer s manual! Many people - even Christians - their lives have no depth there lives are shallow because the live for themselves

They have not patterned their lives after the owner s manual No matter how you think it makes sense - you will be hurting the implement if you went contrary to the owner s manual.

This morning - Jesus shows us - what we should spend our lives doing. What has he kept us on earth for?

TO FOLLOW HIM

Seek ye first the kingdom and its righteousness - and others will be added

Following Jesus - is the reason why Jesus came to save us

Following Jesus is the way the Lord has decreed we will ever make it to heaven Following Jesus - is the what we have been called to do.

Jesus says - As you follow me - then I will make you . The responsibilities are very clear - it is my responsibility to follow . It is God s responsibility to make . But no so many times - I want to make, I want to make things work.. Make my marriage work Make my finances work Make my health work .

Make my relationships work

And in the process - I stop following Not realizing that it is my responsibility to simply follow And he will make . 2

That is how important it is to follow Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Mar 10:18-32 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (19) Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. (20) And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. (21) Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (22) And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (23) And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! (24) And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! (25) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (26) And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? (27) And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. (28) Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. (29) And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, (30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (31) But many that are first shall be last; and the last first. (32) And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

It is by following Jesus that you will know the truth that can set you free
Joh 8:30-32 As he spake these words, many believed on him. (31) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh 10:3-10 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. (6) This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. . (9) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (10) The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and

to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

So if following is this important - what does it mean to follow? How do we follow?

Simply put to follow means to become a disciple of Jesus . The call to follow Jesus - is a call - not to salvation but to discipleship It is a call to be like Jesus Here is the thing - many of us have grown up Christianity thinking making heaven is the reason why Christ came But see here - the first altar call he made after he preached his message of salvation was not to salvation but to discipleship Who is a disciple? The word comes from discipline it means someone who has committed to patterning their life after someone else They will strive, make every effort, put every discipline - to drop their own ways and imbibe the ways of the one they have chosen to follow. Jesus call is for disciples How many of us can make this statement and it rings through and genuine: I am a disciple of Jesus What does it take to be a disciple? What does it take to begin to think, and act, and desire like someone else? Mark says - that they may be with him. It means spending time with Jesus. Spending time with the word of God. Mar 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

In acts the bible says - when they saw them - they realized that they had been with Jesus. Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. It means interacting with fellow believers - those you like and those you do not like.

Because Jesus interacted with all you cannot follow Jesus all ALONE. You have to follow him in the context of a community of believers / and unbelievers. Let me show a few implications a few points about what it means to follow Jesus

1. To follow Jesus requires you to leave---Leave - leave your ideologies behind You have to leave your own principles Some us we have to leave our cultures behind the way we were brought up - it is getting the way of our following Jesus

Mat 16:24-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. (26) For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mat 10:37-39 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (38) And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. (39) He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Joh 12:25-26 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Some us we have to leave - NOT our profession, not our families, not our career - but the LOVE of them the love of money root of evil if you do not love me more than these Jesus went to Peter and asked him - do you love me more than these

No one can follow Jesus who has not first left

You cannot pursue his purpose while at the same time pursuing other people s purpose . (scrip - cannot serve God and mammon) We have to leave everything that the world treasures academics, prestige background

2. Jesus - only calls people who are busy to follow him OR I am busy is not an excuse
The other point I would like to show from the verse is that - he called and only called those who were busy. This is a very important point because for many of us - the primary excuse we give today for not committing to following Christ - is that we say we are too busy. Mat 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. Calling of Paul in Acts 9

But no where the Jesus call people who were not already seriously engaged to become his disciples - to follow him. Why is this? Because the heart of the question we have to ask ourselves is this am I too busy for Jesus? Am I too busy for the one who even gives me breathe? Am I unable to attend house fellowship because I am too busy?

3. Following Jesus can be a bumpy ride

You may start and stop, start and stop - so many times But you got to keep pushing

You see when you read this passage - it appears that the followed and never looked back. But it is not true John 1:35 - says - they followed him for just that day - after they had heard John Then after John was put in prison they went back to their profession Then later he sees them here and asks them to follow him - and they did 6

Luke gives a slightly more dramatic story - Luke 5 Jesus preached a powerful message on Peter s boat and then asks him to launch into the deep for a great drought It was after that He said follow me and I will make you a greater fisher of men Even then in John 21:3 - when Peter said - I go a fishing. And Jesus called him again to follow him. What s my point following Jesus is not smooth sailing. Will you have doubts? Will you have questions? Will you stop following for a while? Will you ever trip up and make mistakes? Yes. Yes. And Yes.
Luk 9:57-62 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. (58) And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. (59) And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. (60) Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. (61) And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. (62) And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

But the blessing is not in the outcome it is in the pursuit. Remember - the Lord did not say - the reward for following me is that I will make you. It is as you follow that you are being made. Following Jesus - makes you, changes you, transforms you, heals you

Conclusion
And so - What exactly are we on this earth for - to do just one thing - to follow Jesus Paul puts it this way Php 3:7-13 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (12) Not as

though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (13) Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Eph 5:1-6 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (2) And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (3) But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (4) Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (6) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

And that is why - that is our focus and theme in 2012 - to follow Jesus To love like he loves To pray like he prays To forgive like he forgives To believe like he believes

Because we know, we are certain that when we follow him He will make us he will make our homes beautiful he will make our lives awesome he will bring the kingdom of God into our life

Nothing else you do matters You have a choice - either to make yourself or the let the master make you Me I have chosen to let the master make me And all I will do this you is to do my utmost best to do just ONE thing TO FOLLOW PAUL says - this ONE thing I do leaving behind the things of the past - I FOLLOW What on Earth are we here for - we are here to FOLLOW JESUS. 8