1. What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?

2. Becoming a Christian I’m a sinner Jesus took the punishment for my sin
I want Jesus to control my life

3. Luke 6:27-36
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes you cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. [32]
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons and daughters of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. [36] Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

4. Matthew 7:18 – 22
“When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
[20] Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
[21] Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
[22] But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

5. Matthew 9:11-15 and 9:34
“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “why does you teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
[12] On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. [13] But goe and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
[14] Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”
[15] Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.”
Matthew 9:34
Jesus drives out a demon “But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

6. Matthew 10:17-22 Jesus is sending out the 12 disciples
[17] “Be on your guard against me; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. [18] On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. [19] But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, [20] for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
[21]”Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. [22] All men will have you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

7. Who wants to follow Jesus?
Who wants to have people talk about them behind their back?
Who wants to give everything they have away?
Who wants to let people hurt them?
Who wants to always be served last?
Who wants to be nailed to a large piece of wood?

8. Misrepresenting Christianity
“I’ll follow you because you bless me!”
Following Jesus means health, wealth and a pain-free life.
“Just say yes to Jesus, that’s all there is to it!”

9. God is not an omnipotent “bless-me” machine
Book of Job
Job is a man who worships God.
Satan thinks he only does it because God had made him hugely wealthy, with a big family and lots of servants, so
His family died
Camels got stolen
Covered in horrible weeping sores
He still says God is the Lord, and worth praising.

10. So what is the upside?
Close personal friend of the creator of the universe
Eternal life with the creator of the universe
Grace! We get what we don’t deserve.

11. Who are you going to live for in 2004?
It won’t be easy.
Go in with your eyes open.

12. Are you prepared to pay the price?
Who is prepared to surrender their reputation
Who is prepared to give up everything?
Who is prepared to be vulnerable?
Who is prepared to be placed last?
Who is prepared to receive grace?
Who wants to get to know the King of the Universe better?

13. Matthew 28:18-20
“Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

14. Who is prepared to lay down their life this year?