What makes someone a follower of Jesus? Going to church? Donating money to good causes? Trying to be a good person? The answer is actually much simpler: all we have to do is follow the Leader. In this message, Dr. Stanley outlines exactly how to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, surrendering our lives and mirroring His life of prayer, service, and sacrifice.
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followers of Jesus are willing to serve
others by giving to them by encouraging
them in some fashion by presenting them
with the truth of the gospel how
presenting they were the truth of the
gospel when they don’t want to hear it
followers of Jesus make a difference
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four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him
so let’s open God’s Word and seek Him
together next on InTouch following Jesus
if I should ask you simple question are
you a follower of Jesus how would you
answer that you a follower of Jesus well
if I ask that to some people they would
say do you mean
do I believe in God no I just said are
you a follower of Jesus well they might
respond well I’ll know about him that’s
not the question and oftentimes they
would say well I do attend church that’s
that’s not the question either oh they
might say when I go to church every once
in a while they observe Communion and I
participate in that no I asked you if
you were a follower of Jesus well I give
the good causes that’s not the question
well I think I’m a pretty good person I
didn’t ask you that I tried a living a
good life I don’t drink I’ve run around
on my wife I didn’t ask you that I pray
when I feel like I have a need of it
didn’t ask you that I ask you if you are
a follower of Jesus it’s amazing how
many people have different answers and
then I do consider myself a religious
person I didn’t ask you that either
well my parents were very religious and
I didn’t ask you that either and the
truth is all of those answers any one of
them are all of them together would not
equal whether you’re a follower of Jesus
or not and many people think if certain
activities issue in their life certain
experiences then they they must be a
follower of Jesus they must be a
Christian not necessarily so
and so I want you to turn if you will to
Matthew chapter Thor and look at this
eighteenth verse are you a follower of
Jesus listen what the scripture says the
eighteenth verse of Matthew four now as
Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee
he saw two brothers Simon who is called
Peter and Andrew his brother casting a
net into the sea for they were fishermen
and he that is Jesus said to them follow
me and I will make you fishers of men
and they immediately left their nets and
the yenna followed Jesus where does
Jesus Christ fit into your life and so
when I think about that that’s going to
be the title of this message
following Jesus so what I’d like to do
in this message I’d like to give you the
activities the experiences of a true
follower of Jesus so that you can decide
whether you are not because there are
certain things that are absolutely
essential to a follower of Jesus many
people think they are many people are
not sure many people are no they’re not
and many people truly are followers of
Jesus so the purpose of this message is
simply to clarify that so I hope you
have a pen and a pencil or a piece of
paper and I want you to write this down
because when somebody says you a
follower of Jesus you can say yes
specifically if you know how to say yes
and I want you to examine your heart and
ask yourself the question not that you
go to church not have you been baptized
not have you taken communion
not have you done all these things but
am I true follower of Jesus so what does
a true follower of Jesus look like what
does it sound like what are the
evidences for the experiences of a true
follower of Jesus so I trust that you’ll
write them down now
to be a follower of Jesus step number
one you must be born again John 3:3 says
truly truly I say to you unless one is
born again he cannot see the kingdom of
God or enter the kingdom of God
so the first basic step of being a
follower of Jesus is being born again so
forget the church of business baptism
and all that stuff it’s being born again
which is a matter of confessing your
sins surrendering your life to Christ
accepting his forgiveness of your life
and beginning to walk in his ways first
of all being born again have you ever
been born again Jesus could not have
made it more clear when he said being
born again not just being better not
just improving being born again as a
result of your confession repentance and
surrender your life to Christ as Savior
Lord
step number 1 did you get that say man
step number 2 and that is if you’re a
follower of Jesus you’re going to be a
person who prays listen to what he says
an example of Jesus in Luke 6 verse 12
it was at that time that he went off to
the mountain to pray and he spent the
whole night in prayer to God
well somebody says well I pray how often
do you pray well once in a while know if
you’re really a follow up Jesus prayer
is a major part of your life in fact how
do you start the day off and living in
this world without talking to God and
how do you go to sleep at night with
perfect security without talking to God
how do you face the issues in life
without prayer that is prayer should be
a habit and not only a habit but a very
important part of our life pray about
what pray about everything and Jesus
prayed about many things but what I want
you to notice is this he watched this
this is the son of God he began his day
alone with God how many times have I
mentioned that to you about starting the
day with
prayer and getting alone having a quiet
time if you’re gonna be a follower of
Jesus
I’ll follow what that’s what the leader
does right so first of all you
born-again and secondly you’re going to
make prayer a very very vital habit in
your life so I would ask you this
question most of you who consider
yourselves followers of Jesus where this
prayer did in your daily life is it’s
something you do when you get in trouble
when you have a need when you get sick
if you think about it are you almost had
an accident you thank God but prayer
pray without ceasing the scripture says
Jesus began his day and not just in this
verse but other verses began his day
alone talking to the Lord and of course
the disciples they couldn’t stand this
they dare to find them and interrupt him
but prayer is the second very vital part
thirdly if you really and truly are a
follower of Jesus you’re gonna listen to
him in Matthew chapter 17 verse 5 listen
what the scripture says while he was
still speaking a bright cloud
overshadowed them and behold a voice out
of the cloud said this is my beloved son
with whom I am well pleased listen to
him that’s the scripture and I believe
one of the greatest weaknesses among
believers is failing to listen to God
God is the sovereign god of this
universe Lord master over all things who
requires our obedience surrender and our
acknowledgment of his rule as God in
this society and in this world how many
of us are listening to him when is the
last time you got on your knees or you
got by yourself in your particular place
the brain just said Lord today I’m not
going to tell you anything I just want
to listen to
you know do you say well I’ve listened
to God and he didn’t say a thing you
know why your attitude wasn’t right
yeah the sovereign god of the universe
who loved you enough to send Jesus to
die for your sins is always available to
hear the prayers of his children who
come to him in sincerity it doesn’t mean
we have to come to him all contest up
because sometimes we come to him in
order to confess and repent of our sin
whatever it might be what a follower of
Jesus is the person who prays and the
person who listens to God as well as
song to God so I would ask you the
question have you been born again what
place does prayer have in your life and
how often do you take time to listen to
him but do you all do all the talking
and many people pray like this well I’m
coming to you today from my needs you
know all my needs and I’m trusting you
to protect me watch over me and care for
me and you know what I’d like to have
you know the things in life on my prayer
list and I’m gonna trust you to take
care of me today in Jesus name Amen that
is all about me myself and I not all
about or any of all about washing me
holy God who deserves our Allegiance and
obedience to walk faithfully before him
number four if I’m gonna be a follower
of Jesus I must believe in this simple
verse for God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son that whoever
believes in Him will not perish but have
everlasting life trusting him faith in
Him
John 3:16 for example that verse is
absolutely essential in order for us to
follow him if I don’t believe him I’m
not gonna do what he says if I don’t
believe him I’m not going to obey him if
I don’t believe in I’m not gonna walk in
his ways if I don’t believe him I’m
gonna live my life centered around what
I want when I
whatever that might be can you honestly
until they say I live by faith I trust
God for my needs I trust God for my
difficulties hardship pain I trust God
when I’m in a sense of facing temptation
what part does faith have in my daily
life in a practical kind of life so
number five if I’m a follower of Jesus
I’m going to obey I’m going to obey John
8:12 says I am the light of the world he
who follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of Life
that is who follows me who obeys me if
I’m really and truly a follower of Jesus
obedience is absolutely essential and
besides that it’s a desire of my heart
if I understand who Jesus is I would be
absolutely foolish not to obeying the
Bible says the wages of sin is what
that’s pretty weak the wages of sin is
what that’s right why do I want to sin
against God if I know that ultimately
there’s gonna be death not just physical
death it could be death to my true
ability to love somebody it could be
death to my opportunity from God to be
blessed fun actually because I’m
disobeying him financially and we could
go right down the line obedience is
absolutely essential to being a follower
of Jesus and you say well why don’t you
spend all that time with that let me ask
you a question what did you spend most
of those early hours and days of your
children’s lives saying that it’s what
you must do I want you to grow up to me
and you were teaching your children to
do what to obey you because you wanted
them to grow up and be the best they can
be if you follow Jesus you obey Him if
you don’t obey Him you thank him
for sending you in the heartache and
troubles and trials to correct your
sense of misdirection and life obedience
to him is absolutely essential and
people don’t like to talk about obeying
God they want to talk about how good god
is well sure God’s good and you know one
of the reasons he’s so good it’s because
he teaches us to obey Him who is the
source of every good thing that comes
our way
now I hope you writing these down and
I’m trusting you when you before you go
to bed tonight check yourself out in
fact it’d be a good idea if you had this
list right by your bed so you would say
okay Lord I know my follow of you so I
know I’m born again I’m praying and
listening and would check yourself out a
true follower of Jesus Christ is gonna
do every single one of these so far
we’re right correct amen that’s pretty
weak but you’ll wake up in a minute
you’re gonna obey and then you’re going
to love him if you’re gonna follow him
you’re going to love him listen to mark
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart with all your soul
and with all your mind and with all your
strength look at that love the Lord your
God with all your heart not a divided
heart having the world in half with God
all your heart with all your soul that
is all your very being your whole
personality and he says with all your
mind that is if I love it watch this if
I love God with all my mind I am going
to be careful what I place in my mind
what I think about who I think about and
the kind of thoughts I have if I’m a
true follower of Jesus and love him with
all my heart soul and my
mind I’m gonna be very careful what our
place in my mind you can’t listen you
cannot love the Lord your God with all
your heart and sit and watch something
on television that absolutely messes up
your mind
challenges your sense of obedience
challenges your sense of Puritan y’all
right now if you really and truly love
him and we come to this whole issue of
loving him that love is going to affect
what I think the way I think where I go
what I say what I do loving is going to
affect every aspect of our life so when
I think about people saying oh yes I’m a
believer I’m a follower of Jesus and yet
they’ve not even thought about how their
activities indicate whether they’re a
follower of not then share him that is
till somebody else about him listen to
what he said in Matthew 28:19 you know
these verses go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations that is
spread the word get to the truth of the
word of God to all the nations the
people who love us the people who hate
us and I think about how that verse is
taking place today all over the world
there are people who risk their lives 24
hours a day they get the simple truth of
the gospel that the people around them
Jesus sent His disciples into a world of
hatred bitterness animosity and death
but it is our responsibility to get the
word out so that means I’m to tell
somebody but let me ask you a question
when is the last time you deliberately
willfully singled out somebody that you
knew really and truly needed to know
about the Lord Jesus needed to be saved
when’s the last time you said something
to them maybe just a little something
inviting haven’t you anything
in order to get them to the place that
they’re saved and begin to follow Jesus
he said that to his disciples but he
meant for us all to do that go into all
the world and preach the gospel yes but
we can tell them have one on one they
didn’t have television radio microphones
or anything but they transformed the
world of their day and today we have the
privilege of penetrating every single
piece of Earth upon which you and I live
we have the ability and the capacity to
get it there but here’s the truth I’m
not too sure how authentic I would be if
I were not interested in somebody it’s
one thing to say everybody what bet
somebody everybody knows somebody that
you say something – at least sparked
their attention about their relationship
to God that’s what a true follower of
Jesus knew was we follow Jesus not blind
but we follow Jesus sensitive to people
around us who are not following him who
desperately need him every single one of
us knows somebody today who needs Christ
in their life a true front watch us the
true follower doesn’t shut their ears or
their eyes or shut down their feelings
we are sensitive to somebody else around
us who so desperately needs him then of
course number eight serve Him if I’m a
true follower of Jesus I’m gonna serve
in some fashion listen to what the
scripture says in John 12 26 if anyone
serves me the father will honor him that
is crystal clear if anyone serves me the
father will honor him you want to be
blessed by God that’s the shortest one
of the shortest promises in the word
listen if anyone serves me the father
will honor him all of us
have the capacity to serve the Lord in
some fashion well how do you serve the
Lord by serving somebody else in some
way the many many ways to serve the Lord
but the issue here I think is that he
wants us to give ourselves away to us
think about this is that not what he did
he came into the world thirty years he
lived those working years as a carpenter
and then those last years he spent
preaching the gospel sharing the truth
and dying on a cross for you and me what
was he doing he was serving the father
and every time you and I do something
that is godly that’s wise that’s helpful
even what we say or what we do what do
we do we’re serving him so that’s what
that’s what true believers do followers
of Jesus are not self-centered followers
of Jesus look around them followers of
Jesus are able to hurt where the people
are hurting followers of Jesus are able
to discern when someone around them is
hurting and nobody else seems to care or
understand followers of Jesus are
willing to serve others by giving to
them by encouraging them in some fashion
by presenting them with the truth of the
gospel or presenting they were the truth
of the gospel when they don’t want to
hear it
followers of Jesus make a difference and
then of course this is one we don’t like
followers of Jesus suffering or willing
to suffer fine
Philippians 1:29 is a great verse for
you it has been granted for Christ’s
sake not only to believe in him but also
the suffer for his sake now you say well
I don’t know why I have to suffer to be
a Christian you may not ever have to
suffer to be a Christian but if I’m
going to follow Jesus
I’m probably going to suffer in some way
you say well pastors don’t suffer you
didn’t haven’t lived in their shoes and
other people oh well yeah if you follow
Jesus you’re gonna suffer watch way
you’re gonna suffer rejection by some
you may suffer financially you may
suffer jawed job-wise
you may suffer in relationships if
you’re a true follower of Jesus some
people don’t want you in their in their
circle you know what they don’t want you
you make them feel uncomfortable because
there’s something about your personality
that doesn’t fit who they are they love
the world you don’t you don’t drink what
they drink go where they go dressed like
they dress and so there’s something
about you that you don’t fit but the
scripture says with the suffering that
is weird to be where we need to be
whether we were accepted or not we’re to
do what we need to do whether they like
it or not we’re to share the truth of
the gospel when it’s acceptable or when
it’s rejected true followers of Jesus
now if you’ve written those down without
trust that you have but a mother said by
the bedsides your house and but tonight
for you go to bed just look over them
you don’t say everything I said just a
born-again pray listen believe obeying
loving watch this when you write before
sleep go over something like this and
you go to sleep with that in your mind
that’s the last thing you’re thinking
about all night long your mind is
working that truth into your thought
processes when you wake up in the
morning if you simply went over all
those today and you simply said Lord I
want to be a follower of Jesus today
thank you that I’m born again in praying
so forth and go right down the list it
will not take you very long you love all
my heart
because your mind has been programmed to
think the way God wants you to think
and what happens God transforms our life
well that even realize think what’s
happening and that’s my prayer for you
now you’re here this morning maybe you
just dropped in as a visitor or maybe
you’ve been coming service several
Sundays but you’ve never been born again
you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ the
saving surrendered your life to him
that’s step number one and I would
encourage you because you see the rest
of this doesn’t count what forget to
rest them did you deal with the first
one because everything else is a step up
on the first one and if you are willing
to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive
you of your sins and you’re surrendering
your life to him today and you want to
build upon this foundation of your faith
in Christ he’s willing to forgive you of
your sins and he’s willing to start with
you today living the most awesome life
you could ever imagine
amen amen let’s stand if you will
father how grateful we are that in all
of your infinite wisdom you made truth
simple enough for all of us to
understand and other we could walk in
obedience near will etch these truths
into all of our minds and ours
father I pray that you’ll bring to every
single person’s memory tonight before
they turn off the last light to read
these over and to ask you to work them
into their heart and after they turn on
the light tomorrow morning to read them
again
and Lord that you would bring them too
but they’re mine one of them or all of
them during the day as they meet other
people listening to their heartaches and
problems and burdens we are followers
Lord we want to be true the genuine
life-changing followers of Jesus and we
thank you for that in Christ’s name Amen
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