Walk With Christ

“YOU WERE CHEATED. TIMES WERE WHEN CHRISTIANS COULD GET THEM FOR FREE.”

“Whoever does not bear his own cross and

come after me cannot be my disciple” (Lk

14:27, ESV).



14:27, ESV).

In our text, Jesus calls two sets of brothers

to get their crosses & follow him.



14:27, ESV).

In our text, Jesus calls two sets of brothers

to get their crosses & follow him.

WHY WOULD THESE MEN FOLLOW A STRANGER THIS WAY?

Jesus is no stranger to these four men.

Jesus is no stranger to these four men.◦ Two of John‟s disciples spend an entire day

with Jesus (Jn 1:40).


with Jesus (Jn 1:40). Andrew was one of those disciples & he then

went to call Peter (Jn 1:40-42).




The other disciples was likely John, the son of

Zebedee.





Zebedee.

◦ While these four disciples knew about Jesus,

the Lord had not yet called them to follow

him.





Zebedee.

◦ While these four disciples knew about Jesus,

the Lord had not yet called them to follow

him.

◦ Here he does so, & we see A BIDDING, A

BUSINESS, & A BREAK.

A BIDDING

vv 18-21

Jesus sees two sets of brothers & calls

them to follow him.


them to follow him.

It‟s very strange that Jesus calls these

disciples to him.


them to follow him.


disciples to him.◦ That wasn‟t the way Jewish rabbis operated

in the first century.


them to follow him.


disciples to him.◦ That wasn‟t the way Jewish rabbis operated

in the first century.

◦ Rabbis set up shop & disciples came to

them.

Jesus calls these brothers to follow him.

Jesus calls these brothers to follow him.◦ The Greek is literally “Come after me.”

Jesus calls these brothers to follow him.◦ The Greek is literally “Come after me.” The

image is that the disciples were to follow

behind Jesus as he walked.




◦ This wasn‟t the way disciples behaved in

Jesus‟ day.





Jesus‟ day. Disciples strove to become greater than their

teachers.





Jesus‟ day. Disciples strove to become greater than their

teachers.

But, Jesus calls these men to a submissive

following after him.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN ABOUT THE WAY JESUS CALLED THESE DISCIPLES?

First, Jesus is no ordinary teacher.

First, Jesus is no ordinary teacher.◦ Jesus taught vastly differently than the typical

Jewish rabbi.


Jewish rabbi. Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have

the words of eternal life, and we have believed,

and have come to know, that you are the Holy

One of God” (Jn 6:68-69, ESV).


Jewish rabbi. Peter: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have

the words of eternal life, and we have believed,

and have come to know, that you are the Holy

One of God” (Jn 6:68-69, ESV).

Nicodemus: “Rabbi, we know that you are a

teacher come from God, for no one can do

these signs that you do unless God is with him”

(Jn 3:2, ESV).


Jewish rabbi.

◦ Because Jesus is no ordinary teacher, we

need to heed his words.


Jewish rabbi.


need to heed his words. “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit

and life” (Jn 6:63, ESV).


Jewish rabbi.


need to heed his words. “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit

and life” (Jn 6:63, ESV).

“The one who rejects me and does not receive

my words has a judge; the word that I have

spoken will judge him on the last day” (Jn

12:48, ESV).

Second, following Jesus involves great

humility.


humility.◦ We dare not be out in front of Jesus.



◦ Following Jesus means that we give up our

own lives & live as he did.




own lives & live as he did. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer

I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the

life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the

Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for

me” (Gal 2:20, ESV).




own lives & live as he did. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer

I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the

life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the

Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for

me” (Gal 2:20, ESV).

“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk

in the same way in which he walked” (1 Jn 2:6,

ESV).

ARE WE SEEKING TO LIVE LIKE JESUS?

Not everyone is cut out for the work of

being an apostle.


being an apostle.◦ Why did Jesus call these four men?


being an apostle.◦ Why did Jesus call these four men? Jesus gave serious consideration as to who

would be his apostles—before calling them,

Jesus spent all night in prayer (Lk 6:12-16).


being an apostle.◦ Why did Jesus call these four men? Jesus gave serious consideration as to who

would be his apostles—before calling them,

Jesus spent all night in prayer (Lk 6:12-16).

Only those uniquely suited could be apostles.



◦ There are always tasks uniquely suited for

certain people.




certain people. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you; I

appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer

1:5, ESV).







1:5, ESV).

Different people have different abilities that

allow them to serve in different ways.







1:5, ESV).


allow them to serve in different ways. We know that from the Parable of the Talents (Mt

25:14-30).







1:5, ESV).


allow them to serve in different ways. We know that from the Parable of the Talents (Mt

25:14-30).

We know that from the miraculous gifts in Corinth.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same

Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the

same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but

it is the same God who empowers them all in

everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the

Spirit for the common good. For to one is given

through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to

another the utterance of knowledge according to

the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit,

to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to

another the working of miracles, to another

prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish

between spirits, to another various kinds of

tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

All these are empowered by one and the same

Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as

he wills” (1 Cor 12:4-11, ESV).

This passage deals with miraculous gifts no

longer available in the church.


longer available in the church.◦ But, I‟m certain the principle still applies.



◦ Notice that God gives abilities “to each one

individually as he wills” (v 11, ESV).



◦ Notice that God gives abilities “to each one

individually as he wills” (v 11, ESV).

Are you using the unique abilities God has

given you?

A BUSINESS

v 19

Jesus called Peter & Andrew to A

BUSINESS—to be fishers of men.



Fishing was big business in ancient

Palestine.




Palestine.◦ Most Jewish people depended on fish for

food, so fishermen were quite important to

the Judean economy.






the Judean economy.

◦ Jesus takes an important part of the Judean

economy & makes it even more important.






the Judean economy.

◦ Jesus takes an important part of the Judean

economy & makes it even more important.

No longer would these men catch an

important staple in the Judean diet, but they

would be catching the souls of men.

Andrew, Peter, James, & John carried out

this BUSINESS with vigor.


this BUSINESS with vigor.◦ Peter was an important disciple.


this BUSINESS with vigor.◦ Peter was an important disciple. It was he who first preached to both Jews &

Gentiles.


this BUSINESS with vigor.◦ Peter was an important disciple. It was he who first preached to both Jews &

Gentiles.

He was given ministry to the Jews: “Peter had

been entrusted with the gospel to the

circumcised” (Gal 2:7, ESV).



◦ John also played an important role.



◦ John also played an important role. He was seldom in the forefront.




But, he was often right at Peter‟s side.




But, he was often right at Peter‟s side. John was with Peter when the lame beggar was healed

(Acts 3).




But, he was often right at Peter‟s side. John was with Peter when the lame beggar was healed

(Acts 3).

John was with Peter when they dragged before the

Sanhedrin to answer for healing the lame beggar (Acts

4).



◦ John also played an important role.

◦ James was making waves, for his martyrdom

by Herod “pleased the Jews” (Acts 12:1-3).

Jesus calls upon us to be in the BUSINESS

of fishing for men.


of fishing for men.◦ “Go . . . and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and

of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19,

ESV).


of fishing for men.◦ “Go . . . and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and

of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19,

ESV).

◦ “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and

in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of

the earth” (Acts 1:8, ESV).

How are we doing in that regard?

How are we doing in that regard?◦ The average member of the churches of

Christ has heard 4,000 sermons, sung

20,000 songs, participated in 8,000 public

prayers, & converted zero sinners.





◦ Are we any better than average?






“Would it matter to you if someone sent you

an important message—the most important

in your life—and year after year the urgent

message was never delivered?”






“Would it matter to you if someone sent you

an important message—the most important

in your life—and year after year the urgent

message was never delivered?”

Are we delivering the most important

message in all the world?

A BREAK

v 22

When Jesus calls James & John,

“immediately they left the boat and their

father and followed him” (v 22, ESV).




Notice the decisiveness with which they act

to this life-altering call.





to this life-altering call.◦ They don‟t run to Zebedee to get his opinion.






◦ Doesn‟t this tell us something about the

urgency with which we need to act?







urgency with which we need to act? Life is so very short: “Come now, you who say,

„Today or tomorrow we will go into such and

such a town and spend a year there and trade

and make a profit‟— yet you do not know what

tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you

are a mist that appears for a little time and then

vanishes” (Js 4:13-14, ESV).







urgency with which we need to act? Life is so very short.

The longer we delay, the more likely our hearts

will be hardened to the call: “Take care,

brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil,

unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from

the living God. But exhort one another every

day, as long as it is called „today,‟ that none of

you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of

sin” (Heb 3:12-13, ESV).

DO YOU NEED TO RESPOND TO URGENCY THIS MORNING?

In following Jesus, James & John make A

BREAK with their family & career.


BREAK with their family & career.◦ They left their boat.


BREAK with their family & career.◦ They left their boat. Fishermen made good

salaries in the ancient world.




◦ James & John understood that God is more

important than money.





important than money. “No one can serve two masters, for either he

will hate the one and love the other, or he will

be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money” (Mt 6:24,

ESV).





important than money. “No one can serve two masters, for either he

will hate the one and love the other, or he will

be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money” (Mt 6:24,

ESV).

Do we understand that God is more important

than money?







important than family.







important than family. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his

own father and mother and wife and children

and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his

own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26,

ESV).







important than family. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his

own father and mother and wife and children

and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his

own life, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26,

ESV).

Do we truly put God before family?

DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A BREAK WITH A LIFE OF SIN & COME TO JESUS?

Spiritual

Walk With Christ