Reach4Life- Journey 1: BelieveSample

Day Eight: Following Jesus

“’Come, follow me,’ Jesus said.” – Matthew 4:19, NIV

LISTEN

Just do it! – is the motto that made the Nike brand famous. It also describes the pulse of our generation. Sadly, today millions of people call themselves Christians but don’t just do it. They don’t really seek after and obey the God they claim to believe in. The earliest Christians didn’t call themselves Christians. They called themselves disciples, or followers of Jesus.

Let’s look at some people who had a unique opportunity to follow Jesus and just did it …

LOOK 

Matthew 4:17-23

LEARN

What does it mean to follow Jesus? It means six things:

1. Become stunned by his wisdom and strength.

Why else would these people have followed him so eagerly (v20)? Jesus has the wisdom and strength we need to live life at its best.

2. Start a personal relationship with him.

That event was the beginning of an eternity of friendship with Jesus for these people. Jesus wants to be your friend too.

3. Copy his example.

Later on people commented on how much these men reflected Jesus through their lives (see Acts 4:13). Jesus wants to make us more like him, too.

4. Believe and obey his teaching.

These disciples took his teaching seriously. It affected how they lived (v17-23). By the way, his first instruction to all new believers is to be baptized in water (see Matt 28:19).

5. Join him on his mission to reach people.

He promised Peter and Andrew he would use them to change other people’s lives (v19). His promise applies to us, too.

6. Give him your highest loyalty.

They left their jobs and families at once (v22). Whatever we give up is nothing compared to what we gain. The most important decision we can make is to just do it and follow him.

LIVE

· What has caused you to follow or not follow Jesus?

· Which of these six aspects of following Jesus challenges you the most and why?

LINK

For more on Following Jesus, read:

Luke 5:1-11

Acts 10:47-48