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Following Jesus

TEXTLuke 9:23

INTRODUCTION:

A.      MANY DESIRE TO FOLLOW - DON'T KNOW WHAT'S INVOLVED.

B.      JESUS TELLS US TO COUNT THE COST( Luke 14:28-32 ).

C.      "IF ANY MAN WOULD COME AFTER ME..."

I.      "LET HIM DENY HIMSELF."  SELF-CONTROL.

A.      AN ESSENTIAL FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT( Gal. 5:22-23;  2 Pet. 1:5-6 )

B.      CONNECTED TO JUDGMENT( Acts 24:24-25 ).

C.      CONNECTED TO THE REWARD( 1 Cor. 9:25-27 ).

D.      SOMETIMES WE CAN'T SAY "NO" TO OURSELVES.

II.     "AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS."

A.      SELF CRUCIFIXION IS NECESSARY TO SELF-CONTROL.

B.      SELF CRUCIFIXION IS AS VITAL AS HIS CRUCIFIXION

          ( Gal. 2:20;  5:24;  Rom. 6:6 ).

          1.       Romans 6.  A treatise on stopping sinning.

                   a.       vs. 2.  Dead to sin, die to it in intent and purpose.

                   b.       vs. 3-4.  Die with Jesus, raised to a new life.

                   c.       vs. 5-7.  Justified in his death.

                   d.       vs. 11.  "Reckon yourselves" - a purposeful conscious change ( vs. 12-13 ).

          2.       The mind is involved( Prov. 23:9 ).

          3.       The heart must be set on heaven( Col. 3:1-2 ).

C.      WHO IS THE BOSS?( Gal. 5:16;  1 Pet. 3:15;  2 Cor. 5:14-15 ).

D.      AGAIN - WE CANNOT SAY "NO" TO SELF!

III.    "DAILY."

A.      NO REGRETS LATER( Luke 9:62 ).

B.      THIS IS NOT OUR REST( Heb. 4:8-11 ).

C.      GOD IS NOT JUST A HOMETOWN GOD( Jer. 23:23-24 ).

IV.   "AND FOLLOW ME."

A.      INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS EXAMPLE( 1 Pet. 2:21 ).

          1.       The goal of all early Christians( 1 Cor. 11:1 ).

          2.       "What would Jesus do?"

B.      INVOLVES FOLLOWING HIS TEACHINGS.

          1.       Discipleship depends on it( John 8:31 ).

          2.       Judged by his word( 12:48 ).

          3.       Obedience an outgrowth of LOVE( 14:15 ).

          4.       "What would Jesus have me to do?"

C.      FOLLOWING JESUS HAS ITS REWARD( John 8:12 ).

CONCLUSION:

A.      DISCIPLESHIP DEPENDS ON FOLLOWING JESUS( John 8:31 ).

B.      AND ON SELF CRUCIFIXION( Luke 14:27 ).

C.      THE COST OF NOT BECOMING A DISCIPLE IS GREATER.