FOLLOW ME

Sunday Morning - June 1, 1997

Text: John 21:15 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs." 19. "&ldots;he saith unto him, Follow me."

 WHAT DOES IT COST TO FOLLOW?

1. SELF DENIAL:

Luke 9:23-24 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow [present tense] me. 24. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

2. IT MAY COST LOSS OF JOB:

Matthew 9:9 "And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow [present tense] me. And he arose, and followed him."

3. IT MAY COST A NICE PLACE TO LIVE:

Matthew 8:19-20 "And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow [present tense] thee whithersoever thou goest. 20. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head."

4. IT MAY COST THE LOSS OF FAMILY:

Matthew 10:34-38 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth [present tense] after me, is not worthy of me."

5. MAY COST THE LOSS OF POSSESSIONS:

Matthew 19:21"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow [present tense] me."

6. IT WILL COST PERSECUTIONS:

Mark 10:29-30 "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30. But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR FOLLOWING?

1. TREASURE IN HEAVEN:

Matthew 19:21 "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow [present tense] me."

2. A THRONE:

Matthew 19:27-28 "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28. And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

3. LIFE FOR THE AGE:

John 10:27-28 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow [present tense] me: 28. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

 4. HONOR FROM THE FATHER:

John 12:26 "If any man serve me, let him follow [present tense] me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

5. REWARD FOR SERVICE:

Colossians 3:23-24 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ."

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO FOLLOW?

1. DEATH TO SELF:

John 12:24-25 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, &ldots;"

Romans 6:3-6 "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

2. BEING A SERVANT OF SERVANTS:

John 12:26 "If any man serve me, let him follow [present tense] me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

 WHAT IF WE DON'T FOLLOW?

1. A CAST AWAY:

Luke 9:23-26 "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow [present tense] me. 24. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

2. SHAME:

26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."

PETER FOLLOWED

1. AFAR OFF:

Luke 22:54 "And Peter followed afar off."

2. DO YOU LOVE THESE?

John 21:15 "Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these [fish]? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. "

3. FOLLOW ME!

John 21:19"he saith unto him, Follow [present tense] me."

John 21:22 "Jesus saith unto him, follow [present tense] thou me."