February 24 2010: Mid-Week Bible Study

The Living Rock Church of Iloilo City
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
February 24, 2010

Text: Matthew 5:17-20

Series Title
THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST

Bible Study Lesson
COMMANDMENT #5 – HONOR GOD’S LAW

By Pastor Norman S. Lao

Introduction
Commandment #1 – REPENT
Commandment #2 – FOLLOW ME
Commandment #3 – REJOICE
Commandment #4 – LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Last Wednesday we learned the 4th Command of Christ which is to LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE so that people will see our GOOD WORKS and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Text: The 5th Command of Christ is found in Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:17-20

17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The 5th Command of Christ is to HONOR GOD’S LAW.

I. What is God’s Law?

The first five books of the Old Testament is strictly called the TORAH (in Hebrew) or LAW. When the term “Law and the Prophets” is used they refer to the WHOLE Old Testament. (Other terms used for the Old Testament in the New Testament is “Moses and the Prophets” – Luke 16:29, “The Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” – Luke 24:44.)

The Jews understand that the first five books, or the Pentateuch (Greek for five scrolls), were written by Moses, thus they refer to it as the “Law of Moses.”

The Ten Commandments are only PART of God’s Law, a SUMMARY. There are more than 600 specific commands found in the Old Testament. The 10 Commandments or DECALOGUE (Ten Words) are general principles. The Ten Commandments were further compressed by Jesus when he said, “You shall love the Lord your God...and your neighbor as yourself.” [Matthew 22:37-40] Paul even reduced it to just one command when he said, “Love is the fulfillment of the Law.” [Romans 10:13])

The Ten Commandments are as follows:
1. ___________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________
5. ___________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________
9. ___________________________________________
10. ___________________________________________

God’s Law is God’s WILL. God’s WILL is what God wants to happen in heaven and on earth.

In Psalm 40:8 David said this: “I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

The TEN COMMANDMENTS above are what God wants us to DO. If we obey them, then God’s will is BEING DONE IN OUR LIVES. If not, then God’s will is not being done in our lives.

Before God created anything there was only ONE WILL – His. After God created beings with free wills (angels and man) the wills multiplied dramatically. Today, without counting Angels, there are about 7 Billion Wills on this planet alone. Not all of these Wills are subject to the Will of God.

This is part of the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in Heaven, holy is your Name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9,10) Studying this part of the Lord’s prayer clearly shows that God’s will is being done in heaven BUT it is NOT YET being done here on earth. Thus, the prayer.

Jesus gave us an example to follow when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

II. Why is God’s Law Important?

There are many answers to this question. Here are a few:

A. God’s Commands will be the Basis of God’s Judgment. That’s why it is important that we OBEY GOD’S COMMANDS.

John 12:48: “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.”

Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

B. God’s Law brings Success and Prosperity.

Joshua 1:8 “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

God’s Law produces Godly Character in us when we
obey it. Godly Character is the foundation of true
success and prosperity.

True success and prosperity begins with God and not
with your wallet or bank account!

C. God’s Law points man to Christ.

Galatians 3:23-25: 23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law , locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law .

Saving us is NOT the purpose of the Law. The Law was given to SHOW US that we are TOTALLY SINFUL. (Romans 5:20) The Law does not address the problem of SIN. Obeying the Law does not take care of your past sins and your sinfulness. So, although the Law cannot save, it points us to Someone who can save us. (Galatians 2:16) Only Christ has effectively dealt with the Sin Problem by shedding his blood on the Cross. (Romans 5:9)

III. How are we to Honor God’s Law?

A. We are to DELIGHT in God’s Word. God’s Word must give us JOY and SATISFACTION. We like to talk about it and share it with others. God’s Law should be a source of Joy and Pleasure.

Pslam 1:1-3a

B. We are to MEDITATE on it. In other words, we must think about it. It is like a cow chewing the cud.

Psalm 1:3b
Psalm 119:117.

C. We are to MEMORIZE it. We are to take it to heart.

This could be part of Jesus’ command to abide in Him and let His Word abide in us. (John 15:7)

D. We are to FAMILIARIZE ourselves with it.

That’s the reason why we are encouraged to read/study the Bible on a daily basis.

E. We are to TALK ABOUT IT.

It is not only that you become what you read, you also become what you talk about most of the time.

Joshua 1:8
Deuteronomy 6:4-9

F. We are to ACCEPT it. We are not to resist it.

James 1:21

G. We are to OBEY it.

James 1:22

Conclusion
Are you honoring God’s Law in your Life?

Do you honor God’s Law?

February 17 2010: Mid-Week Bible Study

The Living Rock Church of Iloilo City
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
February 17, 2010

Text: Matthew 5:16

Series Title
THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST

Bible Study Lesson
COMMANDMENT #4 – LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

by Pastor Norman S. Lao

Introduction
Commandment #1 – REPENT
Commandment #2 – FOLLOW ME
Commandment #3 – REJOICE

Last Wednesday we learned the 3rd Command of Christ is to REJOICE when we are persecuted. There are several reasons for this:

1. It is a privilege to suffer for Christ. (Acts 5:41, Philippians 1:29)

2. It is an identification with Christ. It was Jesus himself who said, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20)

3. We will have great rewards. This was Jesus’ promise (Matthew 5:11,12)

4. It is an opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in the midst of persecution is a powerful way of showing the truth of what you believe in.

5. You are in good company. You are in league with the Prophets of old who were also persecuted.

The fourth command of Christ is found in Matthew 5:16 which states: “ In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

COMMAND #4: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

1. Understanding the Command

What does the command mean?

The context of the command is found in verses 14 and 15 which talks about what light does in the home and in the community (on a hill). Letting your light shine is equivalent to showing your good works to others.

A. One of the properties of light is its ATTRACTIVENESS. We are commanded to live attractive lives before all men.

Words are good but we need Works.

Many times Actions speak louder than Words. Our actions speak so loud that the world sometimes cannot hear our words.

B. Another property of light is that it DESTROYS or REMOVES Darkness.

In the Bible darkness represents sin and evil. That’s why when we were born again we were transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light. (Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 2:9)

Light is the Character of God. Darkness is the character of evil.

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

C. Light also shows the WAY OUT of darkness. It reveals the path we should tread upon. Christians must exert their influence to show non-believers the Way to Jesus and the way out of their sins.

D. Light WARNS of DANGER, just as a lighthouse would do. Our lives serve as warnings to others.

E. Light EXPOSES darkness. Our lives should have such a convicting influence on others that they will realize their wickedness.

F. The MORE LIGHT the BRIGHTER it is. The more Christians live attractive lives, the better the world becomes.

The Light Source is God – we only reflect His Light. On our own we do not have light. When we reflect God’s light people will glorify God.

The amount of light we reflect from God depends on whether or not something lies between us and God.

We let our light shine when we do good works.

What does “Good Works” mean?

Works are "good" only when,

(1) they spring from the principle of love to God. The moral character of an act is determined by the moral principle that prompts it. Faith and love in the heart are the essential elements of all true obedience. Hence good works only spring from a believing heart, can only be wrought by one reconciled to God (Eph. 2:10; James 2:18:22).

(2.) Good works have the glory of God as their object; and

(3) they have the revealed will of God as their only rule (Deut. 12:32; Rev. 22:18, 19). Good works are an expression of gratitude in the believer's heart (John 14:15, 23; Gal. 5:6). They are the fruit of the Spirit (Titus 2:10-12), and thus spring from grace, which they illustrate and strengthen in the heart. Good works of the most sincere believers are all imperfect, yet like their persons they are accepted through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17), and so are rewarded; they have no merit intrinsically, but are rewarded wholly of grace.

Our good works must give glory to God and not to us.

We are given a list of “good works” in the Bible. These works are done by INDIVIDUALS and by the BODY of Christ the Church.

Luke 10:30 &ff. - Parable of the Good Samaritan - Helping those in need whatever that need may be.

Matthew 25:34-35

1. Feeding the hungry.
2. Giving drink to the thirsty.
3. Inviting strangers.
4. Clothing the naked.
5. Taking care of the sick.
6. Visiting those in prison.

Galatians 2:10 – Helping the poor.

James 1:27, Acts 6:1, 1 Timothy 5:9 – Taking care of widows and orphans and those who do not have the means to take care of themselves.

2. Practical Ways to Apply this Command

How are we to obey this command?
a. Be conscious that you are a Christian wherever you are.
b. Be in constant fellowship with God. The more we connect with God the more we become like Him, the more we can shine His light into our world.
c. Be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
d. Be in the attitude of being your best for God at all times.
e. Be on the lookout for opportunities to do good every day.

Conclusion
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Be careful, be alert, stand firm, press on for there are many people and things in this world that would like to put out your light.

Are you shining God’s light?
Are you doing good works before men?

February 10 2010: Mid-Week Bible Study

The Living Rock Church of Iloilo City
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
February 10, 2010

Text: Matthew 5:11,12

Series Title
THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST

Bible Study Lesson
COMMANDMENT #3 – REJOICE

by Pastor Norman S. Lao

Introduction
The first command to “repent” (Matt. 4:17) tells us how to restore fellowship with God and become qualified to enter his kingdom. The second command to “follow me” (Matt 4:29) calls for a total change in goals and priorities so that we can become “fishers of men.”

Matthew 5:11,12: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The third command of Jesus is REJOICE.

1. What does it Mean?

What does REJOICE mean?

The Greek word for “rejoice” is chairo (χαίρω) and it means “to feel very happy or show great happiness about something.”

In this case, we are commanded to be happy (or extremely happy) when (1) we are insulted, (2) persecuted, and (3) falsely accused because of Jesus or of our relationship to Him.

• The word BLESSED means “favored, therefore, happy.” Some Bible versions translate this word as “Happy are you.”
• Insult – offensive words or actions. Insults are designed to hurt one’s feelings.
• Persecute – unfair treatment (for example, you are treated unfairly in the office because you are a ‘born again’ Christian)
• False accusations – people say things about you that are simply untrue. They make up stories about you because they either are convicted by your pure life or they are envious.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely accuse you because of me. Rejoice and be glad...”

This is one of the many paradoxes of Jesus.

A paradox is a statement, proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true.

Here are Jesus’ other paradoxes:

• Matthew 10:39 “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

• Matthew 19:30 “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.”

• Matthew 20:26-27 “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-“

Persecution is a NORMAL part of your Christial Life according to 2 Timothy 3:12: “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted...”

Some points:
• Not all persecution is because of Christ (some is because of our own failure as Christians).
• Not all persecution comes from outsiders (people outside the church) – some persecution will come from inside the church! There are people inside the church who are comfortable with the STATUS QUO and will do everything to preserve their comfort zone. When someone in the church who has a stirring of the Holy Spirit in his/her heart tries to change the status quo, he/she will be persecuted.

2. What is the Purpose?

What is the point?

Here’s the basic idea. Ordinary things can be done by ordinary people. Only those who are Supernaturally (Divinely) Empowered can do supernatural things.

• Ordinary people take revenge. Supernatural people forgive.
• Ordinary people love those who love them. Supernatural people love those who hate them.
• Ordinary people rejoice when things go well. Supernatural people rejoice in difficulties.

Obeying Christ will SET US APART from the rest of the world and Christ will be glorified in us. When we fail to follow Christ, we become just like everybody else and nobody notices us or the Christ in us. We become ordinary.

This is part of our SALT and LIGHT responsibilities (Matthew 5:13-16). We are to SHINE and INFLUENCE our world for Christ. We can only do this when we are DIFFERENT.

Secondly, Rejoicing will cancel two hindering obstacles to our following after Christ: fear and discouragement. (More of this in Point 4 below.)

3. Is this Possible?

There are times when we have a sneaking (hidden) suspicion that what is written in the Bible is fundamentally IMPOSSIBLE for us to obey. This becomes evident with comments like, “Si Jesus man to iya” or “Si Paul man to iya” or “Sa Bible man na iya.”

The underlying logic of this reasoning is that PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE ARE DIFFERENT FROM PEOPLE OF TODAY. And what we mean by this is that the Saints in the Bible are better than the Saints outside of the Bible, which is fundamentally UNTRUE! Man may differ with regards to technology, intelligence, socio-economic structures, and other external elements (such as clothes, skin color, looks, etc.) from one generation to another, but man remains basically the same -- A SINNER WHO NEEDS A SAVIOR. All sinners are EQUALLY LOST and all saved persons are EQUALLY SAVED. This is how James puts it:

“Elijah was a man just like us.” James 5:17

Here are the things that were available to the Saints in the Bible (them) and are also available to the Saints outside of the Bible (us):
1. God (Father, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit) John 14:17
2. God’s Grace (Saving Grace, Enabling Grace, Sustaining Grace) Ephesians 2:8,9; 2 Corinthians 12:9
3. God’s Word (Logos and Rhema) 2 Timothy 3:14-17
4. God’s Presence Hebrews 13:5
5. God’s Power Acts 2:39
6. God’s unchanging nature Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17

If the commands of Christ can only be obeyed by Christians IN the Bible, then it would be illogical to continue studying Scripture. For what is the use of trying to obey something that you cannot obey?

The question is can this be done? Can we really rejoice when we are persecuted? Have there been some who have followed this LITERALLY?

• Acts 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

• Acts 16:25 Paul and Silas singing at midnight in jail after they were beaten with rods.

• Acts 7:59-60 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

4. How do We Apply this?

Here are some things to consider to help us rejoice when we are persecuted for the sake of Christ and His Gospel.

A. Jesus was persecuted (John 15:20). To be persecuted is to be identified with Jesus. (Galatians 6:17; Romans 8:17)

B. We are in a world where we do not belong. (John 15:18,19)

C. Jesus promised Great Reward for those who undergo persecution because of Him. (Matthew 5:11,12)

D. Although they can kill your body, they cannot kill your soul. (Matthew 10:28)

E. It is a privilege to be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12; Acts 5:41)

F. God will be doing something Good through our persecutions (Romans 8:28). Paul’s and Silas’ rejoicing in their own persecutions brought about the salvation of a Philippian Jail Guard and his whole family. (Acts 16) There are Bible scholars that point to Stephen’s Martyrdom (in Acts 8) as the catalyst to Paul’s own salvation.

“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.” C. H. Spurgeon

G. Knowing how to react during times of persecution will bring glory and honor to God. In the Old Testament, the classic example of this is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Becuase they did not abandon their God, pagans honored their God. (Daniel 3) It is when we compromise that we diminish God’s glory and honor in the eyes of unbelievers.

H. Others have done it, so could we.

Conclusion
We do not rejoice because of the persecution, but we rejoice at WHAT the persecution will accomplish in us and through us.

What we should do is FIND reasons to rejoice.

We can rejoice in our persecution ONLY when our eyes are fixed on Jesus.


DO YOU REJOICE WHEN YOU ARE PERSECUTED?

February 3 2010 Mid-Week Bible Study

by Pastor Norman S. Lao

















The Living Rock Church of Iloilo City
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
February 3, 2010

Text: Matthew 4:19,20

Series Title
THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST

Bible Study Lesson
COMMANDMENT #2 – FOLLOW ME

Introduction
The purpose of this series: It is our firm understanding that as we LEARN (know) and OBEY (apply, put into actioni) the COMMANDS OF CHRIST we will become MORE LIKE HIM (this is the ultimate goal of discipleship) and we end up as TRUE DISCIPLES representing Christ accurately to the world!

His commands, when obeyed, lead to CHRISTLIKE CHARACTER. For example, the First Command, REPENTANCE, leads to humility (being humble).

Sow a thought, and you reap an act;
Sow an act, and you reap a habit;
Sow a habit, and you reap a character;
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.

The two important things in this whole matter is KNOWING and OBEYING. Think about this: (1) Without knowledge one cannot obey Christ’s Command. One must first KNOW before one can OBEY. That’s why knowledge is essential. (2) Knowledge is not enough, for there are those who KNOW but do not OBEY (Matthew 7:21, Luke 6:46). Many Christians have hit a snag here. (3) Knowledge must be followed by obedience. Remember the Great Commission: we must make disciples by “baptizing them....and teaching them to OBEY everything I COMMANDED you.”

Take note: We are to TEACH PEOPLE TO OBEY all of Christ’s commands. We do this by explaining (introducing, defining, illustrating, clarifying, simplifying) Christ’s commands to them.

This Bible Study material will deal specifically with the SECOND COMMAND of CHRIST which is FOLLOW ME (Matthew 4:19: "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men.")

The FIRST COMMAND, which is to REPENT, is directly related to the SECOND COMMAND. One cannot follow Jesus until one has repented. There are some who repent but do not follow Christ. We must understand that repentance, without the consequent following after Christ, is useless. There are two actions in repentance: TURNING AWAY from Sin and TURNING TOWARD God. In other words, LEAVING SIN and FOLLOWING CHRIST. Two sides of the same coin. A one-sided coin is useless.

Everybody is called to follow Jesus because everybody is a sinner and needs Christ [Romans 3:23, 6:23]. Here are a few more reasons why everybody needs to follow Jesus: (a) Jesus is the Way [John 14:6]; (b) Jesus is the Word of God [John 1:1-3,14]; (c) Jesus has Eternal Life [John 5:12, Romans 6:23], (d) Jesus is the source of our spiritual life [John 15:4]; and (e) Jesus is our pattern [Philippians 2:5], etc.

I. What Does It Mean to Follow Jesus?

To be able to obey the Second Command we must understand WHAT (ano) “FOLLOW” means, then we will be able to know HOW (paano) to Follow Jesus.

There are different Greek words used for the English word “Follow”and each word gives us a shade of what the word really means:

• Deute opiso muo – come after me Matthew 4:19

• Akoloutheo – accompany someone (literally, to be on the same way or road) Matthew 4:20

• Dioko – to pursue, follow after (Luke 17:23)

• Mimeomai – to imitate, the follower is called mimetes (Hebrews 13:7)

From the preceding words and definitions here’s our working definition of the term “Follow.”

TRANSFORMATION by ASSOCIATION

To follow includes the following:
1. Obedience – to do what Jesus commanded. (Ilonggo: tuman)
2. Imitation – to do what Jesus did, to say what Jesus said, to be what Jesus is, to live the life of Jesus (imitation from the heart and not just external) Ilonggo: ilog
3. Accompany – to walk with Jesus (relationship). (Ilonggo: upod)
4. Patterning – making Jesus the pattern of everything in your life. This is the message of the “fad” W.W.J.D. As we ask ourselves “What would Jesus do?” in every critical instance in our lives we are challenged to become like Jesus. The idea of patterning is further illustrated by the Potter and the Clay. Jesus is the PERFECT POT PATTERN and we, his followers, are MOLDED into His “shape.”


II. How Are We To Follow Jesus?

Getting a cue from the biblical texts (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22) we are told several things about HOW we can follow Jesus:

I. BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING: YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

A. Change Roads

Eveyrone who is born in this world is traveling on the WIDE road toward destruction. To follow Christ one has to step on the path of Christ (be born again) – the NARROW road. You cannot follow Christ until you are on the SAME ROAD WITH HIM. You cannot follow Christ using ANOTHER ROAD.

You have to LEAVE the road you are traveling on and get on the road that Jesus is on. For some this may involve LEAVING (1) your job, (2) your friends, (3) a sinful relationship, (4) an illegal business venture, (5) it is DEFINITELY a leaving of a sinful lifestyle. (REPENTANCE is not only a change of mind, but also a change of direction.)

Now that you are on the SAME ROAD with Christ, LEARN from HIM.

Matthew 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me , for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

You have to LEARN Jesus. There are many things we should UNLEARN so that we can LEARN Jesus. This series will provide us with the process of unlearning and learning.

B. Change Natures

Everybody born on this planet is born with Adam’s SINFUL NATURE (not Adam’s sin). Sinful Nature means man’s TENDENCY toward sin (Romans 3:10-23) received from Adam.

Man is not a sinner because he sins, rather man sins because he is a sinner. Man does not improve, but rather deteriorates over time. Man is more sinful now than he was 100 years ago or 1000 years ago.

No one can change our Nature except God. That’s what happens when we get born again. Our First Birth gave us Adam’s sinful nature, but our Second Birth gave us a New Nature from Heaven. If the Old (Sinful) Nature is the tendency to sin, then the New Nature is the TENDENCY to HOLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS and OBEDIENCE to God.

The result or effect of the NEW NATURE is NEW LIFE – TRANSFORMATION (2 Corinthians 5:17) and, therefore, CHRIST-LIKENESS.

Unless one is born again he/she cannot follow Christ – it would be impossible. You need a New Nature to follow Christ. The Basic Requirements for being Born Again are: (1) Faith (trust in Christ via the Gospel), (2) Repentance (turning away from sin and turning toward Christ) and (3) Water Baptism (commitment to follow Christ) [Acts 2:38, etc.]

II. PREPARE FOR YOUR NEW JOURNEY

To prepare for this new journey with Christ, we must understand what is at stake (what is involved). Things You need to Understand

A. Understand that following Christ is NOT EASY.

Matthew 8:19-20 “19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." DISCOMFORT, SACRIFICES, INCONVENIENCES

B. Understand that following Christ involves a CHANGE OF PRIORITIES.

Matthew 8:21 “21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead." CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL MUST BE FIRST IN A DISCIPLE’S LIFE.

C. Understand that sometimes you are going to have to make a choice between Christ and your LOVED ONES.

Matthew 10:37-39 “37 ‘Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’”

D. Understand that following Christ involves SELF-DENIAL.

Matthew 16:24-25 “24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
This is best expressed by the Lord Himself when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane facing the prospect of Death by Hanging on the Cross. He said to the Father, “Not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) This is self-denial.

E. Understand that following Christ involves leaving EVERYTHING.

Matthew 19:27 “27 Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’” NO MORE WORLDLY ATTACHMENTS.

Anyone who is prepared to do these things is also prepared to follow Jesus Christ.

3. THE JOURNEY

The journey begins with a NARROW GATE (Born Again) and continues through a NARROW ROAD [Discipleship] (Matthew 7:13,14). Narrow, with reference to Wide, signifies that the journey is going to be rough and difficult. However, Jesus said that the journey on the Narrow Road ends in LIFE.

Paul puts it this way, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18) and “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

The Journey may be short or long for different Christians, but the purpose is the same: the Journey is a MOLDING PROCESS. Everything that happens in this journey happens for a Good Purpose (Romans 8:28) – to mold us into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:13, Galatians 4:19, Romans 8:29)
A Journey is a Process. The following basic things will help us follow Christ – and not be sidetracked (going in another direction) – on this Journey:

A. Constant Fellowship with Christ through Prayer, His Word and His Church. (Hebrews 10:24,25; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Matthew 4:4)
B. Consistent life of Obedience. (Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21)
C. Faithful Service in the Church. (Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 10:24)
D. Committed Service in the World. (Matthew 28:19,20)
E. Successful overcoming of Trials and Tests. (Matthew 7:24-27)
F. Effective overcoming of Temptations. (1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:13-15; Matthew 26:41)
G. Immediate yielding to the Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 4:30)
H. Regular confession of sins. (1 John 1:9)

Conclusion
The Second Command of Christ is to FOLLOW HIM. If you are not following Christ, you are following somebody else.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING CHRIST?

He who follows Christ will never get lost.
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