What makes someone a follower of Jesus? Going to church? Donating money to good causes? Trying to be a good person? The answer is actually much simpler: all we have to do is follow the Leader. In this message, Dr. Stanley outlines exactly how to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, surrendering our lives and mirroring His life of prayer, service, and sacrifice.
[Music]
next on InTouch following Jesus if I
should ask you simple question are you a
follower of Jesus how would you answer
that you a follower of Jesus well if I
ask that to some people they would say
do you mean do I believe in God no I
just said are you a follower of Jesus
well they might respond well on the Oh
about him that’s not the question and
oftentimes they would say well I do
attend church that that’s that’s not the
question either
well they might say when I go to church
every once in a while they observe
Communion and I participate in that no I
asked you if you were a follower of
Jesus well I give the good causes and
that’s not the question well I think I’m
a pretty good person I didn’t ask you
that
I told a little good life I don’t drink
I’ve run around on my wife I didn’t ask
you that I pray when I feel like I have
a need of it didn’t ask you that I ask
you if you are a follower of Jesus it’s
amazing him that people have different
answers and then I do consider myself a
religious person I didn’t ask you that
either well my parents were very
religious and I didn’t ask you that
either
and the truth is all of those answers
any one of them are all of them together
would not equal whether you’re a
follower of Jesus or not and many people
think if certain activities issue in
their life certain experiences then they
they must be a follower of Jesus they
must be a Christian not necessarily so
and so I want you to turn if you will to
Matthew chapter four and look at this
eighteenth verse are you our follower of
Jesus listen what the scripture says
the 18th verse of Matthew 4 now as Jesus
was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw
two brothers Simon who is called Peter
and Andrew his brother casting a net
into the sea for they were fishermen and
he that is Jesus said to them follow me
and I will make you fishers of men and
they immediately left their nets and
began to follow Jesus where does Jesus
Christ fit into your life and so when I
think about that that’s going to be the
title of this message
following Jesus so what I’d like to do
in this message I’d like to give you the
activities the experiences of a true
follower of Jesus so that you can decide
whether you are not because there are
certain things that are absolutely
essential to a follower of Jesus many
people think they are many people are
not sure many people are no they’re not
and many people truly are followers of
Jesus so the purpose of this message is
simply to clarify that so I hope you
have a pen and a pencil or a piece of
paper now I want you to write this down
because when somebody says that you have
follower of Jesus you can say yes
specifically if you know how to say yes
and I want you to examine your heart and
ask yourself the question not that you
go to church not have you been baptized
not have you taken communion
not have you done all these things but
am I true follower of Jesus so what does
a true follower of Jesus look like what
does it sound like what are the
evidences for the experiences of a true
follower of Jesus so I trust that you’ll
write them down now to be a follower of
Jesus step number one you must be born
again
John 3:3 says truly truly I say to you
unless one is born again he cannot see
the kingdom of God or enter the kingdom
of God so the first basic step of being
a follower of Jesus is being born again
so forget the church of business baptism
and all that stuff it’s being born again
which is a matter of confessing your
sins surrendering your life to Christ
accepting his forgiveness of your life
and beginning to walk in his ways first
of all being born again have you ever
been born again Jesus could not have
made it more clear when he said being
born again not just being better not
just improving being born again as a
result of your confession repentance and
surrender your life to Christ as Savior
Lord step number one did you get that
say man step number two and that is if
you’re a follower of Jesus you’re going
to be a person who prays listen to what
he says an example of Jesus in Luke 6
verse 12 it was at that time that he
went off to the mountain to pray and he
spent the whole night in prayer to God
well somebody says well I pray how often
do you pray well once in a while know if
you really are follow up Jesus prayer is
a major part of your life in fact how do
you start the day off and living in this
world without talking to God and how do
you go to sleep at night with perfect
security without talking to God
how do you face the issues in life
without prayer that is prayer should be
a habit and not only a habit but a very
important part of our life pray about
what pray about everything and Jesus
prayed about many things but what I want
you to notice is this he watched this
this is the son of God he began his day
alone with God how many times have I
mentioned that to you about starting the
day with prayer and getting alone having
your quiet time if you’re gonna be a
follower of Jesus a follower does what
the leader does right so first of all
you born again and secondly you’re going
to make
prayer a very very vital habit in your
life so I would ask you this question
most of you who consider yourselves
followers of Jesus where does prayer did
in your daily life is it something you
do when you get in trouble when you have
a need when you get sick if you think
about it are you almost had an accident
you thank God but prayer pray without
ceasing the scripture says Jesus began
his day and not just in this verse but
other verses began his day alone talking
to the Lord and of course the disciples
they couldn’t stand it’s their day to
find them and interrupt him but prayer
is the second very vital part thirdly if
you really and truly are a follower of
Jesus you can listen to him in Matthew
chapter 17 verse 5 listen what the
scripture says while he was still
speaking a bright cloud overshadowed
them and behold a voice out of the cloud
said this is my beloved son with whom I
am well pleased listen to him that’s the
scripture and I believe one of the
greatest weaknesses among believers is
failing to listen to God he God is the
sovereign god of this universe Lord
master over all things who requires our
obedience surrender and our
acknowledgment of his rule as God in
this society and in this world how many
of us are listening to him when is the
last time you got on your knees or you
got by yourself in your particular place
the brain just said Lord today I’m not
going to tell you anything I just want
to listen to you what do you say well
I’ve listened to God and he didn’t say a
thing you know why your attitude wasn’t
right yes the sovereign God of the
universe who loved you enough to send
Jesus to die for your sins is always of
to hear the prayers of his children who
come to him in sincerity it doesn’t mean
we have to come to him all contest up
because sometimes we come to him in
order to confess and repent of our sin
whatever it might be what a follower of
Jesus is the person who prays and the
person who listens to God as well as
talk to God so I would ask you the
question have you been born again
what place does prayer have in your life
and how often do you take time to listen
to him but do you all do all the talking
and many people pray like this well I’m
coming to you today from my needs you
know all my needs and I’m trusting you
to protect me watch over me and care for
me and you know what I’d like to have
you know the things in life on my prayer
list and I’m gonna trust you to take
care of me today in Jesus name Amen that
is all about me myself and I not all
about or any of all about washing me
holy God who deserves our Allegiance and
obedience to walk faithfully before him
number four if I’m gonna be a follower
of Jesus I must believe in this simple
verse for God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son that whoever
believes in Him will not perish but have
everlasting life
trusting him faith in Him
John 3:16 for example that verse is
absolutely essential
in order for us to follow him if I don’t
believe him I’m not gonna do what he
says if I don’t believe him I’m not
going to obey Him if I don’t believe in
I’m not gonna walk in his ways if I
don’t believe him
I’m gonna live my life centered around
what I want when I
whatever that might be can you honestly
until they say I live by faith I trust
God for my needs I trust God for my
difficulties hardship pain I trust God
when I’m in a sense of facing temptation
what part does faith have in my daily
life in a practical kind of life so
number five if I’m a follower of Jesus
I’m going to obey I’m going to obey John
8:12 says I am the light of the world he
who follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of Life
that is who follows me who obeys me if
I’m really and truly a follower of Jesus
obedience is absolutely essential and
besides that it’s a desire of my heart
if I understand who Jesus is I would be
absolutely foolish not to obey Him
the Bible says the wages of sin is what
that’s pretty weak the wages of sin is
what that’s right why do I want to sin
against God if I know that ultimately
there’s gonna be death not just physical
death it could be death to my true
ability to love somebody it could be
death to my opportunity from God to be
blessed fun actually because I’m
disobeying him financially
and we could go right down the line
obedience is absolutely essential to
being a follower of Jesus and you say
well why do you spend all that time with
that let me ask you a question
what did you spend most of those early
hours and days of your children’s lives
saying that it’s what you must do I want
you to grow up to me and you were
teaching your children to do what to
obey you because you wanted them to grow
up and be the best they can be if you
follow Jesus you obey Him if you don’t
obey Him
you thank him for sending you enough
heartache and troubles and trials to
correct your sense of misdirection and
life obedience to him is absolutely
essential and people don’t like to talk
about obeying God they want to talk
about how good god is well sure God’s
good and you know one of the reasons
he’s so good it’s because he teaches us
to obey Him who is the source of every
good thing that comes that way now I
hope you write these down and I’m
trusting you when you before you go to
bed tonight check yourself out in fact
it’d be a good idea if you had this list
right by your bed so you would say okay
Lord I know my father loved you so I
know I’m born again I’m praying and
listening and words check yourself out a
true follower of Jesus Christ is gonna
do every single one of these so far
we’re right correct Amen that’s pretty
weak but you’ll wake up the minute
you’re gonna obey and then you’re going
to love him if you’re gonna follow him
you’re going to love him listen to mark
12:30 you shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart with all your soul
and with all your mind and with all your
strength look at that love the Lord your
God with all your heart not a divided
heart having the world in half with God
all your heart with all your soul that
is all your very being your whole
personality and he says with all your
mind that is if I love it watch this if
I love God with all my mind I am going
to be careful what I place in my mind
what I think about who I think about and
the kind of thoughts I have if I’m a
true follower of Jesus and love him with
all my heart soul and my
mind I’m gonna be very careful what I
place in my mind
you can listen you cannot love the Lord
your God with all your heart and sit and
watch something on television that
absolutely messes up your mind
challenges your sense of obedience
challenges your sense of Puritan y’all
right now if you really and truly love
him and we come to this whole issue of
loving him that love is going to affect
what I think the way I think where I go
what I say what I do loving is going to
affect every aspect of our life so when
I think about people saying oh yes I’m a
believer I’m a follower of Jesus and yet
they’ve not even thought about how their
activities indicate whether they’re a
follower of not then share him that is
tell somebody else about him listen to
what he said in Matthew 28:19 you know
these verses go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations that is
spread the word get to the truth of the
word of God through all the nations the
people who love us the people who hate
us and I think about how that verse is
taking place today all over the world
there are people who risk their lives 24
hours a day they get the simple truth of
the gospel that the people around them
Jesus sent his disciples into a world of
hatred bitterness animosity and death
but it is our responsibility to get the
word out so that means I’m to tell
somebody but let me ask you a question
when is the last time you deliberately
willfully singled out somebody that you
knew really and truly they needed to
know about the Lord Jesus needed to be
saved ones less than you said something
to them maybe just a little something
inviting him into anything in order to
get them to the place that they’re saved
and begin to follow Jesus
he said that to his disciples but he
meant for us all to do that go into all
the world and preach the gospel yes but
we can tell them how one on one they
didn’t have television radio microphones
or anything but they transformed the
world of their day and today we have the
privilege of penetrating every single
piece of Earth upon which you and I live
we have the ability and the capacity to
get it there but here’s the truth I’m
not too sure how authentic I would be if
I were not interested in somebody it’s
one thing to say everybody what bet
somebody everybody knows somebody that
you say something – at least sparked
their attention about their relationship
to God that’s what a true follow of
Jesus there was we follow Jesus not
blind but we follow Jesus sensitive to
people around us who are not following
him who desperately need him every
single one of us knows somebody today
who needs Christ in their life a true
watch us the true follower doesn’t
shut their ears or their eyes or shut
down their feelings we are sensitive to
somebody else around us who so
desperately needs him then of course
number eight serve Him if I’m a true
follower of Jesus I’m gonna serve him in
some fashion listen to what the
scripture says in John 12 26 if anyone
serves me the father will honor him that
is crystal clear if anyone serves me the
father will honor you want to be blessed
by God that’s the shortest one of the
shortest promises in the word listen if
anyone serves me the father will honor
him all of us have the capacity to serve
the Lord in some fashion well how do you
serve the Lord by serving somebody else
in some way there are many many ways to
serve the
but the issue here I think is that he
wants us to give ourselves away to us
think about this is that not what he did
he came into the world thirty years he
lived those working years as a carpenter
and then those last years he spent
preaching the gospel sharing the truth
and dying on a cross for you and me what
was he doing he was serving the father
and every time you and I do something
that is godly that’s wise that’s helpful
even what we say or what we do what do
we do we are serving him so that’s what
that’s what true believers do followers
of Jesus are not self-centered followers
of Jesus look around them followers of
Jesus are able to hurt where the people
are hurting followers of Jesus are able
to discern when someone around them is
hurting and nobody else seems to care or
understand followers of Jesus are
willing to serve others by giving to
them by encouraging them in some fashion
by presenting them with the truth of the
gospel or presenting they were the truth
of the gospel when they don’t want to
hear it
followers of Jesus make a difference and
then of course this is one we don’t like
followers of Jesus suffering or willing
to suffer fine
Philippians 1:29 is a great verse for
you it has been granted for Christ’s
sake not only to believe in him but also
to suffer for his sake now you say well
I don’t know why I have to suffer to be
a Christian you may not ever have to
suffer to be a Christian but if I’m
going to follow Jesus I’m probably going
to suffer in some way you say well
pastors don’t suffer you haven’t lived
in their shoes and other people oh well
yeah if you follow Jesus you’re gonna
suffer watch me you’re gonna suffer a
rejection by some you may suffer
financially you may suffer jawed
job-wise you may suffer in relationships
if you’re a true follower of Jesus some
people don’t want you in their in their
circle you know what they don’t want you
you make them feel uncomfortable because
there’s something about your personality
that doesn’t fit who they are they love
the world you don’t you don’t drink what
they drink go where they go dressed like
they dress and so there’s something
about you that you don’t fit but the
scripture says we’re to suffering that
is we’re to be where we need to be
whether we were accepted or not we’re to
do what we need to do whether they like
it or not we’re to share the truth of
the gospel when it’s acceptable or when
it’s rejected true followers of Jesus
now if you’ve written those down without
trust that you have but I’m brother said
by the bedsides your house and but
tonight for you go to bed just look over
them
you don’t say everything I said just a
born-again pray listen believe obey a
loving watch this when you write before
sleep go over something like this and
you go to sleep with that in your mind
that’s the last thing you’re thinking
about all night long your mind is
working that truth into your thought
processes when you wake up in the
morning if you simply went over all
those today and you simply said Lord I
want to be a follower of Jesus today
thank you that I’m born again in praying
so forth you go right down the list it
will not take you very long you love all
my heart because your mind
has been programmed to think the way God
wants you to think
and what happens God transforms our life
will that even realize think what’s
happening and that’s my prayer for you
now you’re here this morning maybe you
just dropped into a visitor or maybe
you’ve been come and service several
Sundays but you’ve never been born again
you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ as
saving surrendered your life to Him
that’s step number one and I would
encourage you because you see the rest
of this doesn’t count what forget to
rest them till you deal with the first
one because everything else is a step up
on the first one and if you are willing
to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive
you of your sins and you’re surrendering
your life to him today and you want to
build upon this foundation of your faith
in Christ he’s willing to forgive you of
your sins and he’s willing to start with
you today living the most awesome life
you could ever imagine
amen amen let’s stand if you will
father how grateful we are that in all
of your infinite wisdom you made truth
simple enough for all of us to
understand and other we could walk in
obedience here will etch these truths
into all of our minds and arts forth
pray that you’ll bring to every single
person’s memory tonight before they turn
off the last light to read these over
and to ask you to work them into their
heart and after they turn on the light
tomorrow morning to read them again and
Lord that you would bring them to their
mind one of them or all of them during
the day as they meet other people
listening to their heartaches and
problems and burdens we are the
followers Lord we want to be true
genuine life-changing followers of Jesus
and we thank you for that in Christ’s
name Amen
if you’ve been blessed by today’s
program please visit us at intouch.org e
in touch leading people worldwide into a
growing relationship with Jesus Christ
and strengthening the local church this
program is sponsored by in touch
ministries and is made possible by the
grace of God and your faithful prayers
and gifts