Part 1“To Follow Jesus” – July 3, 2024
Pastor Ken Hart
Matthew 13: 3-8 (NLT)
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 7 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
THREE SUGGESTIONS TO HELP US FOLLOW JESUS:
1. STUDY HIS TENDENCIES
2. LEARN TO LISTEN TO HIS VOICE
John 10:27 (NIV)
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
3. ACT ON HIS WORD
James 2:17 (NLT)
17 Faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead
IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS TO MAKE WHEN FOLLOWING JESUS:
1. His will for me is good.
Luke 11:11-13 (NLT)
11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”
Romans 12:2 (NLT)
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
2. His will for me will be helpful to other people.
3. His will for me will sometimes be contrary to what I think is best for me.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
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