follow me and

Follow Me and …

… there is always another thing

Religion in Canada

• 82% believe God understands and is forgiving

• 66% believe in forgiveness through Christ

• 64% believe the Bible is the Word of God

• 44% believe they have committed their lives

to Christ

Source: Ipsos-Reid 2003

Religion in Canada

• 82% believe God understands and is forgiving

• 66% believe in forgiveness through Christ

• 64% believe the Bible is the Word of God

• 44% believe they have committed their lives to

Christ

• 19% attend church (2003)

• Probably 16% today

Source: Ipsos-Reid 2003

Follow Me and …

Matthew Mark Luke John

1 4:19 1:17

2 8:22 9:59

3 9:9 2:14 5:27

4 10:38, 16:24 8:34 9:23, 14:27

5 19:21 10:21 18:22

6 1:43

7 10:27

8 12:26

9 21:19

10 21:22

Follow Me and …

Matthew John

1 4:19

2 8:22

3 9:9

4 10:38, 16:24

5 19:21

6 1:43

7 10:27

8 12:26

9 21:19

10 21:22

Follow Me and …

• Always a command; never a question

• Always personal / small group

• Always a declared expectation

• Always an expectation of activity

• Always a change of life and purpose

Follow and Fish

• Matthew 4:19 (Mark 1:17)

• “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will

send you out to fish for people.”

Follow and Fish

• Matthew 4:18-20

• As Jesus was walking by the sea of Galilee

he saw two brothers Simon called Peter and

his brother Andrew. They were casting a net

into the lake, for they were fishermen.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will

send you out to fish for people.” At once

they left their nets and followed him.

Follow and Fish

• Matthew 4:19 (Mark 1:17)

• “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will

send you out to fish for people.”

• DO I SEARCH FOR PEOPLE

TO BRING TO JESUS?

Follow and Focus

• Matthew 8:22 (Luke 9:59)

• But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the

dead bury their own dead.”

Follow and Focus

• Matthew 8:21-22

• Another disciple said to him, “Lord let me

first go and bury my father.” But Jesus told

him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their

own dead.”

• Luke 9:60 “… but you go and proclaim the

kingdom of God.”

Follow and Focus

• Matthew 8:22 (Luke 9:59)

• But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the

dead bury their own dead.”

• DO I SET FAMILY AND BUSINESS CONCERNS BEHIND FOLLOWING JESUS?

Follow and Facilitate

• Matthew 9:9 (Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27)

• As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man

named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s

booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and

Matthew got up and followed him.

Follow and Facilitate

• Matthew 9:9-10

• As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man

named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s

booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and

Matthew got up and followed him. While

Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s

house, many tax collectors and “sinners”

came and ate with him and his disciples.

Follow and Facilitate

• Matthew 9:9 (Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27)

• As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man

named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s

booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and

Matthew got up and followed him.

• DO I BRING PEOPLE TO MEETINGS WHERE THEY CAN MEET JESUS?

Follow and Forfeit

• Matthew 16:24 (10:38, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, 14:27)

• Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever

wants to be my disciple must deny

themselves and take up their cross and

follow me.”

Follow and Forfeit

• Matthew 16:24-28

• Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever

wants to be my disciple must deny

themselves and take up their cross and

follow me. For whoever wants to save his

life will lose it, but whoever loses his life

for me will find it. … he (the Father) will

reward each person according to what he

has done.”

Follow and Forfeit

• Matthew 16:24 (10:38, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, 14:27)

• Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever

wants to be my disciple must deny

themselves and take up their cross and

follow me.”

• DO I SET MY PERSONAL AGENDA ASIDE SO I CAN FOLLOW JESUS CLOSER?

Follow and Finance

• Matthew 19:21 (Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22)

• Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,

go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.”

Follow and Finance

• Matthew 19:16-22

• Now a man came up to Jesus an asked,

“Teacher, what good thing must I do to get

eternal life?” … Jesus answered, “If you

want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions

and give to the poor, and you will have

treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

When the young man heard this, he went

away sad, because he had great wealth.

Follow and Finance

• Matthew 19:21 (Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22)

• Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect,

go, sell your possessions and give to the

poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.

Then come, follow me.”

• DO I PUT FOLLOWING JESUS BEFORE MONEY?

Follow and Find

• John 1:43

• The next day Jesus decided to leave for

Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him,

“Follow me.”

Follow and Find

• John 1:43

• The next day Jesus decided to leave for

Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him,

“Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter,

was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip

found Nathaniel …

Follow and Find

• John 1:43

• The next day Jesus decided to leave for

Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him,

“Follow me.”

• DO I SEEK TO FIND PEOPLE TO FOLLOW JESUS WITH ME?

Follow and Fellowship

• John 10:27

• “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,

and they follow me.”

Follow and Fellowship

• John 10:27-30

• “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,

and they follow me. I give them eternal life,

and they shall never perish; no one can

snatch them out of my hand. My Father who

has given them to me, is greater than all; no

one can snatch them out of my Father’s

hand. I and the Father are one.”

Follow and Fellowship

• John 10:27

• “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,

and they follow me.”

• DO I LISTEN TO JESUS THROUGH HIS WORD EVERY DAY?

Follow and Farm

• John 12:26

• “Whoever serves me must follow me; and

where I am, my servant also will be. My

Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Follow and Farm

• John 12:24-26

• “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Follow and Farm

• John 12:26

• “Whoever serves me must follow me; and

where I am, my servant also will be. My

Father will honor the one who serves me.”

• DO I LET THE SEEDS I PLANT DIE SO THEY CAN MULTIPLY FOR JESUS?

Follow and Finish

• John 21:19

• Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death

by which Peter would glorify God. Then he

said to him, “Follow me!”

Follow and Finish

• John 21:17-19

• Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the

truth … you were younger … when you are

old …” Jesus said this to indicate the kind

of death by which Peter would glorify God.

Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Follow and Finish

• John 21:19

• Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death

by which Peter would glorify God. Then he

said to him, “Follow me!”

• WILL I FINISH STRONG IN FOLLOWING JESUS?

Follow and Fixate

• John 21:22

• Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain

alive until I return, what is that to you? You

must follow me.”

Follow and Fixate

• John 21:20-22

• Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom

Jesus loved was following them. … When

Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord what about

him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to

remain alive until I return, what is that to

you? You must follow me.”

Follow and Fixate

• John 21:22

• Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain

alive until I return, what is that to you? You

must follow me.”

• DO I MIND MY OWN BUSINESS AS I FOLLOW JESUS?

Follow Me and …

Audience Matthew John

1 Follow and Fish 2 4:19

2 Follow and Focus 1 8:22

3 Follow and Facilitate 1 9:9

4 Follow and Forfeit 12 10:38, 16:24

5 Follow and Finance 1 19:21

6 Follow and Find 1 1:43

7 Follow and Fellowship 10? 10:27

8 Follow and Farm 2 12:26

9 Follow and Finish 1 21:19

10 Follow and Fixate 1 21:22