Follow Me
Luke 5:1-11 (NKJV) So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. 4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.
Peter realized…
-who Jesus was
-he was empty
-his life could be different
-his sin
Matthew 4:18-20 (NKJV) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fisherman. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Rules of the game…
-Keep your eyes on the leader
-Go where the leader goes
-Don’t get ahead of the leader
-Don’t stop or fall behind
-Don’t get distracted & do your own thing
-Whatever you do don’t stop following
Follow (Greek) — “to carefully follow after someone to replicate or mimic what he does, to walk the same road.”
1 Peter 2:21 (NLT) For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps [footprints].
1 John 2:6 (ESV) Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.
Ephesians 5:1 (NLT) Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children.
1. Jesus is our role model
2. Jesus is #1, not us
Matthew 16:24 (NLT) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.”
“When we come to Christ, we’re no longer the most important person in the world to us; Christ is. Instead of living only for ourselves, we have a higher goal: to live for Jesus.” —Billy Graham
3. Jesus doesn’t take wrong turns
Circumstantial obedience hinders us from following Jesus as we should.
“Obedience is not about factoring outcomes. Obedience is about one thing and one thing only: JUST OBEDIENCE.” —Britt Hancock
John 21:2-6 (NKJV) Simon Peter, Thomas…, Nathanael…, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.” 6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. <—Does this sound familiar?
John 21:19 (NKJV) And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”
Luke 9:59-62 (NLT) He said to another person, “Come, follow Me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” 61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” 62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:28-30 (NIV) Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke 22:42 (NKJV) Saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”