Who is this Jesus and why should I follow him?
Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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· 8 viewsWhy should I follow Jesus? What is so special about Jesus? He is God in the flesh and the King of and Lord over all creation.
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Intro:
Why should you follow Jesus?
Really, what makes Jesus so special that you should make him the center of your life and follow Him?
What is so special about this guy that he had the nerve to tell his disciples that they should place their security in Him?
That they should be willing to forsake everything to follow him
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Was it because he taught some new religion - No. He taught the O.T.
Was it because he was a great philosopher? - NO! He had a two point philosophy taken directly out of the OT LAW - Love God - Love your neighbor.
So, why did he demand so much and why were the disciples willing to forsake family and security to follow him?
And why should we be willing to follow him with as much passion as the first disciples?
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Plot continues –
Today we will look at 2 stories in Matthew 8. In these stories Matthew shows his readers why they too should follow this Jesus even when it means giving up security and family.
Matthews answer to his audience is simple –
Matthews answer to his audience is simple –
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
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Matt
But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.”
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”
There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
“All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.
The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”
Matt 8:23-
Storms come in during the fall and winter months very rapidly and unexpectedly.
Lake sits in a valley, surrounded by mountain ranges and hills.
Cool air comes from the east and mixes with the warm air that sets over the lake.
Jesus got up and REBUKED the wind and the waves - calm
Who is this man? The wind and the waves obey him!
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
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:
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”
There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
“All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.
A couple things to know about this story.
A couple things to know about this story.
Gadarenes is on the East coast of Lake Galilee
It is heavily influenced by Roman technology, commerce, arts, religion and politics.
Legion - Roman term for 600 or more Roman troops.
Pigs indicate a reliance on Roman commerce for the financial security of the people.
Can you imagine being the disciples; the fear and awe they must have experienced?
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
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Do you see a common element in these two stories?
Do you see a common element in these two stories?
Water!
Water!
· These two stories both deal with water.
· Water was a huge theme in Israel’s story.
· To the ancient Hebrews and the people surrounding them water symbolized chaos, the place of the dead, and the unknown.
· Can you think of a powerful moment in the history of Israel where water was both a major barrier and a means of salvation?
· That is right the exodus story.
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Now let’s look at a psalm that poetically describes God’s intervention in the exodus account.
Both we and our fathers have sinned;
we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.
Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,
did not consider your wondrous works;
they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,
but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.
Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,
that he might make known his mighty power.
He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,
and he led them through the deep as through a desert.
So he saved them from the hand of the foe
and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.
And the waters covered their adversaries;
not one of them was left.
Then they believed his words;
they sang his praise.
Yahweh rebuked the sea - it dried up
Jesus rebuked the sea - it became calm
Yahweh drowned the adversaries in the sea.
Jesus drowned the adversaries in the sea.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
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Who is this Jesus?
Who is this Jesus?
He does what only Yahweh can
Rebukes the storms and water.
Drowns the enemy in the same water.
Forgives sins
Heals and raises the dead.
Conquered death in himself.
He makes claims of divinity
I Am before Abraham
The Father and I are one
This Jesus – Yeshua = Yahweh Saves.
Matthew in His story is telling us this Rabbi, this Jesus is the Yahweh, the God of Israel in the flesh.
He is the storm rebuke
He is the one who turns chaos into peace
He is the demon stomper
The enemy remover
He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
He is the God above all other gods.
He is Yahweh redeeming His people in the flesh!
He is Yahweh redeeming His people in the flesh!
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Why should we follow Jesus as our Rabbi?
Why should we follow Jesus as our Rabbi?
Because He is God/Yahweh made flesh –
He is the embodiment of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
· Who else can you depend on in times of absolute chaos?
· I heard a guy the other day say he needs to just learn how to depend on himself.
o Every problem you have ever had has one thing in common – YOU!
o Depend on yourself makes for a great bumper sticker but it is horrible advice.
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Are you going to count on yourself when your marriage is going down in flames?
Can you count on yourself when addiction is haunting you?
Can you count on your self when the chaos of this world blows in and begins to drown you?
Can you count on yourself when your heart and mind are full of doubts and fears?
Can you count on yourself when you feel alone and not understood?
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
When you know who it is you are following, you realize there is no one else to follow.
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He is saying follow me because He desires to be your security.
He wants your life to be well – And he is the one who can calm the storms.
He wants you to follow his life and teachings because He is the Lord of Life.
He navigated death and defeated it.
He calms the storms with a simple word.
He is the prince of peace in the midst of chaos.
Who is this Rabbi?
Who is this Rabbi?
Not my ways.
Not a church statement of faith.
He is the God that saves. He is the God above all gods.
Not a creed
But Him.
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Who is this Rabbi? He is the God that saves. He is the God above all gods.
Why should you follow him?
Why should you follow him?
Because you have done it your way and failed.
You have lived life your way and it caused you pain and others around you pain.
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When you know that you are following Jesus, you realize there is no one else to follow!
When you know that you are following Jesus, you realize there is no one else to follow!