To Be Like Jesus

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One of the biggest problems that occur with the evangelism cycle is the transition between the Learn and the Live Cycle. Especially with Public Evangelism, with so many people making decisions, some often fall through the cracks. Additionally, many churches don't have a followup process. We work so hard to lead someone to the waters of baptism and then they are often neglected. These people are still babies in faith and they need further nurture. This sermon will address the transition from Learn to Live.

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There is the story of a young man who applied at a logging company and asked for a job. The foreman asked him if he could fell a tree with an ax. The young man walked over to a tree and felled it like an old pro. The foreman hired him.
On Monday, the young man outdid everyone else on the crew. But, each day after that, he got slower and slower until Friday, he could barely cut one tree down. He went through all the motions; swinging his ax, hitting the tree and repeating it, but it just didn’t work very well.
Finally, the young man laid down his ax, sat on the ground in exhaustion and wondered what was causing this. The foreman came over and told the young man he knew what caused it. He said he had been so busy all week doing the things that a logger does, that he had forgotten to get back to basics and sharpen his ax. It has become dull and is all but worthless today because it had not been kept in good condition.
Christians need to sharpen
Last Quarter
Learn
introduction
information
transformation
baptism
This Quarter,
what next?
After Learn
is Live
How do we
continue to live-out
what we learned?
More Sharpening
Really Discipleship:
Luke 6:40 ESV
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
One short statement
outlines object
Christian life.
The goal of every
true disciple
be like Jesus.
Living
Sharpening
Discipleship
about
being like Jesus!
When Jesus called disciples
He said,
“Follow Me;”
not merely
“Follow My teachings,”
but
“Follow Me.”
We cannot truly
follow His instruction
apart from Him.
Jesus disciples learned:
pray
Scripture
love
Discipleship necessarily requires
spending time with Jesus!

The Cost of Discipleship

Matthew 16:24–25 ESV
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
and
Luke 14:33 ESV
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
discipleship involves
self-denial
and sacrifice
not for those seeking
popularity
or selfish pursuits
Matthew 7:14 ESV
For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Such Cost!!!
Then why do it?
Why follow?
Simple
because...

Compelling Love

Short Parable:
Matthew 13:45–46 ESV
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Who is merchant?
us!
What is pearl?
truth,
Gospel
God
Bible
What must we do?
sell everything
renounce everything
for the truth!
Cost is great
but notice...
Nobody
forces
coerces
persuades
Merchant to sacrifice!
Merchant
chooses
volunteers
wants to!
Why?
Pearl of Great Price
Worth much more!
When we get
a sense of the
value of
Christian Life.
we realize
it’s worth
sacrificing for!
Besides,
Its all motivated
but love alone...
2 Corinthians 5:14 (HCSB)
For Christ’s love compels us...
When controled
by this
empowering love.
David’s song becomes ours:
Psalm 40:8 ESV
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Not motivated by
fear
anxiety
punishment
We want
to sacrifice.
Why?
Once again
following Christ...
1 John 4:19 ESV
We love because he first loved us.
Don’t worry...
The sacrifice
will be worth it.
No one will regret it!
Mark 10:29–30 ESV
Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
The benefits
far out-weight
the costs.

Surrounded by the Spirit

The “ First Great Commandment”
summarizes:
Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
This will inevitably require
removing some things
more important
adding some things!
What is added?
Colossians 3:2 ESV
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Prioritizing
those things that
put mind above!

Eight Essential Spiritual Habits

1. Daily personal prayer
2. Daily personal study of the Bible
3. Daily morning and evening family worship
4. Weekly Sabbath school attendance
5. Weekly church attendance
6. Weekly prayer meeting or mid-week small group Bible study attendance
7. Regular personal witnessing
8. Regular involvement in local church ministry

Appeal

Be Like Jesus
Set Mind Above
Spiritual Habit
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