Day 15

15 - THE BELIEVER'S CHALLENGE: FOLLOW ME

“The next day, Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” John 1:43

“Katy Perry has over 75 million of them. Taylor Swift has 65 million. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has 38 million. Jimmy Fallon and Oprah Winfrey each have 30 million. Harry Styles, One Direction, Bill Gates and LeBron James each have 25 million. Cold Play, Ed Sheeran, Jim Carrey and Kanye West each have 15 million... followers... on Twitter.

How many followers does Jesus have?

Statistics tell us there are over 2 billion Christians in the world. This represents almost one third of the global population. But are there really over 2 billion people following Jesus? While almost 80% of the US claims to be Christian, only 40% say they regularly attend church, and only 20% actually attend church on any given Sunday. (Hartford Institute of Religion Research)

When someone clicks Jesus’ follow button, what kind of a commitment are they making? When Jesus said “follow me,” what was He really inviting the disciples to do?

Follower is another word for disciple. It also carries with it the idea of being a student, an apprentice, a mimic. When Jesus invited Philip and the others to follow Him, He was asking them to devote their lives to becoming just like Him. For the disciple, their character and priorities were to be a reflection of the one they were following.

• From what you’ve read in the Gospels, how would you describe Jesus’ character?

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Read Matthew 5:1-12.

This passage at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount is called The Beatitudes.

• What character traits does Jesus highlight in these verses for His followers?
• From what you’ve read in the Gospels, what do you think are Jesus’ priorities?

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Read Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:18-20.

• These two passages are called the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. What priorities does Jesus highlight in these passages for His followers?

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Love God. Love People. Make Disciples.

Six words that clarify the priorities of true disciples. When we follow Jesus, this is what we will do. Will it be easy?

Read Luke 9:23.

• What kind of commitment does Jesus say will be required in following Him? What do you think is the significance of Jesus saying that we must “take up our cross daily?"

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Read Luke 9:57-62.

• What are the excuses these would-be followers give for not following Jesus? Do their reasons for not following Jesus yet seem legitimate?

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Many things can distract us on our journey in following Jesus. Not all of these things are bad in and of themselves, but when they take priority over Jesus in our lives, then they become a problem. What are the potential distractions that could keep you from growing as a Christ-follower whose life reflects Jesus’ character and priorities?

Apart From Him…

• Ask the Father to help you set aside the distractions and follow Jesus closely. Yes, following Jesus involves commitment, but it is also about companionship. Following Jesus is an invitation to walk with Him, talk with Him, listen to Him, learn from Him and work with Him.

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Walking As Jesus…

• Spend time with Jesus each day. Set aside a time and a place to meet with Him. Put it in your calendar and don’t let other things squeeze Jesus out. Read your Bible as if you’re reading a personal letter from Him to you. Get a journal and write out your prayers. At the top of the page, write “Dear Jesus” and then continue as if you’re writing a personal letter to Jesus.

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• My Personal Disciple-Making Plan: