Follow THE Leader

“Walk As Jesus Walked” was the title of tonight’s sermon at my church.  Honestly, I didn’t start taking notes until about halfway through, but I’m SO glad I got what I did.

“Walk As Jesus Walked”  –PM Service — 7\59

Matthew 22:34-40  “Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ‘This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

• Loving God takes:
  • Prayerful Dependence
    • Luke 11:1  “Lord, teach us to pray”
    • Luke 6:12
    • Luke 9:28
    • Jesus’ life displayed a lifestyle of prayer
  • Priority of the Word
    • Mark 7:5-9
    • Luke 4: 1-13
      • (SIDE NOTE:  Using the Word of god in an argument or the like doesn’t make the argument true.)
    • God’s Word directed Jesus’ every step.
    • Loving God naturally results in obeying His Word. (John 14:21,24)
  • Proper Concept of Christ
    • Luke 9:18, 20
    • John 5:18b
    • Matthew 1:23
    • God wanted to have a personal contact with people through His Son.
    • John 14:9b

Now, I’m hesitant to start my own sermon but this past week has just been amazing.  My youth group did a backyard bible club for refugee kids and watched FOUR kids come to Christ!  I had the rare privilge of counseling three of them!

Plus, God has been chipping away at my heart lately.  The “Phone Call from God” post is evidence of that.  He’s been peeling off all of the “ME ME ME” strips of my heart and bringing it down to what really matters–HIM.

So as I watch all of these amazing things happening around me, I can’t help but think of how often we don’t realize how great our God really is.  I’ve never gotten to lead someone to Christ before.  I don’t even think I’ve really seen it happen.  Maybe, but I don’t remember it very well.  But watching these three boys really GET IT was so amazing!  I almost cried as I listened to them pray to God.  “God, thank you for forgiving my sins.”  How often do we, as Christians who have known our Savior for years upon years, say “Thank you God for your forgiveness” and REALLY REALLY TRULY MEAN IT?  Do we say it because it sounds like the right thing at the moment?  Because we know we’re supposed to thank God when we pray and that’s the most obvious and easiest to mention?  How often to do have even the slightest idea of what our Almighty God has done for us???

As I was counseling, one of the boys says, “Can God forgive my sins?”  Well, I gave him the answer I’ve been taught my whole life, “Yes, God has already forgiven your sins, and He wants to spend forever with you.  All you have to do is accept His gift and thank Him for what he’s already given you.”  And as I said that to him, I felt a light bulb go on.  God has completely, utterly, totally forgiven me.  Of everything.  Nothing is left to forgive.  Gone, done, ‘check!’.  And it was just awesome to think upon that; to suddenly GET IT, just like these boys.

And as I begin to see just part of what God wants to show me, it only makes me want to walk more like Jesus walked.  Can you imagine being as cool as Jesus?  Or even a fraction of that?  I get excited just thinking about how dang awesome that would be to have the insight and wisdom and patience and love and self control and willingness as He did.  I’m serious, I’m getting shivers right now just thinking about it.  NO kidding.  It makes me want to dive into everything He has to offer, starting with His word.

This past week, I got just a peek at everything my Heavenly Father has done for me, and it’s amazing to watch.  And the best part is the fact that it’s only the beginning…