Sermons

“When I get done with…”
“When things slow down…”
“When I get caught up…”
Does this sound familiar?

Jesus heard this from many people who came forward to follow Him. Coming forward to follow Jesus is not the same thing as following through with Jesus. As we get ready to enter a new year it’s time to reevaluate our lives and priorities.

This Sundays message will help us all refocus on what it takes to truly follow Jesus. The title is “Coming Forward”. I pray you will come forward and get ready to follow Christ into this New Year.

Preparing for Sunday

Please prayerfully read and consider the following scriptures and questions.

saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.” And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
– Luke 9:22-26

But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”] And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.” But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
– Luke 9:55-62

Questions for Small Groups

• What do you believe you need to be happy?
• Who do you believe you can’t be happy with out?
• Was Jesus complaining when He said this?
  

  Luke 9:57-58 as they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

• Why do we put off obeying what God has told us to do?
  

  Luke 9:59-60 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

• What does this verse mean?
  

  Luke 9:23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

• Why is keeping your eyes on Christ going forward so hard yet so important?
  

  Luke 9:61-62 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”  But Jesus said to him