Sermons

This question is exceptional in that it is asked of God, but Jesus asked it for our benefit.

This is the million dollar question. It the question the gospel writers are constantly prompting us to respond to. And how we chose to answer it will change our life.

When we look at Matthew & Simon the Zealot we very quickly realize that many of the people Jesus called were far from perfect, but He invited them to follow anyways.

The interesting thing about the calling of both Andrew & Philip is that the first thing they did after meeting Jesus was to run and invite someone else to follow Him too.

Not everyone Jesus called immediately decided to follow Him. The stories of Nathanael & Thomas are proof that our doubts and reservations do not exclude us from Jesus’ invitation.

We often think of Peter as being a leap before you look kind of guy. However, when it came to becoming a disciple of Jesus, he was anything but. Nonetheless Jesus patiently invited him to take one tiny step after another until he was ready to follow.

Not everyone who heard about Jesus was excited about it. The Apostle Paul started out as one of Christianity’s staunchest opponents. However, Jesus didn’t write him off, He continued to offer the invitation until Paul eventually decided to follow.

James & John represent those who quickly and eagerly accept the invitation of Jesus. At the same time they are a great example of recognizing that there are sacrifices to be made when choosing to follow Jesus, and the wise person counts those costs up front.

As Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman at the well he reveals to her that he is the source of living water and unending refreshing.

With powerful imagery Jesus declares “I am the Good Shepherd” and paints for us a picture of His constant loving care and protection.