The LORD's Day February 15, 2009

Followers of the LORD Jesus

Revelation 17.14

I love how in the end when God’s judgement is being poured in full measure there will be His people shining forth through His power within them. We see this in Noah’s day. Worldwide judgement but then there is the ark and the 8 people God saved who were faithful to Him in a time of horrendous wickedness.

When God judges the earth there will be those who have remained faithful to Him and they will shine as the final war is made.

These are the followers of the LORD Jesus Christ.

What is a follower?
1. A person that follows.
2. A person who follows another in regard to his or her ideas or belief; disciple or One who subscribes to the teachings of another; an adherent
3. A person who imitates, copies, or takes as a model or ideal. A fan; an enthusiast
4. An attendant, servant,.
5. A subordinate
6. Machinery. a part receiving motion from or following the movements of another part, esp. a cam.
7.Engineering, Building Trades. a concrete form attached to the head of a timber pile to permit casting of a concrete cap or pier.

There are three words the LORD has John write down in reference to what a follower of Jesus Christ is:


1. Called
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6.44
no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12.3

We cannot call a soul. That is the work of God. Many have tried and failed utterly.

We can cooperate with the Holy Spirit.

We should seek to do that. God is working on someone right now in my life. None of you know him, but God is calling. I am watching and listening. This is after much prayer has gone up for him. Family has been praying a long time. Pray and don’t give up.

The point we need to see here today as followers of Jesus Christ is that we were first called before we followed Him.
Read the early parts of the Gospels and you find these words by Jesus to His disciples before they became disciples, “Follow Me.”

2. Chosen

Jesus’ words are both comforting and perplexing,
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask
in My Name. John 15.16

chosen= picked out, elect, select, the best- applying to certain individual Christians

God chose you. You received Christ. This shows you are one of His chosen ones.
Luke 18.7-8 And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.

There are those who are strong Christians. We are told in Romans 15.1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

strong= able, powerful, mighty in influence
strong in soul- they are not easily led astray.
to bear calamities and trials with fortitude and patience. Some believers amaze me how they handle things that are overwhelming... some of you here this morning.
strong in Christian virtue - they have the fruit of the Holy Spirit coming out of their lives in great measure.
excelling

We have all been chosen by the LORD. That is why we are following Him today.
If you tend to look down on other Christians because of their weaknesses- Stop We need to bear with them. The idea here is not tolerance. It is much more than that.
It means to actually carry them if necessary. It means to sustain them, uphold them and support them. It means to put their burdens on us and carry them. Sharing our faith can mean two things- with unbelievers and with believers whose faith is weak. Build up those who weak by bearing their burdens.

Strength is not getting my will done. Strength is surrendering to His will and letting Him work it out in me.

I love that verse Isaiah prophesied concerning Jesus. Matthew 12.20 A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out, till He leads justice to victory. As we follow Jesus, as His chosen, we will take special care of the weak. It is not survival of the fittest. It is helping each other get to heaven and for those who struggle we make special allowances for.

3. Faithful
Faithful is He Who called you... following Him means a measure of faith is working in my life.

Faithful during times of great tribulation

When the stresses are on and the easier days are in the past and in the future, the times of testing come, then the true followers of the LORD are revealed. In fact it will not be until that time when we know for certain all who have believed. Some have fooled me. You cannot fool God.

*Worthy of trust

Luke 16.10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Our faithfulness to the LORD begins with small things. How we handle the money He blesses us with reveals how faithful we are. If we are faithful with it then we can be trusted with true riches- spiritual riches.

Are you giving to the LORD faithfully? This is part of being worthy of trust.


*Believes God’s Word easily- not great struggles
There is something about faith and God’s Word - we are built up in our faith as we read it. The more we read it the more our faith in God and in it grows. There are some things we cannot explain in it but we will see more and more the things we can understand and our faith will grow so we will take what we read as true without great struggles.

*Can be relied upon. Being faithful means you can be relied upon.
How are you doing with what God has entrusted you with?
Children
Grandchildren
Great Grandchildren

Talents, Spiritual Gifts

How about blessings- are you a consumer or a servant?

Followers of the LORD - consider your calling, be humbled He chose you. Serve the LORD fully.

I Corinthians 15.58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.