Follow Me

Kicking off a message series entitled “Follow Me” from Jesus’ Words found in Matthew 4:19 Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

As we get started it is important to know that God calls every believer to share their faith.

We also see it in the great commission in the form of a command to us…

Matthew 28:19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

God created us, and saved us with a purpose and a mission in mind..

The book of Ephesians 2 gives us a bit of insight into the concept of “He Changed Me” that we are building on leading up to Easter.

Speaking of your former life the author of Ephesians writes:
Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — 3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

This is describing who you were and what you lived for before coming to know Jesus. Every Christian can and should relate to the sinful nature of how we used to live prior to knowing Christ.

So I would ask the question why are you are you different now? Or are you different now?
If so, what happened?

Dare I be bold enough to say that if you haven’t changed there is a possibility that you are not a christian or you may be a Christian who is struggling who God wants to set free today.

Ephesians 2:4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — 
Saved by grace — while we were yet sinners — Christ made us alive in him.

Why did he do this?

Ephesians 2:6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

He did it to show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness.
He did it because He loves you and wants you to be a part of His family.
He goes on to say..

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Not only does he want you to be a part of his family he wants to give you a purpose while you’re here. A purpose H e prepared you for that you may not even be aware of but that hopefully you will discover in the next 6 weeks.

That purpose is to do good works. to walk in them — live it out.

A pastor I follow from Summit Church in North Carolina put it this way “Mission of the church is to multiply. How does that happen Gods gifted you and he created you to do good works and he positions you in a place where you could do them so that you could have Maximum Impact”

Multiply — not add to — during these season that is what I am praying for.

How does it happen — God has already positioned you, and is equipping you for maximum impact” if we would only v. 2:10 walk in it..

Here is something that is vital that we all understand.
• By Grace you have been saved
• by grace you understand the gospel
• and with that revelation comes great responsibility.

Let me ask you a question — Where would you be without Jesus?
Guess what — You would be lost.

If you don't know Him - May you find Him now!