Following Jesus at Any Cost 01: God Called Shotgun

Pastor Mabio Coelho

Midland SDA Church

July 17, 2021

Introduction:

My friend, more than anything in the world, I want you to know Jesus! I am not satisfied with you knowing about Him. I want you to know Jesus for all that He is, that you can have a daily and real relationship with Him. Over the course of five weeks we will study exactly that, in a sequence of 10 themes, in the morning and in the afternoon. The theme of the afternoon complements that of the morning, so I ask you to plan to be here and not miss any step of this journey of growth with Christ.

Why do I say this to you? Because Jesus brings positive changes in my life every day. He transforms the way that I love my wife, the way that I invest time in my children, the way that I treat my friends and the way that I love difficult people. He gives me hope when I feel hopeless, and He still gives me a daily purpose to live, love and lead.

Time and time again He forgives me for what I did to Him and to others. His forgiveness and unreserved love fills my heart with ever greater love and the desire to follow him.

Throughout all the continents that I traveled, I did not find anyone who loved him as I did. Not that I am special, far from that… The reason is simple: loving Jesus and following him is a personal, continuous, and unique commitment – and that changes daily.

That is why I will invite you, at every meeting, to follow Him wherever He leads you. He will never deny you, He will never abandon you and He will love you forever. We will discover this together as we explore each theme of what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st century.

Today we will talk about Jesus' invitation to follow him. We will try to understand what this invitation implies, for us and for those around us. Then, in the sequence, we will talk about our response to His invitation. It it really means…

Before we begin this afternoon's study let's go, let's pray again for God's guidance...

(pray specifically speaking of knowing Jesus for real and understanding the invitation)

Let’s start our journey with a Bible passage. Let’s read Matthew 11:28: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

This text illustrates Christ's invitation, which is ancient but still current. It was because of this invitation that a movement began centuries ago – initially by a few who revolutionized the world (or to use the language of Acts 17: 6, turned the world upside down). And they did not have TV, radio stations, and Internet...

Let me ask you a question: Why do we not see this power today? Why don't we see the world being turned upside down and people being transformed by the thousands? (Waiting for answer). I think one possible answer is because we not really taking this invitation seriously and not even understanding it. Today we are going to start a journey to attempt to mitigate this situation! (our lack of knowledge and lack of power)

Today we are going to analyze the meeting of two iconic figures: Peter and Jesus. This is an important meeting because this meeting also summarizes our own encounter with Christ. You and I, in a way, are modern Peters. So enter with me in the story, as I summarize it from memory, before we go to Bible for reflection and study of what this meeting and this personal invitation from Jesus to us means. As I tell the story, and with every Bible text we read, I ask you to insert yourself in the story, that you visualize yourself as the protagonist (not Peter, but you), because the invitation is for you too!

Imagine the scene: The story begin with Peter (but imagine as if was you), with sun in your face, on the edge of the beach with sand between your toes and stretching a wet fishing net lakeside. He masterfully tosses the net, and it sinks into the lake for morning fishing. He pulls the net, collects and throws again. The fisherman has a smile on his face because life, although hard, is predictable, comfortable and free. He knows his business, the waters, the tides. He knows how to negotiate and knows what to expect,…. but sometimes he thinks… Is this, this little life of mine and all my day-to-day work, is this all? Do I lack anything? Is there not more? And is this question that, in one way or another, we all ask ourselves at some point of our life. (Continue telling the story in a way to engage the church to put themselves in the story)

Peter lets the net fall to the ground. He looks at the fish struggling in the net and then he goes to Jesus as he is: just an ordinary and common fisherman who is looking for more.

This is you and me, we are ordinary engineers, nurses, drivers, carpenters, you named. Just like Peter, something bothers us telling we need more.

We will analyze this experience so that we can see what we can learn.

Some questions:

1 - What makes you want to walk towards someone? What made Peter want to go to Jesus?

(We walk for many reason, but as we will learn in our Journey, what matters is why and how we stay)

2 – For the second question, let read our Bibles at Matthew 4:18-20:

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.”

- What qualified Peter to go to Jesus? What did Jesus offer? (Nothing really. If we look to every single person on the Bible who was called by God, they had nothing special. Some like Moses, they even were self-aware o their shortfall. Actually the experience of Moses is very telling because in there God tells He knew Moses had his problems, but God promised He would be the one who would enable Moses and act through him.)

3 – Now, lets look on another angle, but let’s read Matthew 11:28-30 first:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

- What does Jesus offer to those who come to Him?

(Here is the deal: the Bible is not saying you will have no sorrows. As a matter of fact, in another place Jesus says “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” [John 16:33]. What he give us is piece of mind. He allows us to get out of the rat race and focus in what is really important. When we properly understand and accept His invitation to follow Him, we have the piece of mind that He will be with us, as He promises, always, in every situation!)

4 – For what Jesus call us? (to serve him as his finishers of man withing our calling and are of influence. As we will see, many times the disciples where back to their professions, because there is from where their lively hood came. However they knew they were just part-time fishermen. Their full-time occupation was missionaries). Would you come to Jesus now?

I invite you now to decide how you are going to respond. He's calling you !!!

I hope that, like Peter, you will come as you are. Come to Jesus with your problems, addictions, stresses, fears and anxieties. Come to Him with your guilt, shame and the weight of all your painful memories. He will get rid of those for you as you enter in covenant with Him.

Too often we think that we have to resolve what is wrong in our lives before going to Jesus. My urgent appeal to you is that you come to Him without trying anything before. Let Him be your first and only option. And He will accept you as you are.

Christ's acceptance of me as a person surprises me! To think that He really knows me, inside and out, with all my faults and failures and yet still invites me to come to Him, fills me with love for Him. Let your heart be moved by the way He receives you!

5. What difference would it make in your life if you came to Jesus, giving yourself completely to Him, coming as you are now? No excuses, no delay…?

I invite you to decide how you are going to answer it. Come next time to see some of the options He offers you. Be sure to accept the invitation. He's calling you!