Called to Follow Jesus

 

In Matthew 4:18-22 Jesus calls Andrew, Peter, James, and John to come follow Him.

In Matthew 9:9 Jesus calls Matthew to come follow Him.

In John 1:43 Jesus calls Philip to come follow Him.

 

Notice the calling Jesus gives.

 

It is not a calling to follow a religion.

It is not a calling to follow a worldview.

It was not a calling to follow rituals or traditions.

 

It was a calling to follow Jesus, a person.

 

How do we respond to a calling to follow Jesus?

 

We love and obey Jesus.

 

John 14:15

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

 

Following Jesus means loving Jesus and loving Jesus means obeying Jesus.

 

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey His commandments.

 

Loving and obeying God is a mark that we belong to God and are following Jesus.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving Jesus and obeying Jesus.

 

We acknowledge and lived based on the truth that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.

 

Jesus said in John 14:6 that He is the way and the truth and the life.

 

Jesus is not a way or one of many; Jesus is the The One and Only.

 

Colossians 3:3

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

We have died to any other way.

We have died to any other truth.

We have died to any other life.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having Jesus as the way and the truth and the life in your life.

 

Luke 6:5

And He said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

 

Jesus is the sole ruling authority in our lives.

 

Jesus is who directs our lives.

 

Jesus is over the way we were raised.

Jesus is over the traditions we may have grown up following.

Jesus is over the rituals that may have been a part of our lives.

Jesus is over any human authorities that we may have followed.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is having Jesus as Lord, the sole ruling authority in our lives.

 

John 15:15

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

 

Jesus is our friend and we spend time hanging out with Jesus.

 

We just spent the weekend with our grandkids. When we asked them on Friday night what they wanted to do, they said plan some games with us.

 

On Saturday we hung out with them playing games, watching television and baking goodies.

 

Our grandkids just wanted to spend time hanging out with us. That is what Jesus wants for us: to spend time with Him. Spending time with Him by talking to Him, that is called prayer. Spending time with Him by listen to Him, that is called studying the Bible. Spending time with Him by working with Him, that is called ministry. Spending time with Him by telling Him you love Him, that is called worship. Spending time with Him by inviting others to be His friend also, that is called evangelism.

 

Being a Christian is not about religion, theology, traditions, or rituals.

Being a Christian is about having a relationship with Jesus by following Him.

 

Following Jesus by Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                Joe