So You Want to Follow Jesus! - 9/22/2024 Sunday Sermon

So You Want to Follow Jesus!

In the past few messages, we have seen that Jesus is Lord over the Moral and Physical Realms. Today we will see that He is also Lord over the Spiritual Realm, and He can exercise that authority anywhere He wants. And we are also getting to see Jesus train His followers so that they will one day be ready to exercise the Kingdom authority He delegates to us.

Read Matthew 8:18-34

Jesus is also going over to the “other side” - V. 18-19

Jesus, who would later call us to go into all the world here modeled going to the “other side.” Why? Because people over there need Jesus also!

Following Jesus will take you out of your comfort zone - V. 20

“I saw in the night visions, and behold with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him; His dominion (LXX-Exousia) is an everlasting dominion (LXX- Exousia), which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” - Daniel 7:13-14

Let me ask you a question – will you keep following Jesus if down the line it means giving up your dream house for greater service of Him?

Following Jesus is for now, not later - V. 21-22

So more than likely, what the man was saying to Jesus is what a lot of you have been saying to Jesus. “Lord, I fully intend to do more for you, but first I need to…”

There are times that following Jesus is inconvenient. But following Jesus when He is asking for obedience is essential to being blessed in all the ways God wants us to bless us! Delayed obedience is disobedience.

Following Jesus will stretch your faith - V. 23-27

Some of you think that every time you go through a storm you have done something wrong and God must be judging you. But you may be doing something right, like Job was in the Old Testament.

Others of you know storms come, but every time one does you complain to God and say, “Are you there God, do you care God?”

I don’t know all that this means, but I know this – Jesus will allow your faith to be stretched by circumstances you can’t handle in your own strength. And He will let you face those circumstances longer than you think He should to grow your trust in Him.

Following Jesus will mean ministry among the spiritually oppressed - V. 28-34

The other side is often Satan’s territory, and he does not like it when Christians leave their church ‘embassies of Heaven’ and go toward the gates of Hell.

The demons knew that their eventual home was going to be the Lake of Fire, and many demons were already in Hades. They would rather stay on earth than go there. The ‘time’ is connected to a place – they were on their way to Hell, and currently had these 2 poor souls going there with them.

Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels." - Matt. 25:41

Jesus was showing He was and is Lord over the spiritual realm – casting out demons! He is Lord of every realm - doctrinal, physical, spiritual – Have you submitted to His Lordship in your life?

The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with Him, but Jesus sent Him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. -Lk. 8:38-39