“For to this you were called,
because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example,
that you should follow His steps”
(1 Peter 2:21).
Like Sheep
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem,
and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in
Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him
and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt?
If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered
them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works
that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of
Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of
My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither
shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father,
who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I
and My Father are one” (John 10:22-30).
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem,
and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in
Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him
and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt?
If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered
them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works
that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of
Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of
My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give
them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither
shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father,
who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no
one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I
and My Father are one” (John 10:22-30).
1) Must hear His word.
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Matthew 11:15).
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Matthew 13:9).
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
(Matthew 13:43).
2) Hearing involves doing.
“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of
Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a
wise man who built his house on the rock”
(Matthew 7:24).
“And it happened, as He spoke these things,
that a certain woman from the crowd raised
her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the
womb that bore You, and the breasts which
nursed You!” But He said, “More than that,
blessed are those who hear the word of God
and keep it!” (Luke 11:27,28).
3) Even those things considered difficult.
“Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I
say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son
of Man and drink His blood, you have no life
in you…Therefore many of His disciples, when
they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying;
who can understand it?”…It is the Spirit who
gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words
that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life”
(John 6:53,60,63).
4) Those words will judge us.
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My
words, has that which judges him—the word
that I have spoken will judge him in the last
day” (John 12:48).
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,
and they follow Me. And I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish; neither shall
anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John
10:27,28).
Like Sheep
As A Servant
“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who
hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him
follow Me; and where I am, there My servant
will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My
Father will honor” (John 12:25,26).
“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who
hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him
follow Me; and where I am, there My servant
will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My
Father will honor” (John 12:25,26).
1) Who is greatest?
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying,
“Who then is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him,
set him in the midst of them, and said,
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted
and become as little children, you will by no
means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore
whoever humbles himself as this little child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew
18:1-4).
“But he who is greatest among you shall be your
servant” (Matthew 23:11).
2) The example of Jesus.
“But Jesus called them to Himself and
said, “You know that the rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are
great exercise authority over them. Yet it
shall not be so among you; but whoever
desires to become great among you, let him be
your servant. And whoever desires to be first
among you, let him be your slave—
just as the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give His life a
ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28).
3) Members of the N.T. church.
“Now in those days, when the number of the
disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint
against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because
their widows were neglected in the daily
distribution. Then the twelve summoned the
multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not
desirable that we should leave the word of God
and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out
from among you seven men of good reputation,
full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may
appoint over this business; but we will give
ourselves continually to prayer and to the
ministry of the word” (Acts 6:1-4).
Like Sheep
As A Servant
Sell & Give
“Jesus said to him, “If you want to be
perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, follow Me.” But when the young
man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions”
(Matthew 19:21,22).
“Jesus said to him, “If you want to be
perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the
poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come, follow Me.” But when the young
man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful, for he had great possessions”
(Matthew 19:21,22).
1) Materialism hinders following Christ.
“Now these are the ones sown among
thorns; they are the ones who hear the
word, and the cares of this world, the
deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for
other things entering in choke the word, and
it becomes unfruitful” (Mark 4:18,19).
2) Compare the rich young ruler with
Zacchaeus.
“Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord,
“Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the
poor; and if I have taken anything from
anyone by false accusation, I restore
fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today
salvation has come to this house, because he
also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man
has come to seek and to save that which was
lost” (Luke 19:8-10).
3) The example of Paul.
“But what things were gain to me, these I
have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also
count all things loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
and count them as rubbish, that I may gain
Christ” (Philippians 3:7,8).
Like Sheep
As A Servant
Sell & Give
Deny Self
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone
desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake will
find it” (Matthew 16:24,25).
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone
desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for My sake will
find it” (Matthew 16:24,25).
1) Meaning of this statement.
Deny – “to forget one’s self, lose sight of one’s
self and one’s own interests” (Thayer, 54).
Take up – “to take upon one’s self and carry
what has been raised up, to bear” (Thayer, p. 16).
Cross – “which was wont to be used of those who
on behalf of God’s cause do not hesitate
cheerfully and manfully to bear persecutions,
troubles, distresses, - thus recalling the fate of
Christ and the spirit in which he encountered it”
(Thayer, p. 586).
2) Following Christ is being concerned
about others.
“Let nothing be done through selfish
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem others better than himself.
Let each of you look out not only for his own
interests, but also for the interests of others”
(Philippians 2:3,4).
3) It is about serving God.
“In the meantime His disciples urged Him,
saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I
have food to eat of which you do not know.”
Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has
anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said
to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who
sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say,
‘There are still four months and then comes the
harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes
and look at the fields, for they are already white
for harvest!” (John 4:31-35).
Like Sheep
As A Servant
Sell & Give
Deny Self
“Follow Me”
(Luke 9:59).