Called to Follow: The Confidence of a Disciple

Text: Matthew 10:16-39

Jesus calls His disciples to follow Him, but in doing so He warns us of the external conflicts we will face as we do so. Because Satan is opposed to the things of God, he seeks to devour all who follow Jesus as Lord. As we face these conflicts, it would be easy to focus on the negative aspects of these hardships, but in this message Jesus presents several truths that encourage and empower all who live for Him. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to live in despair when the attacks come. Instead, we can live with confidence in who He is, what He has done, what He has promised, and what He will do. We invite you to listen today and place your confidence in Christ.

Called to Follow: The Conflicts of Discipleship

Text: Luke 9:57-62

Jesus invites all to come and follow Him, and even assures all who do that He will not cast them out. This is wonderful news for everyone, but it is not without conflict. The greatest conflict with Jesus’ invitation to follow is the conflict that takes place internally in our own hearts, minds, and souls. With the offer of sins forgiven, righteousness imputed, eternal life assured, and countless blessings in Christ we would think it impossible to forfeit our opportunity to follow Jesus. But we discover in our message today that many things can hinder us from truly following Jesus. We invite you to listen today, to examine your own heart, and to make sure that these conflicts are not hindering you from following Jesus.

Called to Follow: The Celebration of a Disciple

Text: Luke 5:27-39

It seems that everyone loves a good celebration and there are many things in life that we celebrate - the birth of a child, the birthdays that follow, personal accomplishments, holidays, championships, etc. While there are many things that we celebrate, very few of these celebrations have lasting impact on our lives. However, when it comes to the greatest reason to celebrate, we find that it not only impacts our lives on earth but also in eternity. There is no greater celebration than the one described in this week’s message. We invite you to listen, to join in the celebration, and invite others to do the same!

Called to Follow: The Coaching of a Disciple

Text: Luke 5:1-11

It may sound strange to consider Jesus as a coach. After all, He is King of kings and Lord of lords, the Savior of the world. However, when we consider how He takes us as we are and molds us and shapes us to be what He wants us to be, we quickly realize that, much like a coach, He does this step-by-step as we follow Him. Jesus knows exactly where you are today, and more importantly He knows exactly where He wants to lead you. We invite you to listen today, to follow His lead, and to be changed by the work He does in your life.