WALKING WITH JESUS BY CORDELL LIEBRANDT INTERNATIONAL WOMENS

WALKING WITH JESUS BY CORDELL LIEBRANDT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY OF PRAYER MARCH 2, 2019

“It is impossible for the soul to flourish while prayer is not a special exercise of the mind. ” —Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2 (1871), p. 189. 2.

“Those who are engaged in service for the Master need an experience much higher, deeper, broader, than many have yet thought of having. Many who are already members of God’s great family know little of what it means to behold His glory, and to be changed from glory to glory. ” —Ellen G White, Gospel Workers (1915), p. 274. 3

Luke 9: 57 -62 57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go. ” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His Head. ”

Luke 9: 57 -62 59 Then He said to another, “Follow Me. ” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father. ” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God. ”

Luke 9: 57 -62 61 And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house. ” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. ”

FOLLOW ME Verse 57 Case #1: This person has inconsiderate impulse. He offers to follow Jesus without waiting to be called.

FOLLOW ME Verse 59 Case #2: This person has conflicting duties. He feels a strong compulsion to follow Christ, but he is consumed by other responsibilities.

FOLLOW ME Verse 61 Case #3: This person has a divided mind. He is willing to follow Jesus, but he first wants what he needs for himself—on his own terms.

FOLLOW ME Call to Discipleship Cost of Discipleship Consequences of Discipleship

FOLLOW ME “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ” —Luke 9: 23, 24

THE CALL The CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP has no room for hesitancy or indecision and demands immediate action.

DECIDING TO ANSWER THE CALL OF JESUS IS THE MOST LIFE-CHANGING DECISION ANYONE IS REQUIRED TO MAKE.

THE CALL The CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP originates with God and not man.

THE CALL Verse 57 Case # 1 The COST OF DISCIPLESHIP is forsaking everything and everyone for a life of privation and self-sacrifice.

THE COST Cheap grace is the enemy of the church because it demands NOTHING of us. It seeks forgiveness of sins without demanding obedience and discipleship. –Dietrich Bonhoeffer

THE COST The COST OF DISCIPLESHIP is being called daily to pick up our crosses and follow Him.

THE COST The COST OF DISCIPLESHIP is SEPARATION from our previous existence.

THE COST “A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing. ” –Martin Luther

THE COST FOR JESUS… …the praise and adoration of the angels in heaven, WHICH HE EXCHANGED FOR a life of ridicule, mockery, and scorn. …the glory and splendor of heaven, WHICH HE EXCHANGED FOR a life of suffering and humility.

THE COST FOR JESUS… …unity with the Father in heaven, WHICH HE EXCHANGED FOR the wall of separation with the Father. …His very life, WHICH HE EXCHANGED FOR an agonizing death on the cross.

THE CONSEQUENCES Verse 60 Case #2 The CONSEQUENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP is accepting the commands of Jesus as our greatest priority.

THE CONSEQUENCES Verse 61 Case #3 The CONSEQUENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP is loving our families, but not allowing them to interfere with our love for God and the desire to obey His commands.

MATTHEW 19: 16 -22 16 And, behold, one came and said to him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said to him, “Why call you me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. ”

MATTHEW 19: 1622 18 He said to him, which? Jesus said, “You shall do no murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and your mother: and, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

MATTHEW 19: 16 -22 20 The young man said to him, “all these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? ” 21 Jesus said to him, “if you will be perfect, go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. ” 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

THE CONSEQUENCES The CONSEQUENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP is being obedient to the law BUT always doing so with Christ. A distinct possibility is obeying the law of God without God.

THE CONSEQUENCES “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. ” —Luke 9: 62 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. ” —James 1: 8

TRUST HIM “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. ” —Proverbs 3: 5

THE CONSEQUENCES A CONSEQUENCE OF DISCIPLESHIP is the possibility of looking backward, losing sight of Jesus, forgetting to trust in Him, and losing our salvation.

TRUE DISCIPLESHIP REQUIRES US. . . • To answer the call of Jesus decisively and willingly —because there is no room for delay. • To make a relationship with the Lord our first priority—daily prayer and study of the Word. • To follow in obedience—even to the point of suffering and sacrifice; • To deny ourselves of worldly things that cause us to look back. • To trust completely in the Lord and respond in faith without hesitation or indecision.

SELF-EXAMINATION QUESTIONS • What comforts or possessions am I placing before the Lord in my life? • What relationships are more important to me than my relationship with Christ? • Who or what am I depending on in my life for security and well-being?

GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU PRAY EARNESTLY FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN RESPONSE TO OUR COMMITMENT TO TRUE DISCIPLESHIP.