This week Mason Harris our Student Pastor brought the message, as the first in this new series.
We learned the being of follower of Jesus Christ is a process. We aren't expected to become a Christ follower today, and be prefect tomorrow. But following Christ should change us. It should change our desires, it should change how we love others, and it should change our priorities. We have a Heavenly Father who knows that we are not perfect, yet he is cheering for us every step that we make closer to Him and His will for our lives.
We are all on different journey's when it comes to our walk with Christ, and that is OK! The main goal of this series is to realize where we are, and to begin making steps forward.
We are all in one of four areas of our walk: Seeker, Receiver, Follower, or Contributor.
Now see many of us in the church community, we get the seeking and receiving part down, but then we simply stop moving forward. This is where the work begins. The gift of salvation is absolutely free, and there is nothing that you or I could do to earn it. However, to become a disciple, a true follower of Christ, it requires sacrifice.
But how do I know if I have made that step into becoming more than simply a receiver, but a follower? Here are 5 indications that you are a fully devoted follower of Christ.
1. Daily pursuit of Jesus Christ: How can we be fully devoted unless we are daily seeking Jesus? Your marriage probably wouldn't last very long if you didn't at least talk to your Husband or Wife everyday. How do you expect your relationship with Christ to flourish if you don't make spending time with him a priority. Reading your Bible daily and spending time in prayer is a sign of becoming of follower. And if you haven't mastered this yet, that is OK! Start today by making your pursuit of Christ a priority.
2. Confession and Repentance: We all mess up, may times daily. That doesn't mean that we are loved any less by God. It does mean that when we realize we have sinned, we need to beginning by confessing those sins. He already sees everything we do, but sometimes we try to live our lives as if He doesn't. And repenting is so much more than a simply "I'm sorry". Repentance is actually feeling regret and remorse over your sin, and asking God for help and strength to turn away from that sin.
3. Financial Surrender: We all have bills. We all have things we want and need. The amazing thing about Jesus is that He didn't ask us all to give $100,000 a year to the church, because I don't know about you, but there is no way I could do that. He asked us to start by giving 10%. For some people that is easy, and for some of us, that 10% is hard to let go of. God didn't ask us to give simply to be doing so. When we hold on so tightly to the little we have, we make it impossible for God to bless us with so much more.
4. Involved in Church: The bible specifically tells us not to forsake the assembling of the church. Being involved in church is so much more than just showing up on Sunday morning, getting your feel good sermon, and going on about your life. Being involved in Church is being part of a family. You make a church your family when your join small groups and ministry groups.
5. Loves other people: John 13:35 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." Some Christians can be associated with being mean, unforgiving, and unloving. This isn't what Jesus wants for his followers. The bible goes as far as to tell us that anyone who doesn't love, doesn't know God, because God is love. How can we followers if we can't love others, when love is God's very nature?
The last and final area that we might be on in our walk with Christ, is being a Contributor. We see Contributors every week. They are the people opening the doors, serving the coffee, watching the children, playing the band, and showing your to your seat.
Wherever you are, decide today to take a step forward, and to continue to grow and learn as your pursue Christ.
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