Matthew Outlines

Ready to Follow

By on Sunday, April 6, 2014

Title: Ready to Follow

Text: Matthew 28:16-20

Take-off (INTRO)

  1. Interesting beginning – (your own story)
  2. Need raised – Real life is full of opportunities as well as challenges. It’s both exciting and also dangerous. If we’re not ready for real life, we can easily become one of the casualties.
  3. Text engaged – Matthew 28:16-20 tells us how we can be ready for real life.
  4. Relevance revealed – If we’re ready, we can take advantage of the many opportunities that will come our way. We can also overcome the many challenges. The first thing we must do to be ready for real life is to be ready to follow Jesus. He alone can make us ready for real life.
  5. Overview of approach – In this passage we can see five indicators that can show that we are ready to follow Jesus, and therefore ready for real life.

Teaching (BODY)

  1. I am ready to follow when I’m willing to trust.
    1. Our text says, “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.”
    2. The disciples saw Jesus crucified, died and buried. But they also saw Him fully alive when He appeared to them. Now they are convinced that He is the Messiah, the Christ. Because of their knowledge, they are now willing to trust.
    3. Trust is a relational term, and it depends on our experiential knowledge of the one or the thing that we are trusting in. Illus. Friendship, riding airplanes
    4. Even before you hear anything about Jesus, God is already at work in your life to show you that Jesus is trustworthy. Knowledge precedes trust.
  2. I am ready to follow when I’m willing to grow.
    1. Our text says, “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.”
    2. Even though the disciples have been with Jesus personally, some still doubted. They needed to grow in their faith.
    3. You don’t need to be one hundred percent sure of everything before you can start trusting someone. Illus. Going to a Doctor
    4. God wants you to start with what you know and believe, even though it is not yet one hundred percent. But you must be willing to grow in your faith.
    5. You cannot follow unless you’re willing to grow.
  3. I am ready to follow when I’m willing to submit.
    1. Our text says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
    2. Jesus reminded His disciples about the truth concerning His identity: He is Lord.
    3. This is the knowledge of God revealed to us also. But are we willing to submit to His authority now? Illus. Former president
    4. Unless we are willing to submit to Him we will not be able to follow Him.
  4. I am ready to follow when I’m willing to help others.
    1. Our text says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
    2. Being a disciple is to make other disciples. This has always been the case from the very beginning.
    3. Today many believers are not interested in helping others follow Jesus. They think it’s just somebody else’s job. Illus. Interview with pastor friend
    4. Evangelism and discipleship is everybody’s responsibility. Unless we believe that we will not be able to follow Jesus.
  5. I am ready to follow when I’m willing to DEPEND ON HIM.
    1. Our text says, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
    2. Jesus promised His disciples of His every day presence to assure them of His power, so that they can obey His will.
    3. We are not ready to follow Jesus today unless we’re willing to depend on His presence each and every day of our lives.
    4. Self-reliance results in failure in the Christian life. Illus. The apostle Peter

Touchdown (END)

  1. Emphasize Take Home Message – I’m only ready to follow when I know why.
  2. Nudge toward application – Don’t rely on mere feelings in your Christian life. Rely on the true knowledge of God. Start learning and understanding the reason why you must follow Jesus. Only then can you be ready for real life.
  3. Direct initial response – (your own idea of an initial response)
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