Power Of Following

Key Scripture:  “You follow Me.” John 21:19

Power Point:

     If we are following Jesus, there will be an obvious increase in the things Jesus died to give us.  His Holy Spirit teaches us to increase in love for one another.  He plainly tells us what is good for us and what is not. He says that "Love" is the most important thing.

     The foundational truth of every commandment for the body is to grow in love for one another. There are no exceptions. There is no one you can talk to God about that will cause him to nod His head and agree with you that this one is too tough. By agreeing, He would be saying that that person is too tough for Him too. No way.

      Do you remember when Jesus and Peter were chatting on the beach after the Resurrection? His questions to Peter were all about Peter's love walk. He nails Peter to his own cross when He asks him, “Do you love me a lot, or some, or just a little bit? If you really want to follow in my footsteps you will walk in love and care for the people I give you to care for.” Because of His love in us we can see others as an opportunity to nourish and encourage, and teach and love, just as He did. Isn’t He saying to us, “ You get to be Me to them by the power of My Spirit?  You follow Me.  You treat others as kindly as I did. In fact, if they are unkind to you, bless them and be thankful for the opportunity to grow in My spirit of grace and peace. If they betray you, be as kind to them as I was to Judas.

     I laid down My life for that person that's getting on your last nerve. You lay yours down too. Lay down your right to be angry and pray for them instead.  Lay down your resentment and pick up My gracious thoughts. Lay down your hurt and let Me heal your wounds so that you can forgive and move on, and embrace all the “more” that I have for you.” I can’t give you more when you haven’t made room for it to grow.

     Beloved, we want the "more" don’t we?  We want the kindness and the power and the glory of God and we wonder why we don’t see more of it don’t we?  We love having the grace of God for ourselves but we aren’t that excited about offering it to others are we?  No exceptions, no excuses, remember?

     Wouldn’t it have been strange if Jesus had looked down from the cross and said, “Father forgive them, except for Peter, or that soldier, or that Pharisee, oh and Judas too?" He gave us a perfect example of God’s gracious forgiveness. God gave and gives grace to every person. We should follow Him shouldn’t we?
     Following Him means walking in His footsteps, going where He goes, and doing what He did.  It means making His purposes your purposes, in the power of His Spirit.  Are you following Him?  Are you walking in love?

Power Thought:
"It's the person who loves brother and sister who dwells in God's light and doesn't block the light from others."  I John 2:10 The Message
People will know we are Christians by His love in us.