June 21, 2019

Theology 20 — Follow Jesus

55 minutes

Finally, we arrive at practical theology or Christian ethics. Although, we could easily spend fifteen lectures together building up a full edifice of how God wants us to live, in this episode we’ll simply lay the foundation stones of following Jesus. What I mean by follow is to read his words and do them, especially when what he says conflicts with our sensibilities, comfort, or common sense. If we only “follow” Jesus when what he says agrees with us and then diverge when he disagrees, then we are not following, but merely walking in the same direction occasionally.

—— Notes ——

Two requirements of Christianity

believe the gospel (conversion/soteriology)

follow Jesus (ethics)

Following Christ is worth it

Jn 10.27-28 sheep hear voice and get eternal life

Mt 19.27-30 what will we get for following you?

those who follow Christ get eternal life!!! that’s worth it

Confess Jesus as Lord to be saved (Rm 10.9-10)

Jesus says can’t call him “Lord” if you don’t do what he says (Lk 6.46)

Jesus defines the word “Lord” as those who do what he says

if you are a Christ-follower you do what he says even when it disagrees with what you think

Different Jesuses

hippie Jesus (love is all that matters)

one and done Jesus (salvation and then do what I want)…oh yeah, I prayed a prayer once

American Jesus (patriotic, my country right or wrong), we forget Jesus was a middle-eastern Jewish rabbi who counseled against violent revolution against Rome

prosperity Jesus (he wants me to be rich!, sow/reap blessings)

poverty Jesus (unless I’m dirt poor I’m not a true follower)

part-time Jesus (compartmentalized life, Sunday Christians, cafeteria Christianity)

real Jesus

average Semite was 5’1, weighing 110 pounds (meaning he DIDN’T look like this! [muscular Jesus])

if Jesus worked outdoors as a carpenter, he probably would have weathered tan skin

popular mechanics

the real Jesus is the one we read about in Scripture

but how do we know which Jesus is the REAL Jesus?

we are not left without help here

the bible tells us who Jesus is and what he wants us to do

“The Christ that Harnack sees, looking back through nineteen centuries of “Catholic darkness”, is only the reflection of a Liberal Protestant face, seen at the bottom of a deep well” –George Tyrrell[1]

Absolute Commitment

Mk 3.31-35 Those Who Do God’s Will Are Jesus’ Family

notice what Jesus doesn’t say

he doesn’t say, the one who has an emotional connection to God

he doesn’t say, the one who sings uplifting, positive, and encourage Christian music

he doesn’t say, the one who prays or reads the Bible or goes to church

he says, the one who does the will of God

here Jesus redefines the family!

this might seem radical to you, but it is merely the first step

your closest relatives, according to Jesus, are not truly your mother or brother or sister anymore, but those who are unrelated to you by blood but do the will of God are

the Palestinian Christ-follower is more your family than the apple-pie eating American who shares your politics but doesn’t follow Jesus

just look at what Jesus says about his own mother

Lk 11.27-28 Blessed Mary Becomes Blessed Obedient

27 While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed.” 28 But he said, “On the

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By Sean P Finnegan

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