I AM WHAT I AM BY GOD’S GRACE I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk in uprightness. —Leviticus 26:13 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. —Philippians 2:12-13             We must understand that all we are and all…

FAITHFULLY FOLLOW HIM WHEREVER HE DESIRES US TO GO Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray. Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!” But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.” —Mark 1:35-38             Jesus’ disciples came looking for Him in the early morning. He had gone by Himself to pray. When they found Him and told Him that “Everyone is looking for You!” He said, “Let us…

FISHERS OF MEN ARE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. —Mark 1:16-20             Are you following Jesus? Then He will make…

BE OBEDIENT! Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” —Matthew 28:18-20 So… how are you and I involved in what Jesus has given us to do? Here’s what He said to those who follow Him— All authority is Jesus’ in heaven and earth We are to intentionally be making disciples We are…

  VENGEANCE IS HIS Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.  They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.…

THE AMAZING GRACE OF GOD! Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.” But…

DON’T FOLLOW AT A DISTANCE! And Peter was following him at a distance… —Matthew 26:58             Peter thought he was somebody that he was not. He verbalized a willingness to follow Jesus even unto death. But, when it came right down to it that was not the case. After Jesus was arrested Peter followed Him “at a distance” into the courtyard of the high priest. When asked three times whether he was a follower of Jesus, Peter denied it.             How about you and I? Are we “following Him at a distance?” Do we verbalize things we are willing to do for Jesus, but when it comes down to it…

THE BETRAYAL OF JESUS Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. —Matthew 26:14 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written…

DEFINED AS A SHEEP OR GOAT “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ —Matthew 25:34-36 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into…

THE WORLD WILL NOT BE PREPARED FOR OUR LORD’S RETURN For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. —Matthew 24:38-39 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. —Matthew 24:44 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the…