ARE WE FOLLOWING JESUS?

STUDY :1

Key verse: follow me .Matthew 9:9

If a great chief or  king sent invitation to us asking us to come and live with him , so that we could be with him on all this journeys, we would be very happy. It would give us great joy to think that such a wonderful man has chosen us to be his friends. but a greater invitation has been sent to us .

The lord Jesus Christ gas invited us to follow him and to be his friends! What greater honor could we have?

One day as Jesus was walking beside the sea of Galilee he saw two men , peter and Andrew. They were fishing Jesus said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:18.19). Another day Jesus passed an office where a man called Matthew was collecting custom fees, and he said to him, follow me :Matthew 9:9 . When these men received the invitation from Jesus they immediately left everything behind and follow him, why were they willing to leave their work and their families and go with Jesus?

It was because they knew Jesus was the son of God, and that Is was a great honour to received an invitation to be one of his disciples or followers. they knew what Jesus was able to give them eternal life and this was of more value than the worldly things they were leaving behind : Luke 18:29,30.

Although Jesus has now gone to heaven his is inviting us to follow him. He invites us through his words, the bible.

First we find that the invitation is for everyone.

I will never refuse the person who comes to me , He says in john 6:37. Peter  tells the us in acts 10:34:35, that GOD does not favour one person more than one , but the invitation is to people of every tribe.

Perhaps you who are reading this lesson have though that God is into interested in you because of your family or your tribe or because you do not have much education. if so , you can rejoice and be full of joy because the invitation from Jesus comes to you as well as everyone else (acts 2:39).

Then there special invitation to those who have special needs. There is one for those who are weary and tired because they carrying heavy load and they have found it very, very heavy.

As one sinful habit after another has been formed in their lives the load has become heavier .

to people like Jesus says . Come to me, and I will give you rest ` Matthew 11:28:30).and Jesus cuts the rope that binds those burdens.

Another special invitation is given to those who are thirsty .we know what is like to be thirsty for water .how we long for a lovely refreshing drinking after a hard job or difficult walk, and if there is no water near , we cannot do anything else until we find some .

But the invitation we are thinking about here is not just for those who are thirsty of water, is  for those who are thirsty in their souls . Many people are unhappy. They do not have joy and so they are looking for something that will give them real joy in their hearts. , many have tried beer, dancing , adultery , and other things , but they are still thirsty.

To them Jesus calls, if anyone one is thirsty, let him come to me and drink `john 7:37  , and revelation 22:17.

Jesus promises that those who drink of this water will near thirsty for sinful pleasure again, because his water will be like a well inside them. John 4:14.

Another special invitation comes to those who are like lost sheep   Isaiah 53:6. Many are wandering in the bush of sin. They have lost the right path and everything is dark around them. The wild animals (Satan) are following them and unless someone can find the and lead them, Satan will take them to hell, is there anyone who can bring them back to the path that leads to heaven?

Yes, there is one! it is Jesus , he calls to the los sheep .he who follows ,me will not  walk in darkness , but will have the light of life . John 8:12. If the sheep will follow him they will not be lost in sin any more, because his voice will lead them john 10:4 27.

How thankful we should be for those invitations to follow Jesus, the son of God. if we are weary and tired , or thirsty or lost , we should come one of his followers .

The following bible studies will point out to us from the scripture how we can follow Jesus.

Any comment on this studies will kindly welcome