Sermon Central
-
Longings To Be Followed-3 Series
Contributed by Byron Sherman on Aug 2, 2016 (message contributor)
Summary: 3 of 4. Jesus invited His audience to accept Him as the Light that everyone/all should follow. Jesus is the Light that all should follow. But Why? 4 longings worthy of being followed...A Longing to be followed, fulfills the need for...
LONGINGS TO BE FOLLOWED-III—John 8:12
Attention:
!NO OPENER!
There are many things we long for...
Things that may or may not be Christ honoring, such as...
Personal recognition, Power over others, Overly expensive vehicle(s), Expansive house(s) & lands, Personal comfort, Statement clothing, Fine clothing, Prejudicial relationships, ...
When the brilliant undiminished light of Christ shines upon your longings, what is actually revealed about them...about your own heart?
Jesus invited His audience to accept Him as the Light that everyone/all should follow.
Jesus is the Light that all should follow.
What should we follow?
OR
Why should we follow Jesus?
4 Longings worthy of following...
We have found that A Longing to follow, is one that fulfills the need for...
1. REPETITION Of TRUTH(:12a)Repetition/Reiteration/Re-Emphasis
2. EXPOSURE To TRUTH(:12b)“I am the light of the world”
Furthermore...
3—A longing to be followed fulfills the need for...
An APPROPRIATE WALK/Path(:12c)
Explanation:(:12c)Godly Lifestyle/Walk with God
8:12—“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””
“Just as Israel followed the pillar of fire in the wilderness(Ex. 40:36-38), so Jesus called men to follow Him(Jn. 1:43; 10:4, 27; 12:26; 21:19, 22; Matt. 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21).”—MNTC
Jesus now fleshes out His “light” statement...
Jesus invites any & everyone(“He who”) who will choose to—to take it upon themselves—to “follow” Him. Christians can only lead others to Jesus. Only Jesus can save them.
Personal effort—trust/faith—must be initially made & consecutively maintained on the part of anyone “following” Jesus. Such personal choice & effort is borne out in Jn. 1:12-13. Those who “follow,” can only follow by faith in the Christ of the Bible, the Cross, Resurrection, & Ascension, Eternity.
*Jn. 1:12-13—“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
*Jn. 8:23-24—“And He said to them[Pharisees], “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
If you do not believe that He is “the Light of the World,”...“The Light” for you,...Then you too will die in your sins, & spend eternity in hell!
*Lk. 9:23-24—“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, & take up his cross daily, & follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
Acts 18:27-28—“... when he[Apollos] arrived[in Achaia], he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”
*“Followers” of Jesus by faith, make up a select group of individuals to whom Jesus promises something of great significance. He promises that should they[all, of every time/generation] choose to “follow” Him, they “shall not walk in darkness.”
This assumes that the majority of people, are unknowingly caught-up in a process of living out their lives “in darkness” even though they may live out their days in the physical sunshine & living enjoyably. Yet such are ‘walking dead’ men, women & children.
In contrast to the walking dead, true actual “followers” of Jesus(Jesus’ actuality—the true Jesus), will at no time, be considered as “walking in darkness.” Thus “walking in darkness” will never characterize Jesus’ “followers.”
Thereby, Jesus’ followers will “walk” “in”the One who is the “light of the world.” These will “walk in” Jesus’ “light”! All they do, they willingly surrender to God’s exposing light, gladly choosing & going where God leads! Knowing their ideal & potential will be met there!
Ps. 119:105—“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
Jn. 1:1, 14—“In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God.”..... “And the Word became flesh & dwelt among us, & we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace & truth.”
“Follows”—akolouyew—Present Active Participle Nominative Sing. Masc.—1) To follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him; 2) To join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple—2a) Side with his party. Strong—from A(as a particle of union) & keleuyov(a road); properly--To be in the same way with, i.e. To accompany(specially, as a disciple).
“Not”—ou mh—Particle—1) Never, certainly not, not at all, by no means. Strong—a double negative strengthening the denial; Not at all.
From—ou, ouk, or ouc—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative [compare mh] adverb; No or not.—&—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether.
