Encounter Church
Sunday Morning 01.25.25
      • Bible Trivia
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  • Praise
  • Break Every Chain
  • Hallelujah your worthy
  • Holy Spirit

      • 1 Corinthians 11:23–26NKJV

  • Scripture:

    Matthew 8:14–22 NKJV
    Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.” And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

    INTRODUCTION Big Idea: To follow Christ is not a Casual Encounter. It requires heartfelt commitment.

    There is a book by Kyle Idleman called “not a fan” that I read some time ago. It’s a very that gives us some very needed reminders in the body of Christ. He separates twpo categories of people in the Christian world today.
    Power Principle: Many people are really Excited about Jesus. Few people are Decided on following him.
    To follow Jesus is not a casual encounter. It is a life long commitment to follow Jesus in every area of your life.
    Jesus is transitioning from Capernaum to the Gaderenes. He is demonstrating power that heals both Spiritual and physical ailements.
    No doubt with his power and his command of preaching he has attracted many “followers”. He has has amassed a following. THE SCRIBE says he will follow Jesus wherever he goes. “Wherever you go…” That is a statement of a level of commitment. We here many profess word like him. But they have not truly counted up what it takes to truly follow him.
    However Jesus will be constantly moving. This man is  a scribe and knows full well that to follow a rabbi meant to observe daily the rabbis living and teachings.
    The scribe is a lawyer in the Hebraic sense. He is theological expert of the day. But his actions profess a hidden but yet somewhat obvious truth:
    Power Principle: It is possible to know both the Bible and theology and still not know Jesus! Religion is formed merely from learning about God. Discipleship is born when we choose to follow Him.
    Jesus gives a challenge of commitment. To follow Him costs something. For the scribe it meant an abandonment of security.
    What makes us feel Secure?
    Financial Prosperity
    Communal Connections and acceptance by a tribe
    Relational fulfillment
    Daily routine and stability 
    Jesus is issuing a challenge that positions securing the Kingdom over securing our own interests.
    ( Side Note: Daniel 7:13. Jesus is declaring himself messiah. The son of man ( God)
    Daniel 7:13 NKJV
    “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
    Many people quickly sign up for a Christianity that promises a better life. Who wouldn’t want something that builds self confidence and creates self improvement? But non  commital, casual Christianity is no Christianity at all.
    Luke 14:25–33 NKJV
    Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
    Which raises some truly important questions .
    “Have we truly counted the cost?…”
    Have we truly decided to make a total commitment
    “Are we truly prepared to do what it takes to follow Jesus?”

    I. We Must Embrace rejection

    Matthew 8:19 NKJV
    Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
    This man saw the upside potential and the benefits of following Jesus. He has seen the miracles and heard great sermons.
    The scribe has not realized that the annointing of God often comes with the rejection of the world. There is no place in culture where the Christian feels at ease.  For this world is not our home.
    John 15:18 NKJV
    “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
    John 15:20 NKJV
    Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

    II. We must embrace Denial of self

    Luke 9:23 NKJV
    Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
    Jesus is serious that we must follow him at all costs

    III. We Must not look Back

    Luke 9:57–62 NKJV
    Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Then He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” And another also said, “Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”
    Luke 9:57–62 NKJV
    But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
    Victory in Jesus:
    I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning Then I repented of my sins, and won the victory,
    Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood
    I heard about His healing, of His cleansing power revealing How He made the lame to walk again and 'caused the blind to see And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit" And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory
    Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood,
    Yes, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever He sought me and He bought me with His redeeming blood He loved me 'ere I knew Him and all my love is due Him He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood Yes, he plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood

      • Matthew 8:14–22NKJV

      • Daniel 7:13NKJV

      • Luke 14:25–33NKJV

      • Matthew 8:19NKJV

      • John 15:18NKJV

      • John 15:20NKJV

      • Luke 9:23NKJV

      • Luke 9:57–10:1NKJV

Encounter Church
http://www.encounter360.org
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