First Reformed Presbyterian Church of Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Lord’s Day June 22, 2003 Anno Domini

Matthew 8:18-22

Ready to Follow Christ?

  I.  If you’re ready to follow Jesus, you have to leave the crowd behind.
 

      A.  Christ makes a distinction between the crowd and the disciples.
Matthew 5:1; 7:28-29.
      B.  Preaching, healing, teaching. Matthew 7:29; 9:36.
      C.  Training disciples to make disciples.
     

  II.  First follower: the enthusiastic scribe.
 

      A.  commitment to follow Jesus, to...where?
      B.  Jesus has no home in this world: where will you follow him? John
17:5, 11, 14, 16; 19:30.
      C.  Enthusiasm is not enough; you won’t fit anywhere.
     

   III. Second follower: the duty-bound disciple.
 

      A.  Commitment to follow Jesus, but...
      B.  There is no greater duty in this life. Ephesians 2:1-2; Like
9:60.
      C.  Once you are a disciple, you cannot hold back. Luke 9:61-62.
     

  IV.  Where do you fit in this picture?
 

      A.  In the crowd?
      B.  Studying and eager but without real understanding of the
Christian commitment?
      C.  Busy with many urgent demands that keep you from following
Christ? Luke 21:34.
      D.  All of the above?
     

         1.  True disciples must leave the crowd behind in order to be
trained to go back to minister to the lost sheep in the crowd.
         2.  True disciples must expect to feel homeless in the world.
         3.  True disciples must examine life’s many demands and not
neglect the most urgent matter of following the Lord.
        

Pastor Christian Adjemian, Dipl.Div., Ph.D.

pastor@reformedprescambridge.com phone: 617.864.3185