"Following Jesus Is A Learned Lifestyle"

After nearly a decade of blogging on "The Hallelujah Chorus" I have decided to create this new effort to try to reach out to a very special target group of folks who are new to following Jesus. Although what I write is easily appropriated by anyone who is seeking a deeper relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, my primary aim is to encourage those who are new in Christ. Actually, I have to confess that I really have one particular, very special person in my heart for this project. As a new follower of Jesus only since the end of December 2013, she is mine and the Rose's newest daughter in Jesus. But, I have never seen one more excited and proud of what God is doing in her life.

During my half century of ministry and church leadership I fear I haven't done a good job of preparing most new disciples of Jesus for the ministry he has called all of us into. I've always known that to be a vital part of Jesus' commission to "make disciples.....baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matt 28:20) However, I have no way of knowing how many of the thousands I have shared the good news with and/or baptized into Jesus learned to actually follow him as Lord. I pray every single one of them is still on that divine upward journey. 

Okay, so here we go.

Following Jesus isn't complicated but doing so can really complicate your life. All you need do is read about how Jesus' early disciples struggled to incorporate all he taught and modeled into their daily lives. Peter had a very difficult time getting past the racism his Jewish upbringing had drilled into him about all non Jews. Judas was fine with betraying Jesus to the Jewish leaders despite all that he saw and heard from him because he just didn't fit Judas' expectations of Messiah. Jesus' Apostles engaged in what might have been at least a 2 year argument over which of them was at the top of their "pecking order". Jesus taught them there is no hierarchy in his kingdom. Only servants who seek the welfare of others.

Here is how the mighty Apostle Paul learned to see this journey every disciple of Jesus must take:

     "One thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press

       on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us

       who are mature think this way." Philippians 3:14-15 ESV

"Pressing on" with "upward" thinking is the road to maturity as we are Learning To Follow Jesus. Learn patience with yourself and others in your life. Always know that what Peter learned is true for you too:
      "Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking
        for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your
       brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same sufferings. And the God of all grace
       who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will
       himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:8-11 NIV

Please feel free to share this with anyone you think can be encouraged by it. We will get down to more real nitty-gritty as we go along. The address is www.kentsutherlandnewblog@blogspot.com.
Til next time Be Blessed!