Come Follow Me

Memory Verse: Matthew 4:23 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”

Matthew 10:1-19 Jesus chose 12 men to teach so that they, in turn, would be equipped to teach the Jews – the “lost sheep of Israel” – God’s way of life and the coming kingdom of God."

Why 12? (Twelve men to teach the 12 tribes of Israel) He needed these men to help spread the word to the poor, the suffering, and just ordinary people like you and me. He knew that He alone could not do this during the short time that He was on this earth, so He trained others to do His work after He returned to His Father in heaven.

Why did Jesus tell His disciples they were not to take any money or even a change of clothes or extra shoes with them? (They were to rely on God alone to provide whatever they needed).

Jesus told them they would appear before kings and governors. God’s Holy Spirit would tell them what to say in these situations. Would you trust God that much if He told you to go to the governor or to the President with His message?

Just as Jesus trained others to carry out His work, so we are being trained to do the same thing. As a teacher, it is my job to teach you about Jesus and prepare you for the time when you will carry on His work. Wes, as our pastor, teaches us and prepares us to go out into the world to carry Jesus’ message of salvation and forgiveness, eternal life and the kingdom of God to others. We are learning how to do God’s work by attending Sabbath School, Sabbath services, and Bible studies. We are learning that there are ministries out in the world that are doing God’s work. We are learning how to work with and support those ministries. We can’t just sit idlely by, letting most of the people in this world stay trapped in the deceptions and distractions with which Satan has blinded them. Even Christians are falling into the deceptions and distractions of Satan and his devils. More and more of his darkness is covering this world blinding those that should be able to see what is really going on.

Revelation 18:4 ”And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues”. What is Jesus saying when He says “Come out of her”? Jesus calls us to “come out of this world”. He isn’t telling us that we shouldn’t get involved, but we that we shouldn’ t let the world’s ways and wants infect our minds and hearts and lives thus blinding us to what God would have us be doing, or how God wants us to live."

Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We are called to be “lights” and “salt”. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word “light”?

I think of a huge, dark room full of boxes, chairs, tables and other obstacles. I am in that room trying to find my way out of it and I keep tripping over things I can’t see, banging my shins on tables, falling over chairs, running into walls etc,. I can’t see a thing. Obstacles and pitfalls surround me. There is no hope of ever getting out or finding a door without help. Even if I have others in there with me, I still can’t see and neither can they. We are all trying to keep from getting hurt or falling. Nothing is working. There is no hope. All of a sudden a door opens and someone enters the room carrying a bright flashlight. We can now see all the obstacles that had been preventing us from finding our way out. We can now see them and the way out because of the light. You are that light. We are that light. Our lives, the way we treat each other with love and compassion and the way we treat everyone else with love and compassion is a light to this evil world. Good works that we do in service to others is a light to those lost in the darkness. Without the light of Jesus Christ, the world will perish in darkness and sin.

Salt is used to preserve and to give flavor. Our lives should give flavor to the world, preserving it from sin and darkness. Does that make Christians better than non-Christians? Absolutely not! We are ALL sinners before God. No one sin is any worse than another. God sees ALL sins as evil. People are the ones who consider one sin worse than another. God sees lying and stealing just as evil as murder or dishonoring your parents. ALL sin is evil in God’s sight. As Christians, since we know more, we are held more responsible with what we do with our lives and how we live and how we treat others.

Romans 9:3-12 ”What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written. “There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”

What does Jesus mean when He says we are Lights and Salt?

Being “lights” and “salt” doesn’t mean that you go out and start condemning people for their sins. Their sins aren’t any worse than your sins. Yes, you too are sinners, as are all of us. If we did that, no one would ever listen to us when we talk about the love of Jesus Christ. We are not living out that love before them if we treat them like that.

How do you go about being Salt and Light to others?

No one will listen to your words until you show them how much you care for them. Once they know you really do care for them without expecting anything in return from them, only then might they listen to you when you talk about your faith. Words are cheap and easy. Actions are much harder. When those you hope to reach see that you actually live the way you speak, then they might listen to the hope that you have in Christ that is extended to all people living on the earth – forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life.

How do we show them we care for them?

We show them how much we care for them by the good works we do for them. We can visit the sick and elderly. We can help the poor, the homeless and the fatherless. We can look for ways to help others in our own communities, according to the time and gifts God has given us to use.

We can make disciples, fulfilling the Great Commission – the last command given by Jesus to His disciples. Matt 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

What opportunities do you think following Christ will give you? What kinds of responsibilities go along with it. (To whom much is given, much is required)

What kind of benefits do you receive from being a member of your community? (Police protection, water, electricity, schools, streets on which to drive, parks, etc.)

Is being a responsible person a higher priority for you than pleasing the friends you hang out with?

How do you think you would feel after going to a hospital and helping a child, who has cancer, have a better, fun- filled day?

Proverbs 17:17 17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need."

Proverbs 18:24 24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother"

John 15:13-15 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

What kinds of qualities will true friends show? What is the best thing you can do for your friends? Would you REALLY die for a friend? When, why?

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