Young People's Group

FOLLOWING THE LORD NO MATTER WHAT

by Pastor Mitch
March 19, 2006

The Things That Hinder Us In Following The Lord

Following the Lord is not an easy path. There are times when the things of life can hinder us from pursuing the Lord fully. What are some of them?

1. The Problem Of Suffering

“And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”
Matthew 10:38

When we follow the Lord, there are times when persecutions may come. Our own family members may detest us because of our faith in Jesus. There could come discord in the family unit. When our friends discover that we are of the faith, they may use spiteful names to ridicule us. Young people, are you afraid of being persecuted?

2. The Problem Of Loving Wealth

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”
Matthew 16:26

The Lord Jesus spoke of how it is not worth it if we gain the whole world and lose our own soul. Sometimes, people prefer to love the world more than the Lord. They become too worldly-minded. Wealth can hinders us from the path of discipleship.

Commitment To Follow The Lord

If we want to follow the Lord, then we must have the commitment to do so.

1. Persevering To The End

“But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 10:22

The word “endure” in the Greek means persevering despite being hit on all sides by people. Our faith will enable us to press on despite what we may face. If we endure to the end, then we will realise the hope of our salvation.

2. Denying Ourselves

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…”
Matthew 16:24

The word “deny” means to reject totally our own desires. If we are serious about following the Lord, then we must learn to deny our own wants for the things of the world. Christ becomes our priority. We and our needs become marginalised.

3, Ready To Bear Any Suffering

“… and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24

We must also be ready to bear any and every “cross” that we may have to carry for Jesus. If it means being persecuted, we must be ready to face it. Let’s have the faith to follow Jesus totally, no matter what.

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