Following Jesus means we follow Jesus without conditions. This message was given on July 6, 2014 at New City Church in Calgary by Pastor John Ferguson. For more info visit: www.newcitychurch.ca

1. Following Jesus
On A New Journey
~ Luke 9:51-62 ~

2. God Gives Us His Words of Eternal Life
Luke 9:51-62
Found on page 868 in our guest Bibles.
Today’s Scripture:

4. What does it
mean to follow
Jesus of
Nazareth
?

5. Following Jesus
On A New Journey
~ Luke 9:51-62 ~

6. When the days drew near for him
Luke 9:51
to be taken up, he set his face to
go to Jerusalem….

7. And he sent messengers ahead of
Luke 9:52-54
him who went and entered a village
of the Samaritans, to make prepara-
tions for him. But the people did not
receive him, because his face was
set toward Jerusalem. And when

8. …his disciples James and John saw
Luke 9:52-54
it, they said, “Lord, do you want us
to tell fire to come down from heaven
and consume them…?

9. But he turned and rebuked them.
Luke 9:55

10. “But I say to you who
hear, Love your
enemies, do good to
those who hate you,
bless those who curse
you, pray for those who
abuse you.”
~ Luke 6:27-28

11. ~ Os Guinness
““The link between a belief & its outcome is
important to examine. Some bad behavior,
however, is an accurate reflection of a belief,
while other bad behavior is such a
contradiction of its belief that it is no
reflection at all.”

12. And they went on to another village.
Luke 9:56-58
As they were going along the road,
someone said to him, “I will follow
you wherever you go.” And Jesus
said to him, “Foxes have holes, and
birds of the air have nests, but the

13. Son of Man has nowhere to lay his
Luke 9:56-58
head.”

14. “Jesus was saying that if you
walk with him, you will sense
that the world is not your
home. There will be
dissonance, discomfort,
unease, and rejection. He
was saying that to follow
him, one must embrace a
life of discomfort.”

15. To another he said, “Follow me.” But
Luke 9:59-60
he said, “Lord, let me first go and
bury my father.” And Jesus said to
him, “Leave the dead to bury their
own dead. But as for you, go and
proclaim the kingdom of God….”

16. Yet another said, “I will follow, Lord,
Luke 9:61
but let me first say farewell to those
at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No
one who puts his hand to the plow
and looks back is fit for the kingdom
of God.”

17. “If anyone comes to
me and does not
hate his own father
and mother and wife
and children and
brothers and sisters,
yes, and even his
own life, he cannot
be my disciple.”
~ The Apostle Paul in
1 Corinthians 15:51

18. Why does Luke record this
account in his historical
biography of Jesus?
Important Question

19. “Christianity, if false,
is of no importance,
and if true, of infinite
importance. The only
thing it cannot be is
moderately important.”
~ CS Lewis, Professor
Oxford University

20. Jesus is either of
supreme importance,
or of no importance.
What he cannot be
moderately important.

21. Following Jesus
means we follow Jesus
without conditions.
Summary

22. Count the cost1

23. Rejection1
Three Responses to the Call to Follow Jesus
“…the people did not receive him.”

24. Rejection1
Three Responses to the Call to Follow Jesus
Conditional acceptance2
“…the people did not receive him.”
“I will follow, Lord, but first…”

25. Rejection1
Three Responses to the Call to Follow Jesus
Conditional acceptance2
Unconditional acceptance3
“…the people did not receive him.”
“I will follow, Lord, but first…”
“They left everything and followed him.”

26. Focus on the Right Priority2

27. “If Jesus is God’s Son,
our first duty is towards
him. A man who
considers that he has a
prior duty to fulfill before
he is free to become a
follower of Christ, has no
concept of who Christ is.”

28. “For me
to live
is Christ.”
~ The Apostle Paul in
Philippians 1:21, 23

29. Trey Ratcliff: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/2767250890
winnifredxoxo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61056899@N06/5751301741
ihtatho: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ihtatho/627226315
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