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Why Am I Not Changing?

And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. MATTHEW 4:19-20 ESV

“Follow me, and I will make you…”

I must choose God’s mission before I will change

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called. EPHESIANS 4:1 ESV

A worker’s appetite works for him; his mouth urges him on. PROVERBS 16:26 ESV

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, HEBREWS 6:1 ESV

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. LUKE 2:52 NIV

“…fishers of men.”

I MUST STOP ASKING JESUS TO FOLLOW MY SMALL PLANS.

He says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” ISAIAH 49:6 NIV

You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20 NIV

And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 NIV

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 Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But 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.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, 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.” LUKE 9:57-62 ESV

Just because I have met Jesus doesn’t mean I’m following Him

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. MATTHEW 16:24 ESV

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? LUKE 6:46 NIV

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. LUKE 18:22-23 ESV

“Immediately they left their nets…”

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. MATTHEW 28:18-19 ESV

I was designed by God to multiply

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place and allow your thoughts and feelings to become calm. Go for a walk with God or find a place where you can be still with Him. Allow your breathing to match the pace of your body as you guide your thoughts towards God. Then, ask God to guide you in a time of reflection. Talk to Him about His mission and your life? Reflect with God on how you have grown and changed in the last decade toward that mission. To what extent are you finding yourself following your mission or a God-sized mission? Reflect on the mission Jesus gave to His disciples and all of us: to follow Him and become fishers of people who make disciples of all nations. What has been your experience in doing this? How have you experienced God working in and through you toward this? What’s your next step in further becoming a disciple who makes disciples? Commit to growing in your relationship with Jesus, learning from someone further along in their faith, and investing time into helping someone newer in the faith. Close your time by praising and thanking God that you are a part of His mission to change the world. When He shows you that next step, follow Him.

Discussion Questions

  1. When was a time when you had someone invite you into a task or role that felt too big for you? What was that experience like for you?
  2. How has your relationship with God and His vision for—and mission to the world—changed over the past decade?
  3. Read Matthew 4:18-22 NLT. What do you believe these first disciples saw in Jesus and His mission that inspired them to follow Him?
  4. Many people chose not to follow Jesus. What does saying ‘no’ to Jesus look like in your life; what aspects of your life have you potentially said ‘no’ to Him? What is not following Jesus costing you?
  5. You were made to multiply; to make disciples who make disciples. In what way have you seen God multiply your life into the lives of others? What’s holding you back from being more active in making disciples who make disciples?
  6. NEXT STEPS: Ask God to help you imagine your life more fully participating in God’s mission. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? What is one step you can take to develop each of these relationships and pursue growth with Jesus?