Following Jesus 95% commitment is 5% short Consider His claims -1 How to make a new start -2 How to Put Jesus

us First -3 4. What to do if we failed- 4

How to put Jesus first!

Mark 10:17-22

What does it mean to put Jesus first? What does it mean to have total commitment to him?

Mark 10:17-22
17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother."

20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth." 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

1. He was full of enthusiasm.

Now as He was going out on the road, one came running... (Mark 10:17) (intense and eager enjoyment,
interest, or approval )

TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than being sincere.

2. He came to the right person. He knelt before Him [Jesus]...

TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than admitting that Jesus is our counsellor. Many people today are willing to say Jesus was a great teacher. But when it comes to admitting that Jesus is our LORD and MAster we are not willing to say that He is the one controlling every part of our life.

3. He asked the right question.

"Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? (Mark 10:17 19 "You know the commandments: Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother." 20 And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all

these things I have kept from my youth."

TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than knowing you need to be saved.

4. He was a good man. All these things I have kept from my youth.
TRUTH: Being a Christ-follower is more than keeping rules. Knowing the rules is not enough but knowing and keeping and asking for more is a different things. v 21 Jesus pushes aside the large commitments that this guy had made, and said, what about this 5% that youre not willing to give? He is asking us this very hard question. What about some areas of our life? Are we willing to let it go to follow Him?

 Excuse #1: Someone. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. means that we are to put Him first before everything. If someone is causing us to fall back with our love to Christ we must show them the blessing of being with Him through the transformation of our life .

Heres how to surrender our life to Jesus Christ: Get rid of the excuses.

Excuse #2: Someday

Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:21) Augustine the first Christian philosopher and theologian, a great Christian writer, was famous for praying before he truly became a follower of Jesus Christ, Lord, make me pure. . . but not yet.

Excuse #3: Something

Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me." But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:21-22) What things do I have to give up to fully stake my claim to Jesus, what is it that holds me down to fully rise up with Him?

Excuse #4: Somewhere

Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, 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." (Matthew 8:19-20)

 Are we willing to go where He tells us to go? Are we really going with Him wherever He goes? Are we willing to leave our comforts zones behind? What if I call you to be a missionary, or go on a mission trip?
WHAT IF WE ARE SENSING THAT HE WANTS US TO GO FULL TIME IN MINISTRY?

Following Jesus 95% commitment is 5% short

We can live our life going around the edges, obeying a few rules, trying to be a good person, attending church, and all that. . Why not plunge into a real LOVE relationship with me? Why not truly follow me starting tonight?