“Follow Me” - New Sermon Series
I’m really looking forward to our new teaching series, ‘Follow Me’ in the Gospel of John. It has actually been a number of years since we have taught an expository (verse by verse) series in a Gospel. But apart from the pragmatic reason to do so every so often, there is a prophetic reason to do so now. I really believe that God has led us to study this particular book, this particular year for a set of particular reasons. I don’t know all those reasons - that’s why it’s so exciting! - but here are three I do know:
Discipleship
John tells us exactly why he wrote this book:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)
Commentators agree that the Greek phrase translated ‘that you may believe’ carries both the sense of initial faith and continuing faith. In other words, John wants to make both new disciples and disciples who grow, just as Jesus commanded us to do in his Great Commission (Mt 28:18-20). We are increasingly convinced, as elders, that God wants to bring a focus on discipleship: the making of converts who are baptised and added and the maturing of those believers into radically and joyfully obedient followers of Jesus. We don’t want to only learn about Jesus but to actually follow him, bearing fruit for him and so ‘proving that we are his disciples’ (John 15:8).
Why not use the guide below to read the passage in advance and come, both on Sunday and in the fortnightly Life Group sessions, ready to hear how Jesus would have you follow him that week?
2. Direction
We are also clear that we will be a different Church as and when the nation emerges from this pandemic. We sense various hopes and dreams, not least around local discipleship, which have emerged in our times together and with you. We believe God is giving us fresh direction for a new destiny: one in which we are effective disciple makers for Jesus’ Kingdom. There is much still to discover and I am convinced that God is going to teach and direct us as a church family. As we follow Jesus together through Gospel of John, expect him to speak to us and to direct us for the destiny that lies ahead.
3. Durability
These are challenging times, to put it mildly. For some of you, those challenges are proving the making of you, forging you into mighty disciple makers ready to be unleashed in the next season. For others, you feel it is as much as you can do to put one foot in front of the other. You might wonder why we don’t do a series that speaks specifically to emotional resilience or finding hope and truth in troubles times, for example. Well, it strikes me that the best way for you and I to endure and even learn to thrive in these troubled times is to unswervingly fix our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). This is the Christ, John says, who came ‘full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14): it is in him we find abundant grace meeting us in our pain and frustration; and it is in him that we find the source of ultimate realty and objective truth. His arms hold us and his word sustains us and we can indeed endure well.
Sermon outline ‘Follow Me’ 2021
DATE PASSAGE
Sun 31st Jan John 1:1-13
Sun 7th Feb John 1:14-18 (Try Church Sunday)
Sun 14th Feb John 1:19-34
Sun 21st Feb Compassion Sunday
Sun 28th Feb John 1:35-51
Sun 7th Mar John 2:1-12
Sun 14th Mar Eldership Sunday
Sun 21st Mar John 2:13-25
Sun 28th Mar John 3:15 (Palm Sunday)
Sun 4th April John 3:16-21 (Easter Sunday)