Who Are the Real Followers of Jesus?
I. Those Who Cause Christ to Increase - Matthew 14:1-12
- A. John the Baptist
- 1. By testifying of Christ - John 1:6-8, 15, 19-34
- 2. By decreasing - John 3:22-36
- 3. By being "the salt (conscience) of the earth" - Mark 6:14-29
- 4. By being sovereignly disappointed - Matt. 11:1-11
- 5. By being terminated - Matt. 14:1-12
II. Those Who Are Moved with Compassion - Matthew 14:13-14
- A. Expressing the Father's love - Luke 15:20
- B. Experiencing Christ Himself - Phil. 1:8; 2:1
- C. Having a capacity for others' needs
- 1. Physical and material needs - Matt. 14:14; 15:32; Luke 10:33; John 3:17
- 2. Psychological needs - Matt. 18:27, 33; Mark 1:41
- 3. Spiritual needs - Matt. 9:36; 2 Cor. 7:13-15; Phile. 7
- D. Seeing the oneness of the Body - Col. 3:12-15
III. Those Who Can Feed Others - Matthew 14:15-21
A. Learning to feed on the Lord Himself - John 6:26-35, 41, 48-59
B. Shepherding and feeding - John 21:15-17
C. Supplying others with nourishment - 1 Cor. 3:1-2
D. Having a healthy ministry - 1 Tim. 1:10; 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1
IV. Those Who Spend Time with the Lord - Matthew 14:22-23
- A. Controlling our environment - Matt. 14:22-23; Mark 1:45-46; John 6:14-15
- B. Needing to be continually supplied - Luke 5:15-17
- C. Paying the price to be with the Lord - Mark 1:35-37
V. Those Who Know the Secret of Faith - Matthew 14:24-36
- A. Recognizing the occasions for faith - Matt. 14:24ff; 1 Pet. 1:6-9
- B. Learning how Jesus comes to us - Matt. 14:25-29; 2 Cor. 4:16-18; Rom. 8:26-29
- C. Looking at Jesus - Matt. 14:27-31; Heb. 12:1-2
- D. Touching Jesus - Matt. 14:34-36; Rom. 8:15-16; 2 Cor. 4:13