1. Adventure of a lifetime Finding Faith: Following Jesus
Steve McClure

2. WHERE ARE WE GOING?
“The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

3. THE NATURE OF FAITH LOST TV SERIES
Locke (man of Faith) vs Jack (man of Science)
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

4. THE NATURE OF FAITH PROOF & EVIDENCE?
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

5. What do you think it might look like to ‘live by faith’?
GROUP DISCUSSION
To what extent do you think that it is reasonable or unreasonable to expect us to ‘live by faith’?
What do you think it might look like to ‘live by faith’?
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

6. THE CLAIMS OF JESUS
“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:6).
1.  The Son of God (Matt 26:63-63) 2.  The Son of Man (Mt 16:13; Mk 14:62)
3.  Giver of eternal life (Jn 10:28) 4.  One with the Father (Jn 10:30)
5.  One who forgives sin (Mk 2:10) 6.  The bread of life (Jn 6:35)
7.  The good shepherd (Jn 10:11) 8.  The true vine (Jn 15:1)
9.  The great "I Am" (Jn 8:58)   The giver of living water (Jn 4:10)
11.  The light of the World (Jn 8:12) 12.  The future Judge (Jn 5:22-23)
13.  The lamb of God (Jn 1:36) 14.  Baptiser in the Holy Spirit (Lk 3:16)
15.  The door of salvation (Jn 10:9) 16.  The Saviour (Jn 3:14-16)
17.  The Messiah (Jn 4:26)   The healer (Lk 18:42)
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

7. FOLLOWING JESUS 1. FOLLOWING JESUS BEGINS WITH A STEP OF FAITH
2. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS SEEING OURSELVES AS WE REALLY ARE
3. FOLLOWING JESUS WILL NOT BE EASY
4. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES A LIFETIME
5. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES INVESTING IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

8. 1. FOLLOWING JESUS BEGINS WITH A STEP OF FAITH:
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

9. 2. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS SEEING OURSELVES AS WE REALLY ARE:
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

10. 3. FOLLOWING JESUS WILL NOT BE EASY
“Whoever wants to be my disciple [a follower of Christ] must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” Luke 9:24-25
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

11. 3. FOLLOWING JESUS WILL NOT BE EASY
FAMILY & LOVED ONES (MATTHEW10:37-39)
“ ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
WEALTH & POSESSIONS (MATTHEW 19:21-22):
“Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
SECURITY (MATTHEW 8:21-22):
“Another disciple said to him, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus told him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.’
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

12. How has Jesus proved Himself to be enough for you?
GROUP DISCUSSION
What have been the big challenges for you in following Jesus or what do you think might be the biggest challenges?
To what extent do you agree that true fulfilment is found in following Jesus?
How has Jesus proved Himself to be enough for you?
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

13. 4. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES A LIFETIME:
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

14. 5. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES INVESTING IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS:
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’
Matthew 9:36-38
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

15. FOLLOWING JESUS 1. FOLLOWING JESUS BEGINS WITH A STEP OF FAITH
2. FOLLOWING JESUS MEANS SEEING OURSELVES AS WE REALLY ARE
3. FOLLOWING JESUS WILL NOT BE EASY
4. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES A LIFETIME
5. FOLLOWING JESUS INVOLVES INVESTING IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

16. CONCLUSION: HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

17. Jesus is Enough
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

18. FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

19. JOSH MOODY QUOTE
“Imagine two women sitting on a park bench. They are 'best friends'. One of them is worried because she is not sure that her boyfriend who has proposed marriage to her really loves her. She says to her friend, 'I'm just not sure that he loves me'. 'Oh, why is that?' her friend asks. 'Well, yesterday he did buy me flowers'. 'Well, that's good', her friend says. 'And today when it was raining he did come and pick me up from the bus stop in his Lada'. 'Well, that's good!' her friend says. 'And every time he sees me he does tell me he loves me'. 'Well, that's good! Why don't you think he loves you?' Pause. 'I just want him to prove it‘…
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS

20. JOSH MOODY QUOTE
…Would it be surprising if the boyfriend in question was finding this stage of the relationship frustrating? After all, she does not trust him. With God it is the same. The evidence that God presents to us of his existence is of a certain kind. It is not evidence in a vacuum. It is evidence of a relationship; that he made us, wants us and loves us. It is evidence that appeals to what a lover most wants to find in the loved: trust. We are not to tell him to prove it; there is all the evidence we could want if we will believe it”. Josh Moody, Authentic Spirituality pp.64-65
FINDING FAITH – FOLLOWING JESUS