Mark 1:16-20

Discipleship Principle: It is more important to know where you are going than to see how fast you can get there (Martin Vanbee).

An essential ingredient in the ministry of Jesus is that of calling individuals to follow Him as disciples. As we follow Jesus, we must have a clear understanding of where He wants us to go and what He wants us to do, or the probability of a successful journey is severely limited.

While we often talk about free grace, we must also talk about the price of discipleship. Salvation is about more than a free ticket to heaven. Salvation is also about discipleship - following Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus has its price. The cost of discipleship has to do with exchanging who we are for who God wants us to be. Let’s look together at the essential qualities of following Jesus.

The Call to Discipleship Is a Call to Commitment.

We either commit ourselves to follow Jesus or we are lost - without God.

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

The Decision to Follow Jesus is a Commitment to be a Disciple Daily.

The Call to Follow Christ is a Call to Determined Obedience:

Obedience demonstrates our commitment to discipleship.

If we are to come to Jesus, we must walk as Jesus walked.

The cross of Calvary always comes before the homecoming of heaven.

The Call to Follow Jesus is a Call to Denial of Self: saying no to selfish, carnal things.

Self-denial is identifying with the Cross of Christ.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20).

"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Rom 6:6).

Self-denial is applying our commitment to everyday life.

No spiritual growth takes place until we die to self, and Jesus rules within!

The Call to Follow Christ Means Faithfulness to the End

Following Jesus is a continuous action - a journey instead of an event.

Following Jesus comes through faithfulness in our daily walk.

Faithfulness to the Word of God: to read it, to study it, to meditate upon it, to live it.

Faithfulness to personal communication with God daily in prayer.

Faithfulness to the concept of a Sabbath worship of God with His church.

Faithfulness to participate in a discipleship group - learning and growing together.

Faithfulness to the concept of a surrendered life.

Faithfulness to the concept of servanthood.

Faithfulness is not about how we begin the journey, it’s about how we walk every day!