2008 Dallas IP Message
Matthew 4:18-20
Personal Interaction
- Hypothetical coffee conversation: "Who are you?"
- Differentiating between professions, religious affiliations, and true identity as a follower of Jesus Christ
True Identity
- Importance of knowing one's true identity
- Story of Margaret Thatcher in a nursing home to illustrate the importance of identity
The Call to Follow Jesus
- Matthew 4:18-20: Jesus calling the first disciples
- The immediate response of the disciples to follow Jesus
The Compelling Nature of Jesus
- The compelling nature of Jesus that caused immediate response from the disciples
- Contrast between the typical perception of Jesus and the reality of His compelling presence
- Examples of Jesus calling diverse individuals (fishermen, tax collectors, zealots)
Following Jesus
- Authentic call of Christianity: Following Jesus
- Cultural context of following a rabbi in Orthodox Judaism
- Transformation that occurs when truly following Jesus
Examples of Jesus' Teachings
- Matthew 5:43-44: Loving enemies
- Luke 12:13-15: Warning against greed
- Matthew 20:20-28: Servant leadership
The Challenge of Following Jesus
- The necessity of dropping "nets" to follow Jesus
- Explanation of what "nets" represent: Anything inhibiting full devotion to Jesus
Conclusion
- Encouragement to let go of inhibiting factors and follow Jesus wholeheartedly
- Vision of a room filled with metaphorical "nets" left behind by those choosing to follow Jesus
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Joseph M. Stowell
Dr. Joe Stowell
Author, President Emeritus of Cornerstone University; Grand Rapids, MI
After graduating from Dallas Theological Seminary, Joe Stowell served in pastorates in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. Following his local church ministry he served as President of Moody Bible Institute and subsequently as President of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. An internationally recognized conference speaker, Joe has written several books including Strength for the Journey, The Trouble with Jesus, Simply Jesus and You, and Redefining Leadership: Character-Driven Habits of Effective Leaders. In addition to his career in higher education and church leadership he has served on the boards of Wheaton College and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and presently serves on the boards of ELIC and CURE International. He and his wife Martie are the parents of three adult children and ten grandchildren.
Contributors
