Following Jesus – With Bible Verses to Support.

Here is the profile of our Leader! I think all of us should judge ourselves by it, and let God be true and every man a liar.

1. Jesus turned the multitude away from time to time, we want to keep the crowd. (Bible Reference. John 6:25, 66; Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill; After this a lot of his disciples left; Luke 12:1-3 By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples; Luke 14:25-33; One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them…; Mark 10:17-22; Matt 5:1; John 2:23-24. Clearly Jesus knew the crowds would come and go, so he built disciples)
2. Jesus never built one monument, we want to build a 100,000 seater auditoriums. (Jesus built only one thing… His church Matt 16:18, not a building, not an organization, a people membered organism; This is not a greater work, it’s taken us 2015 years. If he continued exactly at the same pace for 30 years, the world would have been discipled – do the math – 1 in 6 months, who can do one in 6 months and it will be 8 Billion in 17yrs.)
3. Jesus seemed to speak in parables whenever crowds gathered so the crowds will not understand, we want to speak simply so the crowds can understand. (Matt 13:10-17. Simple, Jesus spoke in parables so that those who did not love truth will not understand. “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.”)
4. Jesus never collected tithe, we collect tithe and first fruit. (Jesus was operating under the dispensation of law, so people were paying tithe, but they were paying it to Levi. The temple and the record or Levitical order has since been destroyed. Also scripture is quite clear about Tithes and first fruits. In doubt search and learn – no need to take my word for it. Those who tithe are robbing God, and those who preach it are enslaving men)
5. Jesus hung around with sinners, we hang around with protocol. (I’m just saying, Jesus was way more reachable, the paraphernalia of office makes MOGs unreachable. Luke 15:1; Luke 7:36-50 – can’t even imagine this one)
6. Jesus discipled a few, we want to disciple a crowd. (To disciple just a few people and really be there for them like Jesus was and pray for them is a challenge, to be able to do this work sincerely for more than a few requires doing it shabbily. This is not a greater work)
7. Jesus did miracles and told the people not to tell, we record and televise our miracles (Don’t tell, don’t tell… Jesus knows that no one can bear him witness without the Holy Spirit. Today… we have found a replacement)
8. Jesus made the conditions for being a disciple stringent so a few truly committed can follow, we lower the conditions so that we can pack crowds that will support the ministry financially. (Luke 14:25-33, Luke 9:23-24, Luke 12:22 – Jesus said you will have to die, this is costly, do not worry about what to eat e.t.c. These are the standards. Today, say a sinners prayer and believe and you are saved – Balderdash!)
9. Jesus did not have any sexual scandal, not many pastors can truly declare they are clean.
10. Jesus has been alive for 2,000 years plus after resurrection, he could have been more effective staying here and building churches but he didn’t, he left for the Holy Spirit to work within the church. We don’t want to hand over or finish, we want to do monstrous projects. (Luke 16:15 – What we call monumental, God calls Monstrous. Jesus’ command was go! Not stay and build. In Gen 1 God said fill the earth, in Gen 11 human beings built tower of Babel – Good plan is not often God’s plan)
11. Jesus would have spent 14+ years of his life as a carpenter and 3.5yrs on his ministry. We want to do full time ministry and freeload on the people for our sustenance and largesse. (1 Thes 4:9-12; 2 Thes 3:6-18; The Hall mark of false teachers is exploitation of pocketbook or emotions – either they want to pick your pocket in Jesus name or pick your emotions in his name – Matt 7:15-20 MSG – Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook.)
12. Jesus carried the cross, suffered, died and promised us similar, his disciples followed suit. We don’t want to suffer – we believe that Jesus suffered for us. We are here to enjoy. (Yes we shoud be delighted to suffer for him. Rom 8:17, Acts 5:41; 2 Cor 1:7; Phil 3:10; 2 Tim 2:12; 1 Pet 4:16; Matt 5:11; 2 Cor 4:11, Phil 1:29)

Just to make it abundantly clear for those who want to do Bible Study. The Spirit of God will take from Jesus and make known to us! (John 16:14). He will remind us of what Jesus said and did. Whoever is leading us contrary to Jesus as the Pattern is not the Holy Spirit.

I’m sorry if you don’t like it, I love Jesus, and I can’t but speak up for him. I fear him too… much much more than I fear men.