BODY PARTS: Follow or Fail

Summary:  There are spectators, fans, and players in the Body of Christ.  Which one are you?  How can you move from being on the outside looking in to actually using your gifts to be a part of the life change through Jesus that we see inside the Church all over the world?

Text: Matthew 16:13-18, Matthew 4:18-20, Matthew 28:19

1. Jesus saw people that thought he was 1 of many good prophets, people that thought he was just a good guy doing good things, and people that actually believed he was the Christ.  This is a difference between spectators, fans, and players.
There is 1 thing that moves you from a spectator/fan to a player in the body of Christ.  It's commitment.  What are things that you are currently committed to in your life?  What does commitment look like for you in the local church, and what commitments do you need to make to take the next step?


2. READ Matthew 16:18.
What's one thing that can stop the church from being effective in its mission.  Is it God?  Is it Satan?  (It's the church.)  What are ways that the body actually hinders itself from being effective?


3. READ Matthew 4:18-20
Pastor Nathan said in his message that "to truly follow Jesus, you have to be willing to STOP following what you are currently following."
a. What are things in our lives that we follow?  How are they distracting us from following Jesus?
b. What nets do you need to drop in order to be a faithful member of the body?  Vs 20 says they IMMEDIATELY dropped their nets.  What nets have you been holding on to that you know that you need to drop?  What's keeping you from dropping it and finally being a player in the body of Christ?

4.  READ Matthew 28:19
"Followers help other people follow."  There's no way around it.  Unfortunately, most Christians cannot point to a single person that they have helped to follow Jesus.
a. What is the big command from vs 19 that Jesus gives his followers?  (MAKE DISCIPLES)
b. Making disciples is easy as "1 beggar telling another beggar where to find the bread."  Practice on each other!  What would you say to someone if they asked you about being a follower of Jesus?  What parts of your story would you share?