Follow: Walk in the Rhythm of Jesus (Higher Series) - Softcover

Johnson, Kevin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0310282640 ISBN 13: 9780310282648

Verlag: Study Resources, 2009

Inhaltsangabe

"It’s easy to follow someone you can see. When your mom leads you through the aisles of a store, you can clearly see her. Maybe you can even anticipate her next turn. But when you decide to follow Jesus, it’s a different story. Or is it? For the people in the Bible who followed Jesus, it was a physical act. He was right there in front of them. But today, as you try to follow Jesus, how do you stay in step with him? Especially if you don’t know who he is or where he’s leading you? In Follow, you’ll find 20 eye-opening studies that will draw you into the Bible and reveal to you the real Jesus. You’ll discover how a guy who lived 2,000 years ago can impact your life today and for all eternity. Designed to address many of the questions that high school students have about Jesus, Follow will help you understand what it means to truly follow Jesus—and why it’s worth it."

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Kevin Johnson is the bestselling author or co-author of more than 50 books and Bible products for kids, youth, and adults. With a background as a youthworker, editor, and teaching pastor, he now pastors Emmaus Road Church in metro Minneapolis. Learn more at kevinjohnsonbooks.com.

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"It's easy to follow someone you can see. When your mom leads you through the aisles of a store, you can clearly see her. Maybe you can even anticipate her next turn. But when you decide to follow Jesus, it's a different story. Or is it? For the people in the Bible who followed Jesus, it was a physical act. He was right there in front of them. But today, as you try to follow Jesus, how do you stay in step with him? Especially if you don't know who he is or where he's leading you? In Follow, you'll find 20 eye-opening studies that will draw you into the Bible and reveal to you the real Jesus. You'll discover how a guy who lived 2,000 years ago can impact your life today and for all eternity. Designed to address many of the questions that high school students have about Jesus, Follow will help you understand what it means to truly follow Jesus--and why it's worth it."

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Follow

Walk in the Rhythm of JesusBy Kevin Johnson

Zondervan

Copyright © 2009 Kevin Johnson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-310-28264-8

Contents

1. THE MAIN THING Why Jesus showed up on earth Matthew 1:18-21.............................62. OPENING ACT Spot the world's Savior Luke 4:14-21........................................113. DROP AND GO Invited to follow Jesus Matthew 4:18-23.....................................174. CALL OF THE WILD Jesus wants imperfect people Luke 5:27-32..............................225. ABOVE THE CROWD Test the truth of Jesus' words John 7:16-18.............................276. NOT JUST A GUY Jesus is God in a human body John 1:1-5, 10-14...........................377. TIGHT How to be friends with God Colossians 1:20-23.....................................428. PULL TOGETHER The feel of following Jesus Matthew 11:28-30..............................479. HAPPY ARE YOU Upending the world Matthew 5:1-12.........................................4710. WOW FACTOR Jesus teaches with power Mark 1:21-28.......................................5211. REAL RELIGION Jesus is tough on hypocrites John 2:13-17................................5712. REASON TO SACRIFICE Jesus-style servanthood Philippians 2:1-8..........................6213. SOUL SATISFACTION Who else would you follow? John 6:66-69..............................6714. STEP OUT Trust and follow Matthew 14:22-33.............................................7215. WHO AM I? Recognizing the Son of God Matthew 16:13-17..................................7716. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS Total commitment Matthew 16:24-26...................................8217. ONE PATH TO PARADISE Jesus is your one way to heaven John 14:1-6.......................8718. HE'S ALIVE Walk with the risen Jesus Luke 24:25-32.....................................9219. COME ALONG Invite others to follow Jesus Acts 1:1-8....................................9720. BETTER THAN ANYTHING The value of knowing Jesus Philippians 3:7-11.....................102

Chapter One

THE MAIN THING

Why Jesus showed up on earth

Matthew 1:21

"You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

START The Bible's bold portrait of Jesus should astonish us-even if we've heard the Christmas story hundreds of times. More than two thousand years ago in the ancient Middle East, a baby boy came screaming into the world like any other child. Yet angels sang at his birth. Shepherds ran from their fields to greet him. Wise astronomers brought him rare gifts and knelt before him as King. Yet even more extraordinary were the facts that would unfold in time: Jesus is God in human form. He came to save the world. And he wants the whole human race to follow him.

From his birth to his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus astounded the world. Based on what you know about Jesus right now, what do you think about him?

READ Matthew 1:18-21

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

THINK When Joseph learned Mary was pregnant, he couldn't help but assume she had cheated on him. Her unfaithfulness could have been punished with death by stoning, and the couple's strict "betrothal" required a divorce to break. But where does Mary's baby come from?

Some ancient religious writings depict gods having sex, but that's not the picture here. The "virgin birth" (or "virgin conception") of Jesus is a miraculous act of God, a powerful intervention in the world he created and controls. Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, this event was predicted by the Old Testament prophet Isaiah: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son" (Isaiah 7:14). Jesus is more than a human child. He is "the Son of the Most High" (Luke 1:32).

Why did Jesus come to earth? What would he accomplish?

Don't miss the deep meaning here: The angel tells Joseph to name the child "Jesus" (Iesous in New Testament Greek), a form of the name "Joshua," which means "Yahweh (God) saves."

LIVE Why does it matter that Jesus was born to a virgin? What does that tell you about who he is?

The arrival of Jesus assumes that you and the rest of the human race need a Savior. Do you agree-or disagree? Why?

God sent a baby to rescue you. Good idea-or not? How come?

WRAP Jesus didn't show up on earth as a fully-formed hero of the world. Before he could save humanity, he would experience life just as we do (Hebrews 4:14-16) and learn from everything he suffered (Hebrews 2:10). Yet right from the start Jesus was nothing less than God's Son, the Savior of the world.

MORE THOUGHTS TO MULL

* What do you think the human race needs to be saved from the most?

* If you were God and wanted to send a rescuer to earth, who would you send?

* The early Christians who recorded the events of Jesus' life wanted people in all places and times to believe their message. How would the extraordinary circumstances surrounding Jesus' birth have helped their cause-or hurt it? Explain.

MORE SCRIPTURES TO DIG

* Jesus was a miracle baby, the Son of God conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit within Mary, a virgin. See this event through his mom's eyes in Luke 1:32-35.

* Read Matthew 1:24-25, which tells how Joseph heard the news that his virgin bride-to-be was pregnant with a very important child. You'll catch his biological bewilderment, his tender care for Mary, and his clear obedience to God.

* The people of Israel expected their Savior to be an earthly king, a mighty political leader who would drive out the Romans who occupied their land. While the Savior might have been difficult to spot as a baby, Matthew 1:21-23 says angels proclaimed who Jesus truly was: He is Immanuel ("God with us") and Jesus ("the Lord saves").

* The Bible doesn't say much about Jesus' childhood. He was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-20), brought to the temple (Luke 2:21-40), visited by Magi from the east (Matthew 2:1-12), and fled to Egypt to escape the murderous King Herod (Matthew 2:13-18). He grew up in Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-23), and as a young teen, he stumped the land's foremost religious teachers (Luke 2:41-50). Luke 2:52 sums up this period: "Jesus became wiser and grew physically. People liked him, and he pleased God" (NCV).

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Followby Kevin Johnson Copyright © 2009 by Kevin Johnson. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc....

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Study Resources
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2009
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0310282640
• ISBN 13: 9780310282648
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 106
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: gpsr@libri.de; gpsr@libri.de; ; Europaallee 1; Bad Hersfeld; 36244; Deutschland