Follow Me Bible Study {Week 1} The Call

Hello Treasures, so the Fall Bible Study using FOLLOW ME Bible Study by David Platt has begun with Christie at Satisfaction Through Christ.
So initially I had purchased the book not the bible study.

I begin to read it and I really liked it. Then I found out it wasn't the correct one and I heard about all the ways the devil tried to stop this and we pushed back the enemy and decided to go forward with the study and so I ordered the bible study version from Lifeway Book Store here in California.





The book is a 6 week bible study and each week has 5 days of reading.   I just got mine on Monday so its crunch time for me.  For the 6 weeks, Christie of Satisfaction through Christ , myself and others will blog about that weeks topics and we can comment, link up our posts and just discuss what God spoke to us.  I am late this week but still wanted to put something together.  I have never done this type of bible study so I am really excited to get into this with the group and we'd love for you to join us.

WEEK 1:  THE CALL

This week's scripture Memory
MATTHEW 4:19-20

“Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fisher’s of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

This week’s Focus

Was on that moment when Jesus first called His disciples, along with several more of their experiences and encounters during His public ministry.  Ultimately, we’ll find answers to this important question:  What does it mean to truly follow Jesus?

This week in a daily break down

I will share what stood out to me the most from each day (There is a lot of good points throughout the days, from what I have read but I will only share one.  I will share one paragraph and one question from the section plus share my answer and hope that you will join us on this bible study and share with us what stood out to you or ask questions or leave comments.

Day One - The Cost

Again there is a lot of good stuff in this section but this is something that really struck me.

David Platt shares Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV) {Note the subtitle for this section}

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers; Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Question

What strikes you as most interesting in these verses? Why?

What struck me the most on this was that when Jesus told Simon Peter and Andrew, Come, follow me, scriptures tell us that AT ONCE they left and followed him.  They had that blind faith and followed Jesus and they didn’t waver or contemplate or get prayer or ask for advice but AT ONCE they stopped what they were doing (their work, their lives, their agendas) and followed Him.

In verse 21, the same thing happens but with 2 other disciples, James and John, Jesus called them and scripture tells us that IMMEDIATELY they left and followed him.

I know for me there were many times that Jesus was calling me and I didn’t stop, drop and follow.

Day Two - Don't Invite Jesus into Your Heart

This day had my mouth dropping as I read.  David Platt uses a great analogy using his story of adopting Caleb Platt and the gospel.

He says, “Caleb didn’t pursue us, for he was utterly unable to do so.  Instead, we pursued him.

This is the heart of Christianity, and we're prone to miss it if we describe becoming a Christian as "inviting Jesus into your heart". We don't become followers of Christ by pursuing Christ or inviting Christ to do anything, for in our sin we're totally unable to do so. Instead, we become Christians when Christ pursues us and invites us to follow Him."  

Question

What’s your reaction to the previous paragraph? Why?

My reaction as I read was my mouth dropping wide open.  Reading through this day just really revealed so much to me about Jesus and His amazing love and how it wasn’t a prayer that was said or “inviting Jesus into my heart” but His love and His pursuit that has me on this journey of, FOLLOWING HIM.

Day Three - Understanding Salvation

This day was really deep for me.  There were two very profound sections for this day but I will share this one.

AWAY FROM ME

Here is part of this section…

“…Shouldn’t we who follow Christ be concerned that the Scriptures contain no references to people asking Jesus into their hearts or reciting a prayer of salvation? 

Yes this is exactly what multitudes of professing Christians have been encouraged to do. Worse, they’ve been assured that as long as they asked Jesus into their heart, invited Him into their life, prayed a prayer, raised their hand, signed a card, or walked an aisle, they’re Christians, and their salvation is eternally secure.”

Question

What’s your reaction to the previous statements? Why?

My reaction is that of surprised. I guess I really never thought about whether or not it was even biblical to do the “sinner’s prayer”.  It’s just what I have been taught all along. Each time the question was asked, “How many people have you lead through the sinner’s prayers?” I always shrunk back as I have never done it.  As time went on, I quickly realized it wasn’t as easy as saying a prayer. It took a lot more than that for my walk with Jesus. 

There is some other good things to ponder in this chapter but this post is already so long. (God bless you for sticking through this far)

Day Four - A New Creation

Another great section about Jesus making us a new creation and about superficial religion versus supernatural regeneration (read Ezekiel 36:25-27)

“Spiritual regeneration is the heart of Jesus’ call to follow Him.  When you become a Christian, you die, and Jesus becomes your life.  To paraphrase Paul, “You have died with Christ, and you’re not even alive anymore.  Instead, Christ is alive in you, and the only way you live is by faith in Him” (Gal. 2:20, author’s paraphrase).  In other words, Jesus died for you so that He could live in you.”

Question

Have you experienced supernatural regeneration? How can you tell?

I would say that I have experienced supernatural regeneration according to this that David Platt explains, “What Ezekiel wrote about (read Ezekiel 36:25-27) is exactly what Jesus came to do.  He came to cleanse us of our sin through His sacrifice on the cross; to wash us with “clean water” (v. 25).  And in doing so, He gives us something infinitely more valuable:  a new heart.  We’re born again! He gives us His Spirit to live in us and change us from the inside out.  This is what it means to experience supernatural regeneration.

Day Five - Make Disciples

So David Platt, closes up the week with this:

“Throughout the week we’ve explored what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We’ve looked at several pieces of evidence we can use to confirm whether we’re truly following Jesus rather than going through the motions of cultural Christianity.”  He gives a recap of the week and then goes in to today.  He says, “Today I want to explore the final proof of what it means to live as a genuine follower of Jesus:  the reality that true disciples of Christ are supernaturally compelled to make more disciples of Christ.

He talks about being Fishers of Men and Moving Forward.

Question

Will you follow?

Yes I will follow. Yes I want to taste this pleasure as David Platt puts it.

“Follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘ and I will make you fishers of men’ “ (Matt. 4:19).  This isn’t a gently solicitation to tread a path of superficial religion.  It’s a call to taste a pleasure that can be found only in a supernatural relationship with Christ. ~~David Platt

Thank you for reading. I pray you were blessed.  This book has my attention. Please make sure  to stop by Satisfaction Through Christ’s to read her discussion on the this week’s reading and also check back with us every Wednesday for the next 5 weeks for the rest of this study.

God bless you and if you have any prayer requests please leave me a comment or send me an email and we will lift up your needs in Jesus name.