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Where are YOU?

• The first thing to do before you can move forward is to determine where you are right now.
• Where is your “red dot”?
• If our goal is to be transformed from the inside out to be more like Jesus, where are you in the process?
• God always meets us “where we are” - right now - the greatest moment is now, because that is where God is.
• God meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be

3 Potential Disciples:

• Peter - regular guy willing to give it all
  • Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-18; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42
  • left everything and followed Jesus (Matthew 19:27) - was married a somewhat successful fisherman
  • became true disciple and one of the 12 apostles - one of the three (Peter, James, John)
  • had rough spots in his discipleship (hot-headed, cowardly, zealous, etc.), and even though he denied knowing Christ was reconciled to Jesus and eventually became a leader of the Church
  • his death glorified God (John 21:19)
• Rich young ruler - in search of the “American Dream”, wanted it all
  • Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31
  • thought good deeds would get him into heaven
  • kept all of the commandments since his youth
  • Jesus challenged him to go further
  • had many possessions and left Jesus grieved
• Nicodemus - religious elite, thought he knew it all about God and that his religious status would be enough
  • John 3:1-10
  • pharisee, leader of the Jews
  • acknowledged that Jesus was a good teacher from God
  • did not understand “re-birth”
  • did not understand the ways of the Spirit that Jesus taught
  • came to Jesus in the dark
• Who do we identify with?
  • Peter
    • willing to drop it all, follow Jesus
  • Rich Young Man
    • follow the commands since youth, do good deeds, held back by possessions
  • Nicodemus
    • relied on religious status
    • can’t accept the mystery of God, the way of the Spirit

Discussion Questions:

1. When did you start following Jesus? Share your story of how you became a Christian.
2. What did you have to “let go of” or “leave” when you started following Jesus?
3. Which of the three people from tonight’s talk do you currently identify most with?
4. Do you ever find it a challenge to follow Jesus?
5. Has He recently challenged you with anything? (i.e. leave something behind, correct your assumptions, etc.)
6. Why do you think Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything first then to follow?
7. Why do you think Jesus told Nicodemus he had to be “born again”? What does being “born again” mean to you?

Take Home Exercise:

Spend 5 - 10 minutes alone and away from distraction. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Where am I?” Ask Him to show you where you really are in your discipleship to Jesus. Write down what He reveals and bring those things to God in prayer, asking Him to “lead you in the way everlasting”.