Abra\u00adham lis\u00adten\u00aded to God\u2019s words and was rea\u00addy to set off. He left the fami\u00adli\u00adar and sought out pre\u00advious\u00adly unknown new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry. He retai\u00adned this agi\u00adli\u00adty becau\u00adse his noma\u00addic life was reflec\u00adted in an inner atti\u00adtu\u00adde of free\u00addom. He wai\u00adted for the new world of God as the ulti\u00adma\u00adte place of bliss.<\/p>\n
The aim of a church is not to crea\u00adte an attrac\u00adti\u00adve pro\u00adgram\u00adme, but to train fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus. But for some reason, fol\u00adlo\u00adwers have beco\u00adme con\u00adver\u00adted Chris\u00adti\u00adans. Doing has beco\u00adme kno\u00adwing, wal\u00adking has beco\u00adme sit\u00adting. The Chris\u00adti\u00adan faith has a path form, ever\u00ady\u00adthing essen\u00adti\u00adal hap\u00adpens on the path. This is also shown by the sto\u00adry of Abra\u00adham, who is regard\u00aded as the cen\u00adtral figu\u00adre of faith in the Bible. \tToday: How would you defi\u00adne fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus in one sentence? Abra\u00adham lis\u00adten\u00aded to God\u2019s words and was rea\u00addy to set off. He left the fami\u00adli\u00adar and sought out pre\u00advious\u00adly unknown new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry. He retai\u00adned this agi\u00adli\u00adty becau\u00adse his noma\u00addic life was reflec\u00adted in an inner atti\u00adtu\u00adde of free\u00addom. He wai\u00adted for the new world of God as the ulti\u00adma\u00adte place of bliss. The goal of a\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":7735,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[98],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-folge-du-mir-nach","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-7727","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"has-post-thumbnail","8":"hentry","11":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nLis\u00adtening to God
\n\u00abBy faith Abra\u00adham obey\u00aded when God told him to lea\u00adve his home\u00adland and move to ano\u00adther land that God would give him as an inhe\u00adri\u00adtance [\u2026]\u00bb (Hebrews 11:8 NLB<\/span>). In both the Hebrew and Greek lan\u00adguages, the\u00adre is only one word for hear and obey. Signi\u00adfi\u00adcant\u00adly, we also find the cor\u00adre\u00adspon\u00adding root word in the Greek word for fol\u00adlow (ako\u00adlouthein). A fol\u00adlower of Jesus Christ is someone who hears and obeys. Abra\u00adham heard God\u2019s words and respon\u00added to them. Wit\u00adhout much dis\u00adcus\u00adsion, he was rea\u00addy to lea\u00adve his homeland.
\nWhen\u00adever I think about this depar\u00adtu\u00adre, I remem\u00adber the sce\u00adne when Sil\u00advia and I left home as a young mar\u00adried cou\u00adple with a lump in our throats and tears in our eyes. We left our fami\u00adly, pro\u00adfes\u00adsio\u00adnal and church envi\u00adron\u00adment behind, kno\u00adwing that we would pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly never return. We made this decis\u00adi\u00adon for our\u00adsel\u00adves out of the con\u00advic\u00adtion that we had heard God\u2019s voice. This hap\u00adpen\u00aded in dif\u00adfe\u00adrent ways. Even at a young age, my pas\u00adtor and the church lea\u00adder\u00adship told me that they thought I should do a theo\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adcal trai\u00adning pro\u00adgram\u00adme. Deep insi\u00adde me, I felt the same impres\u00adsi\u00adon, which I could not eli\u00admi\u00adna\u00adte despi\u00adte inten\u00adsi\u00adve efforts. The ulti\u00adma\u00adte impe\u00adtus, howe\u00adver, was a Bible text that Sil\u00advia and I read during a time tog\u00ade\u00adther with God after our mar\u00adria\u00adge. From then on, it was clear that our future path in life was a ques\u00adti\u00adon of obe\u00addience. You can\u2019t sit pas\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly in the pew and be trans\u00adfor\u00admed towards Jesus at the same time. Disci\u00adple\u00adship and disci\u00adple\u00adship requi\u00adre obe\u00addience and affect the who\u00adle person.
\n\u00abThe LORD<\/span> God has given me the ton\u00adgue of a disci\u00adple, so that I may know how to encou\u00adra\u00adge the wea\u00adry. Mor\u00adning by mor\u00adning he opens my ear to hear as a disci\u00adple hears\u00bb (Isai\u00adah 50:4 NLB<\/span>). It is the pri\u00advi\u00adle\u00adge of a disci\u00adple of Jesus to hear God\u2019s voice. Typi\u00adcal\u00adly, this hap\u00adpens \u00abmor\u00adning by mor\u00adning\u00bb, that is, when all other voices have not yet risen.
\nIn a recent excel\u00adlent ser\u00admon given here by Nelia R., she empha\u00adsis\u00aded that our first cal\u00adling is to let our\u00adsel\u00adves be loved by Jesus and to love him. \u00abWhoe\u00adver knows my com\u00admandments and obeys them loves me. And becau\u00adse he loves me, my Father will love him and I will love him. And I will make mys\u00adelf known to him per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly\u00bb (John 14:21 NLB<\/span>). The sign of love for Jesus is obe\u00addience to him.
\nAbra\u00adham heard the voice of God: \u00abThen the LORD<\/span> com\u00adman\u00added Abram: \u00abLea\u00adve your home\u00adland, your rela\u00adti\u00adves and your father\u2019s fami\u00adly and go to the land that I will show you! A gre\u00adat nati\u00adon will des\u00adcend from you. I will bless you and you will be known throug\u00adhout the world. I will make you a bles\u00adsing to others\u00bb \u00bb (Gene\u00adsis 12:1\u20132 NLB<\/span>). When God speaks, it is always about retur\u00adning to the ori\u00adgi\u00adnal cal\u00adling of man, name\u00adly to reflect God\u2019s glo\u00adry into this world.
\nOn the way to new territory
\n\u00ab[\u2026] He went, not kno\u00adwing whe\u00adre his path would lead him\u00bb (Hebrews 11:8 NLB<\/span>). I admi\u00adre peo\u00adp\u00adle like Abra\u00adham. The\u00adre are still peo\u00adp\u00adle like him today. I recent\u00adly heard the sto\u00adry of a fami\u00adly from Ger\u00adma\u00adny who thought they heard God\u2019s voice so cle\u00adar\u00adly that they sold their house. At the same time, they had the impres\u00adsi\u00adon that things were con\u00adti\u00adnuing in a small vil\u00adla\u00adge in Switz\u00ader\u00adland that they had never seen befo\u00adre. Mira\u00adcu\u00adlous\u00adly, they actual\u00adly found a flat in that place at pre\u00adcis\u00ade\u00adly the right time. A nie\u00adce of mine is pre\u00adpa\u00adring for a lon\u00adger assign\u00adment in the Arab world. At the same time, she also has a strong desi\u00adre for a part\u00adner. Alt\u00adhough she knows that, mathe\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly spea\u00adking, such a path would dra\u00adsti\u00adcal\u00adly redu\u00adce her chan\u00adces in this respect, she is bold\u00adly going ahead. I lear\u00adnt the fol\u00adlo\u00adwing wise words from the head\u00admas\u00adter of the TSC<\/span>: \u00abAlways do some\u00adthing you\u2019\u00adre a litt\u00adle afraid of.\u00bb This chall\u00adenge has stay\u00aded with me ever sin\u00adce. The last time I took it serious\u00adly was last sum\u00admer, when I set off to Cana\u00adda for my sabbatical.
\nDisci\u00adple\u00adship invol\u00adves the wil\u00adling\u00adness to lea\u00adve one\u2019s own safe\u00adty or com\u00adfort zone in respon\u00adse to God\u2019s words. What remains is the pro\u00admi\u00adse that Joshua recei\u00adved from God befo\u00adre ente\u00adring the land: \u00abBe strong and cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous! Do not be afraid and do not des\u00adpair. For I, the LORD<\/span> your God, am with you whe\u00adre\u00adver you go\u00bb (Joshua 1:9 NLB<\/span>). Lea\u00adving your own safe\u00adty and com\u00adfort zone does not exclu\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly mean set\u00adting off to a geo\u00adgra\u00adphi\u00adcal\u00adly for\u00adeign coun\u00adtry! But disci\u00adple\u00adship is always some\u00adthing for pio\u00adneers, even if new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry can mean some\u00adthing see\u00admingly small such as an honest con\u00adver\u00adsa\u00adti\u00adon, a labour of love for a neigh\u00adbour, invol\u00advement in the church, a chan\u00adge of life\u00adstyle, hope in dark times or see\u00adking pas\u00adto\u00adral sup\u00adport. In any case, God\u2019s pro\u00admi\u00adse abo\u00adve also appli\u00ades to ente\u00adring such new territory.
\nThe fact that Abra\u00adham, the pro\u00adto\u00adty\u00adpe of faith, had to set off with his fami\u00adly to a new land has a pro\u00adfound spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal signi\u00adfi\u00adcan\u00adce. Fol\u00adlo\u00adwing Jesus is con\u00adcre\u00adte, mate\u00adri\u00adal and tan\u00adgi\u00adble. It is about fami\u00adly and a new land and not just about for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness of sins and a ticket to a spi\u00adri\u00adtua\u00adli\u00adsed hea\u00adven. If we stop at a gos\u00adpel of jus\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon, the result will be count\u00adless pro\u00adfes\u00adsing Chris\u00adti\u00adans who may be rea\u00addy to die, but are not rea\u00addy to live. Disci\u00adple\u00adship and disci\u00adple\u00adship means lear\u00adning from Jesus Christ how to live in the king\u00addom of God now, just as He demons\u00adtra\u00adted during His time on earth. Jus\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon is inse\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adble from rene\u00adwal. And rene\u00adwal leads natu\u00adral\u00adly to sanc\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon and glo\u00adri\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon. A gos\u00adpel of jus\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adti\u00adon alo\u00adne does not pro\u00addu\u00adce fol\u00adlo\u00adwers. Life with Jesus is not a purely spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal mat\u00adter. You can\u00adnot sit pas\u00adsi\u00adve\u00adly in the pew and be trans\u00adfor\u00admed towards Jesus at the same time. Disci\u00adple\u00adship and disci\u00adple\u00adship requi\u00adre acti\u00advi\u00adty and affect the who\u00adle person.
\nAt the end of time, fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus will not go to a distant hea\u00adven whe\u00adre only souls are buz\u00adzing around. No, God is crea\u00adting a new earth and a new hea\u00adven whe\u00adre all peo\u00adp\u00adle jus\u00adti\u00adfied by Jesus will dwell tog\u00ade\u00adther with God in new bodies. As fol\u00adlo\u00adwers, we anti\u00adci\u00adpa\u00adte this glo\u00adrious future and prac\u00adti\u00adse living holi\u00adsti\u00adcal\u00adly rene\u00adwed lives.
\nStran\u00adger in the tent
\n\u00abAnd even when he rea\u00adched the land God had pro\u00admi\u00adsed him, he lived the\u00adre by the power of faith-for he was in the land as a stran\u00adger dwel\u00adling in a tent, just like Isaac and Jacob, to whom God had made the same pro\u00admi\u00adse. Abra\u00adham was able to act this way becau\u00adse he was wai\u00adting for a city with a firm foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon, who\u00adse buil\u00adder and maker is God hims\u00adelf\u00bb (Hebrews 11:9\u201310 NLB<\/span>).
\nAbra\u00adham was the\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre pre\u00adpared to enter new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry in the tran\u00adsi\u00adto\u00adry world becau\u00adse deep in his heart he was wai\u00adting for the new Jeru\u00adsa\u00adlem, the new world of God. He saw hims\u00adelf as a pil\u00adgrim, as a citi\u00adzen of an ulti\u00adm\u00adate\u00adly bet\u00adter place (Phil\u00adip\u00adpians 3:20). A fol\u00adlower of Jesus has exact\u00adly the same per\u00adspec\u00adti\u00adve. The\u00adre is a new hea\u00adven and a new earth awai\u00adting him, whe\u00adre he will live with a new body. As disci\u00adples of Jesus, we are to live ful\u00adly in the now, kno\u00adwing that we are desti\u00adned for some\u00adthing incom\u00adpa\u00adra\u00adb\u00adly hig\u00adher. This pro\u00ads\u00adpect chan\u00adges ever\u00ady\u00adthing. Life in this world no lon\u00adger has to offer all the hap\u00adpi\u00adness. The ulti\u00adma\u00adte bliss comes later. The\u00adre is some\u00adthing adven\u00adtur\u00adous, tem\u00adpo\u00adra\u00adry and libe\u00adra\u00adting about living in a tent. Indi\u00adan wis\u00addom says: \u00abThe world is a bridge. Cross it, but don\u2019t build your home there.\u00bb
\nWith the pro\u00ads\u00adpect of \u00aba city with firm foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adons\u00bb, we will live dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly, more free\u00adly, more cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous\u00adly, more obe\u00addient\u00adly. When we have set our anchor in this city, we will enter new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry here on earth, dare to take steps onto the water. Self-cri\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly, I ask mys\u00adelf whe\u00adther we are serious\u00adly wai\u00adting for God\u2019s new world or rather hoping that it will not come for a long time yet. But \u2013 our disci\u00adple\u00adship will be given a tre\u00admen\u00addous boost if we set our hearts firm\u00adly on the city with firm foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adons right now.
\nThe reason we cling so tight\u00adly to the cer\u00adtain\u00adties of this world is becau\u00adse of mis\u00adcon\u00adcep\u00adti\u00adons about the future city. Last year, Timo\u00adthy Kel\u00adler, a New York pas\u00adtor who I love to lis\u00adten to, died. As he was dying, he said: \u00abThe only thing death can do to a Chris\u00adti\u00adan is make their life infi\u00adni\u00adte\u00adly bet\u00adter.\u00bb John Don\u00adne, an Eng\u00adlish theo\u00adlo\u00adgi\u00adan from the 16th cen\u00adtu\u00adry, once wro\u00adte: \u00abI will rise from the dead. I shall see the Son of God, the Sun of Glo\u00adry, and shi\u00adne like the sun mys\u00adelf. I will be united with the peo\u00adp\u00adle of times long past and also with God hims\u00adelf, who had no tomor\u00adrow that never began. [\u2026] No man has ever seen God and remain\u00aded ali\u00adve. And yet I will not live until I see God. And when I have seen him, I shall never die.\u00bb Words will never suf\u00adfice to descri\u00adbe the glo\u00adrious city with a firm foundation.
\n
\nWe have to live life for\u00adwards, but often only under\u00adstand it when we look back. This is why set\u00adting out into new ter\u00adri\u00adto\u00adry requi\u00adres so much cou\u00adra\u00adge. What hap\u00adpen\u00aded to Abraham\u2019s depar\u00adtu\u00adre? God has kept His word. A gre\u00adat peo\u00adp\u00adle emer\u00adged \u2013 God\u2019s peo\u00adp\u00adle. What hap\u00adpen\u00aded to our depar\u00adtu\u00adre 30 years ago? God has kept His word. As a fami\u00adly, we live in the deep cer\u00adtain\u00adty that we are in the place whe\u00adre God wants to use us.
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small group
\nRead the Bible text: Hebrews 11:8\u201310; Gene\u00adsis 12:1\u20132<\/p>\n
\n\tDisci\u00adple\u00adship always beg\u00adins with hea\u00adring God\u2019s voice. How do you hear God\u2019s voice? How and when do you con\u00adscious\u00adly give God the oppor\u00adtu\u00adni\u00adty to speak to you?
\n\tSuc\u00adces\u00adsi\u00adon invol\u00adves the wil\u00adling\u00adness to break new ground. What expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces have you had with this? In which area of life could it be time for you to take a cou\u00adra\u00adge\u00adous step?
\n\tWhat effects does it have if someone waits for the city with a solid foun\u00adda\u00adti\u00adon? What are your expec\u00adta\u00adti\u00adons in this regard? How could this be promoted?
\n\tBe still and lis\u00adten to God. Is he chal\u00adlen\u00adging you at any point?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"