Summary: We are to follow God as dear children.
Be a Follower of God
a. Importance of choice of leaders
i. Follow the leader. Hitler. Jim Jones (called “father”). Hollywood.
b. Influence of choice on others
The Asche conformity experiments
The Asche conformity experiments demonstrated the impressionability of a group’s perceptions. Solomon Asche and his fellow experimenters invited students to take a “vision test”. The students were placed in a classroom setting and asked to evaluate the length of various lines. The questions asked (which line is longer, which lines are the same length, etc.) were quite simple.
The experimenters placed “confederates” in the classroom. These gave wrong answers. 33% of the students conformed to the wrong view of the confederates if at least three confederates agreed. The fact that the view was obviously wrong seemed less important than the fact that three vocal people held it.
c. Inescapability of following
i. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (1Jo 3:8-10)
II. Of God or of the Devil?
a. As dear children
i. We have been adopted…we ought to act like Him
Fellowship with the Father
A happy Christian met an Irish peddler one day and said to him, "It’s a grand thing to be saved." "Aye," said the peddler, "It is. But I think something is equally as good as that." "What can you possibly think is equal to salvation?" "The companionship of the Man who has saved me," was the reply.
b. What it looks like
i. Love (2); Sacrifice (2); Thankfulness (4)
c. What it doesn’t look like (3-5)
III. Heading for Home (5)
a. If you follow the devil he’ll lead you to his home
i. Worse punishment because you led people there
b. If you follow God He’ll lead you to His home
i. Better reward because you led people there
c. Choose TODAY who you will follow