Embracing the Habits of Jesus - Matthew 12:43-50 (The Power of Habit Series)
Lamont Ross, Senior Minister

Sermon Notes:
Matthew 12:43-50 (NASB)
43 "Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it.
44 "Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order.
45 "Then it goes and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation."
Matthew 12:43-50 (NASB)
46 While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him.
47 Someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You."
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Matthew 12:43-50 (NASB)
48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!
50 "For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."

Matthew 12:43-50
Embracing the
Habits of Jesus
The Power of Habit Series
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If we are going to be followers of Christ, then we should imitate His habits.

Embrace the habit of prayer.

Mark 1:34-39 (NASB)
34 And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
Mark 1:34-39 (NASB)
36 Simon and his companions searched for Him;
37 they found Him, and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."
38 He said to them, "Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for."
39 And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.
Mark 6:44-46 (NASB)
44 There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.
45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away.
46 After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

Prayer anchors us in the power of God.

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Prayer keeps us focused on our purpose.

Prayer can help guide us in deciding our next move.

Prayer replenishes what the work of the day and the people we encounter take from us, and reenergizes us for the work ahead.

The busyness of life is a cue to pray.

Luke 5:14-16 (NASB)
14 And He ordered him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
Luke 22:39-42 (NASB)
39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.
40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."
Luke 22:39-42 (NASB)
41 And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and began to pray,
42 saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done."

Prayer is one of our greatest weapons to win the war against Satan and temptation.

Embrace the habit of community.

Luke 5:8-11 (NASB)
8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!"
9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;
Luke 5:8-11 (NASB)
10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."
11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
Luke 5:27-28 (NASB)
27 After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me."
28 And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.
Luke 7:11 (NASB)
11 Soon afterwards He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large crowd.
Luke 8:22 (NASB)
22 Now on one of those days Jesus and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out.

Luke 8:22 (NASB)
22 Now on o