When Jesus said, “Follow Me,” He wasn’t calling people to a casual belief — He was inviting them into a life of discipleship. In this message from Matthew 4:12–25, Pastor Eric Echols unpacks what those two simple words really mean and why they still change everything today.
Discover who the “Me” is that we follow — the Savior, King, and Light of the world — and what it looks like to respond to His call with faith, surrender, and purpose. Following Jesus means leaving behind comfort, control, and convenience to gain something far greater: Christ Himself.
Whether you’re new to faith or have walked with Jesus for years, this message will challenge you to ask one question: Am I truly following Him?
From Shem to Abraham to Christ, Genesis 11:10–32 reveals the God who preserves His promise and fulfills it in Jesus.
The Tower of Babel reveals humanity's persistent attempt to build heaven on earth apart from God, seeking unity and significance through our own efforts. When God came down to see their tower, the irony was profound - what seemed monumental to humanity was microscopic to God. Rather than destroying them, God confused their language and scattered them, showing both justice and mercy. This scattering preserved His redemptive plan and set the stage for calling Abraham. The story points forward to Christ, who accomplishes through grace what humanity failed to achieve through pride - true unity, salvation, and security found in a relationship with God rather than human systems.
The Tower of Babel reveals humanity's attempt to build identity, security, and significance apart from God. When people unified around their own ambitions rather than God's purposes, they created a city and tower to make a name for themselves. This represents three pillars of man-made religion: seeking security through human institutions, attempting salvation through self-effort, and pursuing glory apart from God. Their eastward migration symbolized spiritual drift away from God's presence.
Genesis 10 stands apart from other biblical genealogies by mapping out the entire ancient world rather than tracing a single family line. This Table of Nations follows humanity's spread after the flood through Noah's three sons: Japheth, Ham, and Shem. The chapter is structured around four key terms - lands, languages, clans, and nations - showing the complete geographical, linguistic, social, and political spread of humanity.
Genesis 9 reveals that even after the flood, sin persisted as Noah, described as righteous and blameless, fell into drunkenness and shame. This narrative presents Noah as a new Adam, highlighting how even covenant heads can falter in moments of comfort rather than crisis. The contrasting responses of Noah's sons teach us about honoring others in their failures - Shem and Japheth covered their father's nakedness while Ham exposed it. This story ultimately points to our need for Christ, the perfect covenant head who succeeded where all others failed, bearing our shame on the cross and offering grace that covers all sin.
God established the rainbow as a covenant sign with Noah and all living creatures, promising never to flood the earth again. This visible sign in the sky serves as a divine reminder of God's faithfulness and mercy. The rainbow points beyond itself to God's ultimate act of remembrance—sending Jesus Christ to take our judgment upon Himself. When we see a rainbow, we should trust God's promises, use it for gospel conversations, reclaim its true meaning as a symbol of grace, and appreciate all covenant signs God has given us. The rainbow on earth is only half-visible, but in heaven it forms a complete circle around God's throne, symbolizing the perfect fulfillment of His covenant promises.
God's covenant with Noah represents a pivotal moment in redemptive history, not just a children's story about animals on a boat. This covenant is universal, applying to all people and creatures; unilateral, initiated solely by God; and unconditional, not dependent on human faithfulness. By promising never to flood the earth again, God stabilized creation so His redemptive plan through Christ could unfold. This covenant reminds us that even in our chaotic world, God is sovereignly preserving creation until His purposes are complete. Understanding God's faithfulness to Noah helps us trust His promises in our lives today.
When Noah stepped off the ark into a devastated world, his first action wasn't to build shelter or plant crops—he built an altar to worship God. This powerful example teaches us that worship should be our foundation, not an afterthought. Throughout Scripture, we see this pattern repeated by Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others. Noah's sacrifice demonstrated consecration, thanksgiving, and the need for atonement. In response, God promised mercy and preservation of the natural order, revealing both His redemptive grace that saves souls and His common grace that sustains the world. By prioritizing worship like Noah, we discover our true purpose and live with proper perspective.
God's remembrance of Noah during the flood reveals His covenant faithfulness, not a sudden recollection of something forgotten. This pivotal moment in Genesis 8:1 demonstrates how God controls our trials, provides signs of hope, and guides through His Word.
Was Noah's flood just a local disaster or something far more significant? Discover how this catastrophic event reveals both God's judgment and His amazing grace.
Genesis 7:6-16 reveals God's sovereign plan during the flood, preserving His covenant promise and creation through Noah's family. This wasn't merely judgment but restoration, demonstrating God's providence and faithfulness to His people. The passage highlights three crucial lessons: our eternal security in God's hands, His abundant grace in delaying judgment, and the reality that His grace has a deadline. Just as God shut Noah in the ark, securing his salvation, believers today are secure in Christ. However, like in Noah's day, a time is coming when the door of salvation will close, making today the day to respond to God's offer of grace.
God's invitation to 'come' in Genesis 7 reveals the essence of salvation - it always begins with God's initiative, not our merit. The ark serves as a powerful picture of Christ, offering refuge from judgment through simple faith. This divine call extends to families, emphasizing parents' responsibility to create gospel-centered homes. True salvation naturally leads to worship in every aspect of life, while God's patience in judgment demonstrates both His mercy and the urgency of responding to His call. Noah's immediate obedience reminds us that authentic faith always manifests in action - not just in dramatic moments, but in daily, disciplined obedience.
God's covenant with Noah reveals His unbreakable promises that form the backbone of Scripture's redemptive story. Unlike human contracts, God's covenants are unilateral, eternal, and faithful—initiated by Him and based on grace, not merit. Noah's response demonstrates true faith through obedient action, taking God at His word despite looking foolish to others. From Adam to David, all divine covenants find their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who secures our salvation not through our faithfulness but His. This challenges us to examine whether our faith is merely intellectual or actively obedient in all areas of life.
Genesis 6 reveals profound truths about God's character through Noah's story. God's judgment of a world filled with violence and evil demonstrates His perfect justice flowing from His holiness. Yet in the midst of judgment, God initiates rescue by providing detailed instructions for the ark. This pattern of creation, de-creation, and recreation foreshadows God's ultimate salvation plan. The ark itself symbolizes Christ - with one door representing the single path to salvation, its pitch covering pointing to atonement, and its security reflecting our safety in Christ. At the cross, God's justice and mercy perfectly meet, offering us salvation not through our own efforts but through taking refuge in Christ.
In a world filled with moral corruption, Noah's story provides a powerful blueprint for living righteously. Noah found favor with God not because of his own merit, but through God's grace, which transformed him in three ways: he was declared righteous (justification), lived blamelessly (sanctification), and walked intimately with God. Despite living in a generation where evil prevailed, Noah stood firm in his faith. His example challenges us to live with gratitude for God's grace, pursue righteousness by faith, commune with God daily, stand firm in our convictions, and share the Gospel with others. Like Noah, we can maintain our integrity and faith even when surrounded by corruption.
Genesis 6:1-8 explores humanity's moral collapse and God's response of both judgment and grace. This powerful passage reveals how sin had corrupted every aspect of human thought and intention, snowballing from Adam's first disobedience until violence filled the earth. The text introduces mysterious elements like the 'sons of God,' 'daughters of men,' and the Nephilim, which have been interpreted in various ways throughout church history. Most importantly, we see God's heart—grieved by human wickedness yet extending grace to Noah amid universal judgment. This pivotal moment in Scripture teaches us three profound truths: our sin is great, God's judgment is real, but His grace is greater.
What the Tabernacle teaches us about approaching God's throne.
What the Tabernacle teaches us about worship.
Walking with God: Lessons from Genesis 5's Genealogy explores the profound spiritual insights hidden in what many consider a boring list of names. Discover how this chapter traces the godly lineage from Adam to Noah, revealing the preservation of faith in an increasingly corrupt world. This teaching examines the sobering reality of sin and death repeated throughout the genealogy, contrasted with Enoch's extraordinary story of walking with God and being taken directly to heaven without experiencing death. Understand what it truly means to walk with God through faith, holiness, daily surrender, and intimate communion. Explore how Enoch stood firm in his faith despite living in a culture headed toward divine judgment, and discover practical applications for maintaining your own walk with God in today's challenging world.