Christian Church 24.7 Ministry Community Group
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The following text is Jesus speaking after the feeding of the 5000, with 5 loaves and two fishes. Jesus was teaching his disciples. He had asked them who people said that He was and who they said He was. In these verses, he said these words to them.
Vs-23 "And He said unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lost it and, whosoever shall lose his life, for my sake, the same shall save it. For what s a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away?
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed. when He shall come in His own glory. a in His Father's, and the body of angels"
Isn't it amazing that there is a rebirth of 3-D movies again. When I was a kid, we used to go to these movies and wear the different glasses with different lenses. I remember in one movie in particular, a native threw a spear and it looked like it was coming right out in the audience of the theater.
Jesus introduced 3-D things years ago. Here are 3 examples
I. Denial:--vs-23
What does this word "denial" mean?
It means that you have to deny your faith in anything other than in Christ, Himself for your salvation.
These can be those listed below.
a. Your religion
b. Your own goodness
c. Your own best efforts
Jesus said in John 14 vs 6-- "I am the way, the truth and, the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but, by me.
You must trust in Christ to do what He says He will do.
Too many people now days are trusting in their Church, their religion, their good charitable works, etc.
We put Christ first in our lives to the best of our ability and we seek His will not our will. We do what he wants us to do, not what we want to do.
II. Death: vs-vs-23 "take up his cross daily and follow me"
The cross is an instrument of death. Sometimes, today we make the cross something of decoration, a piece of beautiful jewelry, or we may even make it an "idol" in itself.
By Jesus making this statement, He is saying that we are willing to accept the Path that He chooses for us.
It means that we are willing to take on whatever persecution and ridicule the world gives us, because we are a Christian.
I know personally, when flushed the drugs, poured the booze down the drain and resigned from the bikers, I got ridiculed by some of them. I was called "a Jesus freak" , a bible thumper" and some of them turned against me and made it very clear that our friendship had ended. They no longer wanted to listen to any conversation I had because it was not like theirs. I did not go where they went, I did not talk like they did and I had a different outlook on life than they did. There were a few who said " This Jesus business is not for me but, if that is your thing now, I am happy for you". These comments were few.
III. Devotion: vs 23, 26 have words like "follow me" and "come after me"
a. We are to trust Him
b. We are to obey Him
c. We are to follow Him
Who in life is better to trust than Christ? I have trusted in may others and, in many other things, that have failed me. Jesus never has!!!!
Who in life is better to obey than Christ? I have obeyed some of the other ideas and others who have told me to do things. Some of these actions, have resulted into some serious consequences.
Who in life is better to follow than Christ? I have followed some others advice and others actions and have ended up into some serious problems. Here are some examples of these actions.
a. Doing something illegal.
1. Buying and consuming illegal drugs.
2. Driving under the influence of alcohol.
3. Breaking and entering into a place
4. Damaging property for revenge
5. Threatening innocent people just for the "fun of it".
I speak from experience, due to the Biker and drug lifestyle I once lived. Violence, trouble, run-ins with the law, fights, intimidation, and unrest, was our way of life. We expected it.
You see, I know first hand, the difference of the life of a lost man versus the life of a saved one. I know the unrest of the heart and soul, of a lost man, versus the peace and the joy of the Lord, of a saved man. I know all about friends turning against me versus He who says 'I will never leave you or forsake you"!!!!!!
Denial and Death must come to the Lost man, before we can give true Devotion to the Savior of Man, Jesus Christ. We must understand this principle so we can go and grow in Christ Jesus.
Have a great weekend and may this message accomplish that for which it was posted.
Oldbiker
Vs-23 "And He said unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lost it and, whosoever shall lose his life, for my sake, the same shall save it. For what s a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away?
For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed. when He shall come in His own glory. a in His Father's, and the body of angels"
Isn't it amazing that there is a rebirth of 3-D movies again. When I was a kid, we used to go to these movies and wear the different glasses with different lenses. I remember in one movie in particular, a native threw a spear and it looked like it was coming right out in the audience of the theater.
Jesus introduced 3-D things years ago. Here are 3 examples
I. Denial:--vs-23
What does this word "denial" mean?
It means that you have to deny your faith in anything other than in Christ, Himself for your salvation.
These can be those listed below.
a. Your religion
b. Your own goodness
c. Your own best efforts
Jesus said in John 14 vs 6-- "I am the way, the truth and, the Life. No man cometh unto the Father but, by me.
You must trust in Christ to do what He says He will do.
Too many people now days are trusting in their Church, their religion, their good charitable works, etc.
We put Christ first in our lives to the best of our ability and we seek His will not our will. We do what he wants us to do, not what we want to do.
II. Death: vs-vs-23 "take up his cross daily and follow me"
The cross is an instrument of death. Sometimes, today we make the cross something of decoration, a piece of beautiful jewelry, or we may even make it an "idol" in itself.
By Jesus making this statement, He is saying that we are willing to accept the Path that He chooses for us.
It means that we are willing to take on whatever persecution and ridicule the world gives us, because we are a Christian.
I know personally, when flushed the drugs, poured the booze down the drain and resigned from the bikers, I got ridiculed by some of them. I was called "a Jesus freak" , a bible thumper" and some of them turned against me and made it very clear that our friendship had ended. They no longer wanted to listen to any conversation I had because it was not like theirs. I did not go where they went, I did not talk like they did and I had a different outlook on life than they did. There were a few who said " This Jesus business is not for me but, if that is your thing now, I am happy for you". These comments were few.
III. Devotion: vs 23, 26 have words like "follow me" and "come after me"
a. We are to trust Him
b. We are to obey Him
c. We are to follow Him
Who in life is better to trust than Christ? I have trusted in may others and, in many other things, that have failed me. Jesus never has!!!!
Who in life is better to obey than Christ? I have obeyed some of the other ideas and others who have told me to do things. Some of these actions, have resulted into some serious consequences.
Who in life is better to follow than Christ? I have followed some others advice and others actions and have ended up into some serious problems. Here are some examples of these actions.
a. Doing something illegal.
1. Buying and consuming illegal drugs.
2. Driving under the influence of alcohol.
3. Breaking and entering into a place
4. Damaging property for revenge
5. Threatening innocent people just for the "fun of it".
I speak from experience, due to the Biker and drug lifestyle I once lived. Violence, trouble, run-ins with the law, fights, intimidation, and unrest, was our way of life. We expected it.
You see, I know first hand, the difference of the life of a lost man versus the life of a saved one. I know the unrest of the heart and soul, of a lost man, versus the peace and the joy of the Lord, of a saved man. I know all about friends turning against me versus He who says 'I will never leave you or forsake you"!!!!!!
Denial and Death must come to the Lost man, before we can give true Devotion to the Savior of Man, Jesus Christ. We must understand this principle so we can go and grow in Christ Jesus.
Have a great weekend and may this message accomplish that for which it was posted.
Oldbiker
it isn't just about the bad things we have done that keeps us out of heaven, but the good done APART from our acceptance of Him and His gift of salvation. when we have Him in our lives we will want to do good.