DK - JESUS, THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE

INTRODUCTION John 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. STORY – The narrow roads on holidays Matt 7:13-14 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. OUR SALVATION VS LIFE IN ABUNDANCE Our salvation / Life in abundance He has paid the price for this LIFE but we have to step into it

MESSAGE TITLE: JESUS, THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE PRAYER

1. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: LOVING JESUS THE MOST Luke 14:25-26 (NLT) 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. You want me to love you more than the people I love the most? That’s a pretty big call. My family: I want to be around them – I want to spend time with them – I want to talk to them I’M DEEPLY CHALLENGED BY JESUS’ WORDS HERE WHY IS JESUS SAYING THIS? I think that Jesus knows that when he is in first place that it’s good for us, it brings life. It keeps us from the wide road, the things of the world – the things lead to death. More time with Him means: More of his wisdom / More of his direction / Reminds us of our purpose / Reaffirms our identity / Refreshes our soul / Transform us into His image

With Jesus we are have more:

Love / joy / peace / forbearance / kindness / goodness / faithfulness / gentleness and self-control.

RECAP - #1: THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: LOVING JESUS THE MOST

2. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: GIVING UP YOUR OWN WAY

Mark 8:34-35 (NLT) 34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. 35 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

GIVE UP YOUR OWN WAY

Well, that sound easy Jesus, no problems. Give up my own way.

STORY - Being on Holidays / family

Actually, that’s not easy. We have to actively let go of it.

Proverbs 21:2

Each of us is convinced of our own righteousness, but the lord examines our hearts.

ME AT HEART

GIVING UP YOUR OWN WAY MEANS:

Humbling yourself before the Lord and being open to input and correction

Seeking his will for our lives

WHY IS JESUS SAYING THIS?

Because he knows that following his ways instead of our own brings life!

When we pause before taking action and allow space for him to speak to us the outcome is always better

HIS WAY IS ALWAYS BETTER

His way always leads to life / His way always produces good fruit / The outcome is always better when done his way / His timing is always better

He is in control / He is all-knowing / He can be trusted / Seek him for input / Seek his wisdom His way is always the best way! Choose Jesus and trust him. His way always leads to life!

RECAP - #2: THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: GIVING UP YOUR OWN WAY

3. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: SEEKING HIS KINGDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE

Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT) 31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

WHEN WE SEEK HIS KINGDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE WE ARE NOT AS CONCERNED WITH THE TEMPORAL EARTHLY THINGS – WE FOCUS MORE ON THE ETERNAL THEN WE BECOME LESS CONCERNED ABOUT MATERIAL THINGS

WORRY NEVER LEADS TO LIFE – WORRY ONLY LEADS TO DEATH

WHY WAS JESUS SAYING THIS? Because seeking His kingdom above all else leads to life!!!

It’s how we are meant to function and it’s good for us!

RECAP - #3: THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: SEEKING HIS KINGDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE

STORY – HOUSE NEXT DOOR

4. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: BUILDING YOUR LIFE ON CHRIST

Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT) 24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

ANYONE WHO LISTENS TO MY TEACHING – Where do we find his teaching, in the word

WE NEED FIRST HAND REVELATION

BUILDING IS A PURPOSEFUL ACTIVITY: BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION

Things don’t build themselves

We are all building something, consciously or unconsciously

Building on Christ means being purposeful

Our foundation determines our future

When you build you always start with the foundation

You don’t start by building windows and doors, you start with the foundations

The foundation is essential to everything else being in order

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAND vs ROCK

Building on sand is going to be quick             Building on rock is going take time

Building on sand is going to be cheap           Building on rock is going to be expensive  Building on sand is going to be easier           Building on rock is going to be hard

HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE ARE BUILDING ON ROCK?

Jesus tell us: Building on the rock means acting on the words of Jesus. See, our foundation isn’t just based on information.

Our foundation isn’t based on information, it’s based on application.

It’s when Gods word, his view point and authority is present in our decision making.

ILLUSTRATION - Sensor Light

WHEN THE STORMS COME: IT REVEALS THE WISE BUILDERS AND THE FOOLISH BUILDERS

Before the storm both foundations look fine                        Hard to tell in fine weather

The storms of life reveal the condition of our foundation

A STRONG FOUNDATION LEADS TO LIFE      A POOR FOUNDATION LEADS TO CHAOS

THE DEPTH OF THE FOUNDATION DETERMINES THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDING

FOUNDATIONS AREN’T BUILT DURING A STORM THEY ARE BUILD IN PREPARATION FOR THE STORM

HOW SERIOUS WAS JESUS ABOUT THIS?

Luke 14:28-30 (NLT) NOT ON SCREEN 28 “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? 29 Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. 30 They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’

BUILD ON JESUS - JESUS IS:

Our saviour / Our redeemer / Our Lord / Our Creator / Son of the Living God

Wonderfully councillor / the might God / the Prince of Peace / King of Kings

JESUS IS LIVING WATER – In Him you never go thirsty

JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE – In him you never go hungry

Jesus is the path to satisfaction                     Jesus is the way to contentment

Jesus is the way to true peace                       He is the way to joy

All things find their purpose in him               All things find their meaning in Him

He hold all things together                             He is in all things

RECAP - #4: THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: BUILDING YOUR LIFE ON CHRIST

CONCLUSION - JESUS IS LIFE!

1. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: LOVING HIM THE MOST

2. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: GIVING UP YOUR OWN WAY

3. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: SEEKING HIS KINGDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE

4. THE NARROW ROAD TO LIFE MEANS: BUILDING YOUR LIFE ON CHRIST