Paths

Intro

A time I broke the rules

I was 9

selling candy bars for church

M&Ms Hersheys Chocolate bars, Reece’s, Kit Kats

I stole one and snuck under the dining room table

then I stole another, and another, and another

Got sick.... mom noticed..... had to confess… had to pay for the candy

Learning - and choosing - right from wrong is an important part of growing up.

As Christians, we have a God who will not only show us what it means to do what’s right, but He also enables us to be righteous.

When the Lord is our shepherd, we receive the righteousness of Christ as a free gift that he extends to us for the glory of His name.

WHO WHERE WHY

So we have learned that the Lord is our shepherd (WHO), he leads us WHERE? green pastures and beside still waters. He restores our soul

Tonight we are going to focus on the WHY

Body

Psalm 23:3 NIV

3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

What does righteous mean?

acting in accord with divine, moral, or accepted standards of right and wrong

so simply put to act right, to make the correct choices

2 voices (like the angel and demon on shoulders), 2 paths - left or right

Knowing which is the correct path!

The problem?

We just cannot make ourselves righteous apart from God’s grace - video - Israelites always turn the wrong direction

Anyone can maintain a level of good behavior for a time, but apart from a heart transformed by God we will always run out of fuel - and that is just on the outside! What if everyone saw the inside you? the thoughts....

The answer?

Jesus!

Jesus laid down His life so that we would receive His righteousness from the inside out

John 10:11–18 NIV

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Not a hired hand, a babysitter, who doesn’t love us to death literally - risk dying to fend off the wolves, lions, and bears, oh my - and then literally dies to protect us from the biggest enemy, satan and even death itself

Jesus comes in and makes us righteous/right before God

Not because of what I have done, but what Jesus did - he laid down His life for us

Conclusion

For His Name’s sake

Why does He guide us in paths of righteousness? For His name’s sake

He loves us, protects us, saves us so that others will see what He has done for us and know His Name and then also believe that God loves them.....

He wants all to be saved

He knows we have issues getting it right on our own - not one of us can.

No matter where you find yourself tonight, God’s Godness is bigger than any weakness, struggle, doubt, fear, weariness - his Godness overcomes it all through Jesus our very path, our way our righteousness.