To Walk in Denial

Intro

This is a time where people do a lot of reflection, on how the year has been, who have we lost, who have we gained, how are we doing financially, etc. And go into what we to do better and make promises this year to do such and such. Studies show about 10% of people last year kept their resolutions.

Would you like to know why most New Years Resolutions fail? A lack of daily intentionality.

As I sat reflecting on New Year’s Eve and about resolutions, God laid Luke 9:23-27 on my heart. As we read, it will become apparent we need to make spiritual resolutions every morning. We need to reflect daily and make resolutions on how I am going to be a better follower of Christ today.

(All Stand in honor of reading God’s Word) Read Luke 9:23-27

Choosing to Deny Self

Choosing to set aside our interest for the sake of God’s glory

Is your first initial reaction always the God glorifying response? No

We have to learn to refuse consent to our initial reaction

How do you refuse consent to our fleshly response?

be in the Word

Pray

Pause, don’t have to immediately speak

As you pause ask these questions:

What do we know the Word of God says on this?

That is why it is important to be in the word and the more you are in it, the quicker it will come

How does my response accomplish good in the situation? Is there a way to redeem the situation?

Does the situation require my response?

We don’t have to always give an opinion on everything and we don’t have to be an expert on everything

The denial of self is self-control (2 Timothy 1:7)

Denying self can be a denial of comfort which is a denial of complacency

Complacently is comfortable and is why so many churches is dying

in Scripture do we see often a call to salvation as a call to comfort? David, Joseph, Jonah, Paul, etc.

God calls us to do what is right not what is easy

Study the Gospels, the life Jesus lived was not easy and not one that won any popularity contest

Growth also requires a level of discomfort

With all this being said, how do we guard against complacency?

Regular Spiritual reflection

Compare yourself to the marks of a Christian

Examine your ministry

Pay attention to the culture around you and ask how can I better reach out

Don’t be afraid to fail

Admit them and learn from them

To Take up Our Cross

We are to continue the earthly work of Christ By the power of the Holy Spirit

I came across this quote:

Unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Christ, we cannot participate in his exaltation

The earthly life of Jesus was not glamorous

Even then they had a more glamorous view of what things should look like, but Jesus did not conform to their mold

They wanted a political leader who would make their life comfortable

“Take up”

If it has not became apparent, a life of denial is a life of intentionality

You don’t become a Christian on accident

You come broken and humble confessing you need a savior

You don’t become deep in your faith on accident

you intentionally become deep by prioritizing God

“Here then is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy.”

You don’t witness on accident

Evangelism is not a sprint but a marathon

You have to invest in people

You have to strive to keep a good witness

“daily”

The day you got saved, was only the start of making intentional spiritual decisions:

Salvation you choose to surrender

Everday since then has been a daily decision of growing stronger or growing weak in your faith

When you get up in the morning how do you choose to carry your cross?

“follow me”

To where?

we know the promises of God, but we don’t know the paths those promises are going o sustain us on

Dont let your following him be filled with I will follow you to here except these places or until it cost me this

The Price of Not Denying Self and Bearing Your Cross Well

Luke 9:25 ESV

For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Their is a price to not living the way we have been discussing

You are free to do what you want, but you are not free from the consequences

Nonbelievers what is the price you are selling your soul for?

What fleeting pleasure? What price tag?

What in this life is worth eternal wrath?

If you continue on the path you are on, the wrath of God awaits you in eternity

Believers what bribe does it take to distract your attention?

What are you prioritizing over God?

Scripture makes it clear God disciplines us.

Sometimes peace is pulled away

Their can be earthly consequences

Think of judgment day, and having to see the ones you failed to be a good witness to

Luke 9:26 ESV

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

this word for ashamed in the Greek carries the meaning of “to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of association with a person”

As you go through your life are you concerned with the pain of being associated with Jesus is going to cost you? Are the decisions you making based off of how the world is going to perceive your Christianity?

Remember you are not called to live with a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7)

As we close we read of the Son of Man being ashamed, think about how we just talked of the pain associated with shame

It does not bring Jesus pleasure to have to rebuke his children, it breaks His heart

it does not bring Jesus pleasure to send people to Hell. When a lost soul stands before him in judgment it is not a joyous time, but a time of great pain

Outro

We should take great pride in being a child of God. We should be proud of our faith. We should strive to make the Word of God known. What idol do you need to destroy That is preventing you from denying self and from picking up your cross? What does Christ say about you today? How would you respond if Jesus was standing in front of you right now? Right now he is calling some of you to destroy idols, some to witness to a neighbor, some of you to lay your burdens down and let Him be your savior.