What must I do to inherit eternal Life
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Title -What must I do to inherit eternal Life
Intro- have you ever seen smokers with the thing in their neck
still smoke
the very thing that is killing them they are unwilling to get rid of
the most important decision they can make is to give up the cigarettes and follow a different path
some of you can relate to this
Following Jesus is the most important decision you can make
unfortunately there are a lot of things getting inbetween you and a healthy relationship with Christ
maybe you think that there is a lot more important things in your life than your faith
-Q. Well then what is the most important thing to you?
could it be family,job, friends, sports, money, music, school etc.
Sometimes these important things can start to take priority in our lifes
we forget that the object of our worship needs to be Jesus Christ
Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Crowd and kids
Q. How many of you get annoyed with little kids
Disciples trying to protect Jesus
Imagine kids asking a famous person for an autograph
Jesus was not too good for anyone-
He was approachable
HE SAYS Let the little children come to me
The kingdom is for these little ones
and unless you recieve the kingdom like these children, you can not enter it.
Approach God with a childlike heart
Approach God with a childlike heart
What does it mean/ look like
A. Children are Humble
and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
dont think they are better than anyone
Dont have pride like adults do
sin corrupts us over time
innocence of a child
do you want to be my friend---yes
Story - when I came to christ I got back in touch with who I was before I started living in sin---I started doing the stuff I loved as a kid and was just happy to be alive.
like a child running in circles wind in hair smiling from ear to ear
B. Children have great faith
How many of you believed that your parents were super heroes
trust ---
This is how we ought to trust God
we need not worry
children take adults at their word
When I tell bradley I love Him, He believes it
C. Children have Joy
Get back to the joy you had as an infant
may have bad circumstances yet moments of joy
like Bradley running on stage on Thursday.
Have Joy that your father loves you
He made you - to enjoy Him, His creation, other people in relationship
Come to Him like a child
Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
Ruler asks what He can do to inherit eternal life
Reply— Why do you call me good---God is Good alone---
Q. Is Jesus Good? —Then Hes God —
Jesus establishing this mans need for a savior ---no one is good ---God is standard
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ” And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
like me telling my wife I did the dishes but really only did the plate I was using
He is a bit delusional -----No He has not
Clearly hasnt heard message from the sermon on the mount
So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Lacks salvation ---
exposes idolatry
1st commandment thou shall have no other Gods before me
Jesus doesnt ask everyone to do this
for this man---money Idol
Before this point in the conversation, this religious man thought that he had eternal life.
until His sin got exposed
not meant to shame you
meant to point you to the savior
turn away from anything that is coming between you and God
turn away from anything that is coming between you and God
its worth it
giving up your idol =
salvation
treasure in heaven
The things of this world will not last —great grandpa
But there is joy in heaven forever.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
The world is like a flashy gold chain
and you save up $‘
breaks and is useless
A. Christian life is about denying yourself
There are things you need to let go
You All desire eternal life----------But have you denied yourself
Q. What is getting in between you and God
Lets Identify your Idols
What has your greatest affection
The object of your worship
EXAMPLE: girlfriend --- 2 hours on the phone- no alone time with the Lord
football —is your life a mess if your team looses
social media --- 5 hours a day for teens
enjoy these things but dont let them take the place of God.
Now that you have identified your Idol
Imagine if God told you to give it up completely and follow Him.
WOULD YOU? ---
not saying He is-----If it got to the point that it was keeping you from Him
If God said taylor swift is going in a demonic way I need you to stop listening to her .. would you
If God said the NFL is keeping you from my work
If God said social media has you hypnotized would you delete it?
But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Sad
Wealth kept this man from entering the kingdom
You need to be willing to do whatever it takes to enter the kingdom.
you need to listen for Jesus and obey whatever His call is on your life.
this is how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom---- compared camel through eye of needle
Immpossible
With God all things are possible
With God all things are possible
The people question--------tall task for the rich ruler
If he cant be saved then neither can we
Point --- that the ruler could do nothing to save Himself
Man cant change his own heart
only God can change the heart
He can do the impossible task of making a sinful man righteous
But He does it by grace alone
Believe that God can work the impossible in your life
gives eternal life to those who will follow Him
Believe that He can remove the idols in your life
put Jesus in His rightful place
Imagine walking in a dessert for 10 days ---blisters
you see a tent —get to it
and there is potato chips and a glass of cold water on the table
Putting anything else before God is like choosing the potato chip before the water
The chip is not necesserily bad , but it is not what you need.
After drinking 10 cups of water you would eat some chips
He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
Idols will never satisfy, but God will
So how do we inherit eternal life?
Not by doing good things
Gospel---Jesus did it for us
repent from your sin( mind)-- and put your faith in Him