2 Who's Driving?

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. 26 For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?

Matthew 16:24-26

Matthew 16:24 CSB

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

If anyone wants to follow after me… Last week we saw that salvation is not just about a transaction and it is not just about escaping hell or the troubles of this life by going to heaven. Salvation is a total transformation of the heart and living a life sold out (complete devotion) to Jesus the One Who rescues us.

Genesis and Creation

God created mankind in His image – character, thinking, creating, choosing spirit. Able to choose will.

Think about what it’s like to be a father with children.

Look, Look – the joy and fun to watch kids discover and learn. Isley…

God was a permissive creator and father. They could do anything except for one thing. They chose to do the one thing.

Sin is setting our will contrary to God’s will. That condition of our will comes out through our behavior. Not just that Adam ate the fruit, but that he set his will against God which produced the action of doing the thing they were told not to do.

(not because God was withholding good, but was preventing evil) They chose evil.

In choosing his own will Adam separated himself from God. The relationship, communion, fellowship was broken. Unity gone. By the mercy and grace of our Creator, He did not destroy man completely. He made a way back. Son of God became Son of Man to rescue and lead mankind (Adam’s children) back to the Father. We cannot get back to the Father except through Jesus the Anointed One.

Our best behavior is not good enough. We can never follow the 10 Commandments perfectly enough. Our hearts are scarred from choosing our own will over God’s will.

So, salvation first of all is about answering the Holy Spirit’s prompting to turn back to Jesus Christ and by faith receive His grace to rescue us. Selling out or being devoted.

What else is involved in salvation, in being devoted?

Just Say No

Read again, Matthew 16:24

Matthew 16:24 CSB

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.

Deny himself = Say no to self.

Deny yourself. Deny himself. Give up your own way.

Deny self here does not mean just doing without something or stifling impulses

Context = deny, repudiate, disown, disregard. Renounce his right to his life. Give up your own way.

deliberate and irrevocable decision.

Read Matthew 16:25

Save life, lose it.

Lose life for my sake, find it.

The Model Prayer

deliberate and irrevocable decision.

The Model Prayer

Read

Matthew 6:10 CSB

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Not a random, generic statement of worship. This is yielding our will to the reign of the King in our hearts. Devoting ourselves to doing His will.

Is this important to salvation? Does our salvation depend on yielding our will and doing the will of God?

Jesus is talking about what it takes to enter the kingdom

narrow gate, narrow way, difficult path

Read

Matthew 7:21 CSB

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

only the one who does the will of the Father can enter the kingdom of heaven.

What is the will of the Father for us? Love God. If we love Him we obey Him. D-Groups are learning these principles.

Absolutely! It all goes together, decision to yield, and continuing to yield and grow and become more like Christ.

Also, to love others. which includes making disciples, leading others to the King.

If our will (our want to, desire) in practice is still set on our own way, can we really say truthfully that we are “saved”?

Kingdom come to earth, will done on earth as in heaven. Enter the kingdom of heaven. All these are referring to the rule and reign of the king – King Jesus – in the hearts of mankind. Now. Right here.

Jesus came to establish the kingdom in the hearts of people.

So, is giving up control of our will to God’s will important for salvation?

Absolutely! It all goes together, decision to yield, and continuing to yield and grow and become more like Christ.

If our will (our want to, desire) in practice is still set on our own way, can we really say truthfully that we are “saved”?

When we say no to our own will, give up the rights to our life, and allow Jesus to take the driver’s seat, we do the will of the Father. Jesus transforms us by His Spirit which then transforms our hearts, our attitudes, and our behavior.

It’s about - Where does your true allegiance lie? Do we deny ourselves, or demand our rights?

Also, to love others. which includes making disciples, leading others to the King.

It’s about - Where does your true allegiance lie? Do we deny ourselves, or demand our rights?

Jesus is our best example.

Son of God – God in the flesh, but still yielding His will to the will of the Father.

Jesus states He has come to do the will of the Father

John 6:38 NIV

38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.

What is the will of the Father?

John 6:40 NIV

40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

The night Jesus was arrested, time in the garden praying. Agonizing over the suffering that was about to come.

not my will but your will be done. Jesus as example.

Matthew 26:39 CSB

39 Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

not my will but your will be done. Jesus as example.

Big Idea: Give Jesus the driver’s seat in your life.

God is not mean. giving up your will to do the Father’s will is not limiting, it is freeing. His will and plan is your best life now and for ever.

Doesn’t mean His job is to make you happy or give you every indulgence you want, but He will not withhold the good gifts that are best for you.

Read

Matthew 7:9-11

if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children – how much more your Father in heaven.

Matthew 7:9–11 CSB

9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him.

if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children – how much more your Father in heaven.

not a question, a statement.

Even if you’ve messed up or even if you didn’t have a loving father to be an example, you have a Father in heaven who loves you and teaches you to be a good father.

The best gift you can give your children today - whether they are still at home or grown and gone - is to love God, deny yourself, follow Jesus.

Conclusion

It is about becoming like Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Read Colossians 3:5-10

take off old self, put on new self, Christ.

Colossians 3:5–10 CSB

5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.

Even if you’ve messed up or even if you didn’t have a loving father to be an example, you have a Father in heaven who loves you and teaches you to be a good father.

take off old self, put on new self, Christ.

being transformed into the image of Christ. (not a better me but the life of Christ living through me.)

2 Corinthians 3:15–18 NLT

15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT

18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The best gift you can give your children today - whether they are still at home or grown and gone - is to love God, deny yourself, follow Jesus.

a veil preventing them from understanding is now removed when we turn to Jesus.

His Spirit gives us real freedom.

being transformed into the image of Christ.

(not a better me but the life of Christ living through me.)

We cannot be like Christ if our will gets in the way.

Conclusion

On this Father’s Day - you love your children, you give them your best.

Even if you’ve messed up or even if you didn’t have a loving father to be an example, you have a Father in heaven who loves you and teaches you to be a good father.

The best gift you can give your children today - whether they are still at home or grown and gone - is to love God, deny yourself, follow Jesus.

What About You?

Who is driving your life?

What is keeping you from saying no to your own will and Yes to Jesus?

Happy Father’s Day!

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