Don't be distracted
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57 As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.”
58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”
60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”
61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say good-bye to those at home.”
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”
In our text we see 3 examples of a powerful truth Jesus is communicating and discipleship and The Kingdom
1.
Someone says to Him, “I will follow you where you go.”
This is such a noble thing to say.
Jesus reveal to this one a strong reality.
Hardship, trail, struggle, and even rejection are a side effect of following HIM
This is an important piont to know in understanding the theme of todays messge and the kingdom of God.
trail may come but as james says
2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Many Christian want to wear the name of Jesus, but are not willing to truly follow him.
This eager person may have seen the life as a disciple to be glamorous. But Jesus points to the fact that there is a lot of sacrifice and suffering in following after him.
2.
The other man Jesus says, “follow me.” Maybe he took him be surprise but This man is like many of us who began to make excuses saying let me go and bury my father.
Someone told me once I’ll come to church when I get myself together.
When I stop smoking, having sex, drinking or living a lifestyle that is contrary to the word of God.
You can get youself together
Jesus calls this brother to let it go and become his disciple and preach the good news of a God who cares, heals, and delivers.
3.
The last guy says I will follow you lord but.
This is the sentiment of many Christians as.
These are those who try to follow Christ and also try to live in the world. These Christians want their cake and to eat it too.
They have a heart to do the work of God, but they still hold on to things that God wants them out of.
And to this man Jesus tell him no man that put his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom work.
I want to talk to you today about the DANGERS OF BEING DISTRACTED!
No man that put his hand to the plow and LOOKS
this points to focus and your gaze.
The enemy’s desire in this time is to have us so distracted that we can not do the work of the kingdom.
The first brother says, “ill follow you.” Jesus is telling him if you want to follow me you can be distracted by stuff.
The problem isn't having possessions. The problem is when possessions have you.
Don’t let the things of the world become a distraction from living in the kingdom
the second brother he tells to follow him and he says. i must go and finish somethings.
Don’t anyone or anything distract you from following Jesus and living in the Kingdom.
we can list thousand of reasons not to do something we should be doing.
When I lived in Tonkawa, every morning i would try to get to church by 9 am, but you know what would happen every morning ?
I’d turn on the TV for just a secound to watch just a little of the Bernie Mac show....
It distracted me every single day… i’d get to church at 10 everyday
Derrick, let the show watch the show… and get up and preach the kingdom
The Last guys says i have to go back home...
dont allow your past to distract you from living in the Kingdom
No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Put his hand- speaks of work… to the plow speaks to a specific task or calling...
looking back - speaks of focus and gazes.
It matter what you are paying attention too.
jesus says,
19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.
whats he sees
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
Whats that mean? Don’t me distracted
There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playng in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you're holding the bat wrong. You're supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark." Aaron didn't say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn't come up here to read."
The enemy is working overtime in this hour to distract us and stop us from living in the kingom
one of the ways he does this is through fear...
The devil will try to cripple you with fear… to have you so scared you dont do anything
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.
Don’t be distracted, Focus
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Look to Jesus..
Some of us busy trying to get rich, when we should be trying to get saved
There were 3 things I found that I needed to do.
1. Draw near to God (desire His in my reality)
2. Repent and turn my heart to God (confess and acknowledge my weaknesses)
3. And choose to set my mind on him and turn my mind away from other distractions (do something)
Put your hand to the plow.
noctice what Jesus says about the last days.
12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.
13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Lawlessness will increase and many heart will wax cold....
how do you keep your heart from going cold? by looking at the man whos eyes are like flames of fire
21 “I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them
22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
In this passage of scripture we see in one of Daniel most famous vision a very recurring theme..
As he is being shown this prophetic and futuristic vision, which is a times very hard to take
He never take his eyes off.
One of the things that I find most interesting about admirable about Daniel is that no mater how bad or hard it was to watch he didn’t stop looking.
I Kept Looking.
We cant we distracted by life and what doing on around us.
Set your eyes on him and kept looking.
Daneil looked
He saw a vision four wings symbolizing war
And it was stirring the sea. Sea symbolizing people
Four beasts. Different beast raising out of the sea. Beast representing kingdoms
a lion with eagle’s wings;
a bear with three ribs in its mouth;
a leopard with four wings, and four heads;
and a beast with ten horns.
he saw wings . . . and they were plucked—
a man’s heart was given—
5 like to a bear—
but he kept looking….
And saw a leopard. Alexander kingdom. Four wing more than two meaning it was more rapid or faster the lion.
4 head this is how the kingdom was divided after he died.
Then he kept looking and see the worst one.
a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.
8 “While I was contemplating the horns, behold, another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts.
Dreadful and terrifying.
A time of a strong kingdom. Devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet
Another horn. The time of the antichrist
came up among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it; and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boasts
though it look bad and is getting hard Daniel didn’t stop watch…
No matter the lever of the confusion and the pain. Its just a distraction.
Just Keep looking.. look to the hill.. read da book
Verse 9 says
9 “I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire.
JESUS IS COMING
He will come cracking the sky
Victory is his name. now the movie is getting good.. glad I kept looking,
11 “Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.
12 “As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time.
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
YESSSSS!!!!!
Don’t be scared you know the end of the story
He will come. No matter how bad it gets. His kingdom will be released and he will WIN!!!!
Just keep looking!!!!
Im closing
21 “I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them
22 until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
If you saw the movie Chariots of Fire, then maybe you remember the great runner Abraham. He had won so many races. His coach held up such discipline. But he finally lost one of the races because he looked to the side. Just as he was about to finish the race he looked to see where the competitor was. His coach said to him, that look cost you the race. He was not single minded on the finish and the prize that lay ahead.
