Making it easier

Jesus never made access to him hard - He made himself a available to the point that it offended the religious leaders -

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Luke 19:10 ESV

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Mark 2:13–17 ESV

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

When Jesus spoke he sometimes offended - my question is why do you think people are offended by Jesus? Is it that the things Jesus says are truly offensive or is it simply that he is just revealing bad within us. He challenged us but is his was truly meant to be challenging?

Matthew 11:28–30 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

If we believe that Jesus is purposely trying to offend people to run them or to challenge people to make things harder then that would make him a liar . - why do some things offend? Becuase the truth cuts to the heart and reveals our true state - The truth strips us of our defenses and leaves us vulnerable before the Lord and to be honest most of us avoid any sort of vulnerability- Its our sin nature the makes his way hard

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Galatians 5:13–24 ESV

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

You see the word must challenge you not becuase Gods ways are hard but becuase before Jesus we were all drowning in a pool of sin and God is trying to teach us all to swim out of it - It me who makes his teaching hard becuase my flesh just doesnt wanna comply

Jesus literally met a woman caught in adulrty saved her and said hey now that you are safe how about not doing the things that almost got you killed anymore? - A little grace and little truth - None of that seems like its meant to be hard

Jesus - tells his disciples

Matthew 16:24–27 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

two main themes I see - quit contributing to the problems and be all in - Gods doesn't make it hard - we do - its our choice LOOK AT THE BENIS

What is he asking for? All of you - but what do we get in return ? - Everlasting life - freedom - forgiveness - adoption - purpose - heavenly treasures - The list goes on and on - the fact that God even tells us what's in store is making it easier for us to follow - We can oh so their is great benefit

Matthew 22:36–40 ESV

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

so This is what we will do - we will make it easier for people to Know Jesus and we will lead them in a growing relationship with him - We will operate always in Grace and truth just like Jesus - Jesus himself will be our example - We will do our part and leave the rest to the Lord

Tonight we remember together our Jesus - Great place to start by laying aside the things in your own life that have made your relationship with Jesus harder

1 Corinthians 11:27–32 ESV

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.