The Way
Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder I see the stars. I hear The Rolling Thunder, thy power throughout the Universe this way, then see how great thou art.
And when I think back on his son and him to the Cross, do you play go away?
How can you tell? How Great Thou Art? Then sings my soul.
When Christ shall come. With shouts of acclamation and take me home in Humble adoration.
Biodegradable.
A reading this morning is taken from Matthew chapter 7 verses 21 to 23. This is the part of The Sermon on the Mount in Jesus is getting to the end of it.
Says 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, who is in heaven. You see, it's not just saying, but it's doing it's a response of our heart that is important. Many will say, to me, on that day. Lord Lord. Did we not prophesy in your name? And in your name drive out demons and in your name, perform any Miracles. And then I will tell them plainly. I never knew you away from me, you ears. So it's not just doing either but it's why we do it, wears her heart in the things that we do. And that's so important for us to examine in our lives.
Okay, a prayer request. Remember? To pray for Leona and the memorial service, which really takes a look at her life. And, you know, the meaning that she had for many of us and what a difference, it truly has made in our lives. Both now and for many of us for eternity and I do, we need to be in prayer for the family as they go through this, this big loss. We also want to remember to pray for rain and got a note from Dan king of our missionaries. And he does serve in the Ukraine on Asians when he goes over to teach. And he had some things that we need to be thinking about first of all for safety and the safety of some of them who are trying to flee Country to for help. But remember that all the men 18 to 60 in the country. They don't get to go. They have to stay. Remember the past real care. There are many Pastors in the Ukraine and they are trying to take care of not only their congregation, but all those that are around them and need and there are many in need.
He also asked us to pray for pastor Riley, who was they had fled to the Ukraine from Muslim nation, and yet, he loves the Lord. In his ministry, has a pasture. They're in the Ukraine and they fled, the, the struggles that they were having in their own country. And now, they're in the Ukraine, going through the same thing. So, finally, pray for pastor, Sarah gay and Alexander, they are military chaplains and they have an influence on those, in the military has to be in prayer for them. We also got a note from a pastor, that is in the Ukraine, and he was praising God. Because of the, the stand that the people of Ukraine, going against the Russians, send one of the statements he made was that the Russians lost. Or in just a couple of days of conflict that they've had, then they did in their 10 years of occupation in Syria. So God is working and we don't know what the outcome will be. We still need to trust that. Whatever it is that we can trust the Living God to guide and direct. So let's go to prayer. Precious father, we come before you as children. That love you and a desire. Your whip to be played out in our lives and in so many ways. We we can see that as we trust you from stances that we face for your, the mighty one who understands and knows all things.
You know, our lives much more deeply than even we ourselves do. And so father we can look to you and trust that you will lead us and wise ways. We also know that you understand the past the present and also the future, you know, where life is taking not only us but the rest of the people of this world. And so when we look at the circumstances that just seemed so disastrous, we can understand that it doesn't change your Mighty hand working in the details. Father, we do want to remember to pray for the needs. The great need of each and every person on the face of the Earth and that need is the understanding and knowledge of Jesus Christ in the belief in who he is and what he has done to redeem life here on this planet fun. We pray for the Salvation of those in need and particularly those of our community. For you have placed us here as Ministers of the Gospel, each and every one of us, if a person here calls themselves, a believer in Christ, they've been used and they are capable. I love telling of the mighty change that happened in their lives or diced. Lord. We also want to pray for the needs that have been mentioned and we think of the passing of Leona a wonderful dear believer in Christ who truly allowed her life to be used by you to make a difference in the hearts and lives of so many. So many people. And it is a great loss for us, but it's a gay or because we know now that she is in glory with you and rejoicing and praise, but father, the family and the rest of us are here and we must press on and so we pray for energy and strength and really a blessing is people. Look at what she's done for their Lots. We also want to remember the Ukraine and the struggles that are going on their lord, you know, the hearts and lives of the people there and what you want to do in their lives. And we pray for your Mighty hand to be working in the their lives and the lives of all the people as Mary pointed out earlier. In this week. We need to be praying for each one, including Alexander Putin. Before he needs a change in his life as well. Father, we do want to remember to pray for the people that you would bring safety that that land. And that you would, we pray that even the aggression that has begun would be ended and turned around? You can do that because you are Mighty. We also want to pray for the people that love you that are caring for those around them, people that are lost in. There are sometimes the tragedy that happens leads people to understand and know they have a great need them. So we pray that you would that bless the ministry that is going on in that country today. We pray for the different pastors and we pray for pastor. I'll leave who has moved there and is a minister of the gospel of Christ in Ukraine and may you bless him. We pray for Sarah gay and Alexander is they minister to the Troops that are in that nation that their Ministry would be powerful and leave them to change. Father, we also when we remember that each of us have unspoken request that we present before you and sometimes those are hidden request but father you understand and know which one they're not hidden from you. You know, what each of Our Lives need and you do meet those needs sometimes.
Likes, we pray for that, we pray for your Mighty hand, to change our hearts and our lives towards our worship of you bless us as we continue to do that this time. Lord. May you touch each heart and allow us to rejoice and praise you for your wonderful work in our lives, in Jesus name. Amen.
Where is sadness? Wherever you been broken, hearted?
Don't find him movie.
Rihanna.
And all those whose dream, the table, in case the grace there is rest for the weary.
Good morning.
Play in the mall.
Finding Nemo.
Hello.
Alone.
Fun to see those kids dancing, isn't it?
Alright. Well, let's pray. We get started. Father, in Heaven, how thankful we are to be here to Worship in your house. We know that the battles and struggles around our world to do that are sometimes impossible. And so, father, we are blessed to be able to be here and we pray that you would pour your spirit out upon us and power and strength that you would guide our minds and our thoughts to draw near to you, for knowing you is more important than anything else. We might know or try to do. Father, may your spirit touch my heart that I truly would honor you in every single word that is spoken that your spirit would guide and direct. Bless us. Oh Lord. In this time as we open your word in Jesus name. Amen.
Will we're finishing up a series on Jesus taken from the Gospel of Luke. And today is called, the way that Jesus is, the way the way of Salvation, the way of life and the all these things as Peter was standing before the Sanhedrin, in the book of Acts chapter 4. He says salvation is found in no one else for. There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. In other words, he's the way. He's the way. Define salvation, I was
speaking with a Indian lady old probably close to 20 years ago. Now we were serving over in Europe and we were missionaries and as she was visiting and she was wondering why the world we thought it was necessary to come and talk about God to people. Doesn't everybody find their own way. To to heaven and to know God. Why do you think that you have to have the way? And so I began to talk to her about the creation and God's plan for mankind and pointing her to the scriptures and how God in the form of. Jesus Christ said I am the way, I am the truth. I am the live. Nobody comes to God, but through me I'm the only way that you can find true salvation. And we need to understand and know that that you who are believers in Jesus Christ, have the way in your life and we get to present that. And that's what we have in the message the day taken from Luke chapter 13, verses 22, through 24. We Begin. Jesus is heading towards Jerusalem. That's Where he needs to complete the work in his life. And he says these words, then Jesus went through the towns and Villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, Lord are only a few people going to be saved. Remember it been preaching and telling the people that, hey, you think you've got the way, but you don't, you need to change your attitude. And so this guy was kind of playing off of that. He said to them make every effort to enter through the narrow door because many I tell you will try to enter will not be able to
They will not be able to. So the question is.
In this presentation, Jesus is really heading towards establishing the way because we didn't have the way until Jesus showed up because we were all dead in sin. Just as we are born into this life and not knowing the pathway to truth until we hear the message of Jesus Christ. All these people were lost. And didn't have any hope and Jesus was working to establish that whole, but that hope was going to be found in the most evil place in the world. Because Satan, it established himself in Jerusalem in the hearts in the lives of the priests in the Pharisees who were guiding and directing the past, that Satan had built his forces because Satan had no desire to allow God to victory in life. And so he his plan was to destroy Jesus Christ. They have him killed on the cross. And so Jesus was going to Jerusalem to do that. Very thing. And certainly Satan thought that he had Victory when Jesus Christ was finally nailed to that cross suffering in pain and Agony On that cross. But that was very way that needed to happen for all of us because he was demonstrating his pathway. to Heaven into glory and he had to go through that because you and I couldn't the penalty for sin is found in in death. We see that all the time in the Old Testament, you know, the people send they had to sacrifice an animal so that they could find. Forgiveness course, they didn't get complete forgiveness because that animal was no matter how clean and righteous it seemed to be it was still a subjective send because it was going to die anyway. It was going to die. Anyway, so, Jesus is predicted his death here as he did. So a few times in scripture. One of those dimes was in Luke chapter 18, A little further along than this, and he's talking about himself and he says, he will be delivered over to the Gentiles. Verse, they will mock him and insult him. Spit on him. They will flog him and kill him. On the third day. He will rise again. Did you ever wonder what the gospel story was? Well, this is the gospel story. The gospel story is the rescuing of mankind. Not because he came down, and was the champion that Israel was looking for the great Messiah, who would take hold of rule in the land, and destroy the Romans, and drive them out and establish the kingdom because if he'd done that, they would have still been lost. But you know, each and every one of us needs to have our sins covered. It can be covered in our blood, which does nothing. Or I can be covered in the blood of Christ shed that on the cross. To establish the way to the Living God and allow you to have a relationship with him. He died to bring life to the world. Notice the states that he's going to go there and he's going to suffer and he's going to die shedding his blood on that cross, but then he's going to rise again the third day. Okay, that's a, that speaks to us. And if you are here next week for communion will go through that. Again, that, that blood covers you when you come to Jesus Christ and you say I recognize that you are God and that you came and you died for my sins and you Rose again, I believe in that. When you do that you become a believer in Christ. You could become what if we call it Christian, a follower of Christ. And that's what Jesus died for, he died. So that we could make that decision before, then. There was no way nobody could make the right decision. Nobody. Because we're all child children of see him in our lives. But because of the work of Jesus Christ, he justified us, he made us right with him. When we do believe that he is God, that he came to her, that he willingly died for your sins and mine. And then he rose again on the third day. It justifies us. It makes us right before God. And God can look at you and see somebody who has been washed clean in the blood of Christ. Romans 4:25 says, he was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Very important idea that he rose again. He rose again because that determines whether we will rise again. See if Jesus Christ stayed in the grave, your belief in him is God and is your savior means nothing because he couldn't be your Saviour if he didn't raise rise from the grave. But he is your savior when you trust that he did those things.
Remember that Jesus said, enter through the narrow door. It's a door. It's the gate. It's the pathway. And so many of us want to trust in other things. We want to believe just like this. Indian lady wanted to believe that there are many Pathways. They haven't. You just need to follow the way. God has shown you the way whether it's a religion, like Hinduism or Buddhism or Islam. I just follow that way or just be a really good person. And you can get into heaven.
And all the people were believing. I'm a Jew. So I'm getting to heaven, right? Jesus said, wrong. It's not going to get you into heaven. There's only one way, only one way and that's Tremaine. John 10-7 said therefore Jesus said again, very truly. I tell you, I am the gate for the Sheep.
Interested, if he calls those who follow him sheep. You know, sheep are not real bright. But if you're following Jesus, you're pretty and smart, even for a sheep. So I'm the gate on the pathway. If you recognize that and come to me, you have life. God wants to give that life. But it comes with what you believe about. Jesus Christ. It is only faith in him that makes any difference in your life. If you truly believe that Jesus Christ was the Living God for all eternity. And that he chose to come to Earth as a little baby. The live the perfect life as he walked on this planet and then to give his life in the end. And rise again and is now in glory, ready to deliver our lives.
You can be safe. It's faith in those things. Those are the things that draw us to. That Redemption that recognition that relationship. That God loves you and cares so much for you that he would willingly. Even give his life for you. And for me, it is faith alone. Ephesians 2 8 and 9 says for it, is by Grace. You have been saved through faith. This is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God not by works. So that no one can boast. You see, God doesn't want you boasting about how you've been blessed by him on this Earth. That's a wonderful boast. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your lord and savior because he does bless those who follow him, but it's not the blessing of your abundance on this Earth. It makes the difference. It's not your blessing that you've chosen to be such a great person because all your greatness is nothing but filthy rags before the Living God. It is only believing in Jesus is work. On the cross, and in the resurrection that we have hope that we have any hope at all.
God wants to have a relationship with all of us. He died for every single person on the face of the Earth. Not one person can say he didn't die for me. Even Alexander Putin, he died for him. He died for Adolf Hitler. He died for all those. Miserable people in the world, because you and I are miserable apart from the Living God, no matter how good, we think we are. We're not before God. Remember, he said, go away from me, you evildoers.
Why? Because you didn't find that relationship with the Living God? Luke 13, 25 to 27 says, once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading sir. Open the door for us, but he will answer. I don't know you or where you come from. Then you will say we ate and drank with you and we taught in this and you Todd and you talk in our streets, but he will reply. I don't know who you are or where you come from away from me, all you evil doors. You see, it doesn't matter. You know what we do in this life. If we don't trust, Jesus Christ, as Lord, and Savior, you can be a absolutely fabulous person. Who does everything you possibly can to help people out. You might give millions of dollars to the poor. You might even be able to heal. This sick, some people have you might be able to do many miraculous things? But, you know, if you don't know, Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, that means Sun. Away from me, you evildoers. We talked about God in Sunday school this morning. In fact, and it was the story of Joe. If you remember the story at all and chapters 38 to 41. God talks to Joe Vinny tells him about who he is and his power and his strength and his job. If he can do any of those things that God can do. And
We need to recognize that what he chooses to do is powerful and mighty and we have no choice but to say Lord. I'm a sinner and I'm, I'm a sinner and need you. Matthew 7:23, going back to The Sermon on the Mount. He says, then I will tell you plainly. I never knew you away from me, you evildoers. You know, the goodness that we have in our lives is nothing until we know Jesus Christ, you know, and then once we know, Jesus Christ were called to do those. Good things that we think are so wonderful in the world. And it is through the power of Jesus Christ in his work in and through us that makes a difference in our lives, but it's not until we know Jesus Christ that any of our good works mean, anything in this world. But once we come to know Jesus Christ, he makes a difference in your life. If you've gone before the Lord, and Savior and said, Lord, I'm a sinner. I need Jesus Christ as my Lord and My Savior. Please forgive me and come into my life. He does. And the Bible tells us it makes a miraculous change. In fact, 2nd Corinthians. 5:17 says we become new creatures. In Jesus Christ.
You are a changed individual. If you know, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior and you look at the outside and you say why I don't feel much change, but there is a miraculous change that went on. First of all, you are washed clean through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And then God looks at you and he says, wow, what a beautiful wonderful child that I have here because you're clean and your holy before the Living God, but more powerful even than this. God says, I'm going to come and live in you. I'm going to give myself over to you and you are going to be filled with my spirit. My spirit is going to enter into your life. Isn't that wonderful? That is wonderful. It's the mark that God gives us that grants us so much in our lives, gives us wisdom and guidance and direction. Ephesians 1:13 and says when you were also included in Christ, when you heard the message of Truth, The Gospel of your salvation when you believed you were marked in him with a seal the promise. Holy Spirit. Now, this is really important. Seal. Number one, that guides you through all that you do in this life, as you go to God and you say Lord, I need guidance and wisdom for this circumstance. Can you direct my fast? And he says, yes, I certainly can listen to what I have to say to you and God does speak to you, and he speak to you through the power of the spirit that is living in you and guide your strength, but far more important. This you're going to get up to heaven and you're going to knock on the doors and somebody'll. Open in Jesus Christ, will probably open those doors before you. And he'll look at you and he'll smile. You know, why? Because you're coming home because God is in you and he sees that Spirit which has sealed your life for all eternity. That spirit is in you. Here's the problem. If we don't have the spirit than Jesus and going to be smiling at you, when you knock on those doors of heaven, and you want to get in. He's going to stay away from me. You evil Doer? Romans 8:9 says you however are not in the realm of The Flash, but in the realm of the spirit, if the spirit of God lives in you and it says, and if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. We need the spirit of the Living God in our lives. And the only way to have that spirit is to recognize Jesus Christ as the Living, God as the sacrificial. God as the Risen, God. Who did that all for your life and my life. Every one of us?
And we have an opportunity to make that choice, but that opportunity comes in our lives, you know, there comes a point in your life where God says, you are responsible for the decisions you make, we don't know what that point is. Is David said about his child that had died before its time. He said I'll see him in heaven.
But there's a time when we become responsible for that and from that point, until the point you pass from this life, is that opening that each and everyone has to make that choice. Because once we passed from this life, there's no choice to be made. You can't die in this life and then finally recognized. Oh, yeah. God is king. So I need to change my life has to happen here because it has to come by faith. In what God did. And what God did 2nd Corinthians 6:2 says for? He says, it is time it in this time of my favor. I heard you. And in the day of salvation. I helped you, I tell you now is the time of God's favor. Now is the day of salvation. You see God wants to lead you to know him. God loves you. He loves you so much that he died for you. He loved you so much that he sacrificed his glory in heaven, so that he can live here on this Earth for you. And for me.
But there is a division in the world and we need to recognize that there's a division. There's a division between those who know Jesus Christ and those who don't if you want a dividing line in our world and see something different. That's the dividing line.
And you and I who know Jesus Christ? I've been given the direction to help those who don't know. Jesus Christ and know him, you know, we should be pleading with God for the lives of those around us, because there is a great division, Jesus continues on and Luke chapter 13, verses 28, to 30. There will be weeping there and gnashing of teeth. When you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out, people will come from the East and the West in the North and the South that's you. And I And will take their place at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed. There are those who are last, who will be first? And first will be last. You say there's a dividing line in that dividing line for God is based on our belief. In Jesus Christ. That's the dividing line.
God has a book up in heaven. And in that book, it's called The Book of Life our names. And every person who is falling on their knees before the Living God and repent of their sins and asked to be saved by Jesus Christ, their lord, their savior. They have been written down in that book. Your names are in there, if you know, Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, if you don't, your name is not there. And God speaks about that in the Book of Revelation, almost to the end Revelation chapter 20. First 15 is says this, anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was thrown into the Lake of Fire. You say the choice is to trust in the one who loves you so deeply that he willingly did. All those things for your life and my life.
Or reject what he did for you, you can say while I just don't believe that I don't trust in God. I don't even believe there is a God. It doesn't matter what you think. In that regard. You still are going to stand Before. The Throne of mercy and Grace and judgement. And God is going to take a look at that book. He's going to look down there and he's saying, oh, Don pedrick. Okay, your names in the book. Come on in. I love you. Are you going to say, Don pedrick? I I don't see your name there.
Away from me. And cast me into the Lake of Fire, where there be suffering and burning. For all eternity. It's an easy choice. If you really think about it. God makes it clear who he is and where he is. But there is a false, hope that we have some way apart from Jesus Christ is the only hope Matthew 8:12, but the subjects of the Kingdom will be thrown outside Into Darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. You see, they didn't believe in Jesus Christ. And matter of fact, they hated Jesus Christ so much. They, they put him on a cross thinking to get rid of him. And all that. They did was a show the world the way of salvation. But they didn't gain it at all. Because they were cast and pig ever lasting Darkness. Swear. There's weeping and gnashing of teeth. There's a false hope that somehow we can do it. Somehow there's another way somehow, God is kind and compassionate and he doesn't care how we live our lives as long as we recognize him. or even if we don't recognize him, he's too kind to cast us into the fires of hell, but God says otherwise, I think I believe God more than I believe what man thinks. But there's a line of Hope and that's expressed in one of the most wonderful verses and all of scripture probably verse that more people know and understand than any other verse John, 3:16 for God. So loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will have everlasting life. Is that a powerful statement of God's love for you? Willing to send his son to Earth. I'd Die For You, the son that created you, the son that created the universe and everything in it. Came and died for you. And for me.
It comes down to face. Do I really believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior? Do I just cashed it off and say no big deal?
You know. Martin Luther was debating over these issues and reading through the scriptures. He got the Romans and he started reading down there and The shock hit him when he got 2 verse 17 of chapter one in the gospel. The righteousness of God is revealed a righteousness. That is by faith From First to Last. Just as written. The righteous will live by faith. Faith in Jesus Christ, you know, any all of a sudden realize that he's been telling people they had to do so many different things so that they can get into heaven. But the realization was that it is just believing in Jesus Christ. And his work that he is the Lord and Savior that he is the Redeemer. That he is the forgiver, and he is the resurrected. Lord that lives in heaven. He just want you to trust and believe in him. And that's the cry this morning. That's what I've tried to show you from scripture this morning that God loves you and he wants a relationship with you desperately enough, that he would be willing to die for you. Informate. For each and every person in this room Jesus Christ die. The difference is that some of you believe that he did and it accepted him and perhaps some of you haven't.
God wants that relationship. And I hope that this morning, you've listen, clearly to the message of God's love for you and his willingness to do all that. He possibly could to redeem your life in my life. we're going to have a song just now and
it's an invitation at this point for you to come and find that relationship with the Living. God. If you're struggling in, whether you have that relationship, or you don't have to, please come off forward and talk, don't allow the fear of what people might think to keep you in your seat. That's foolishness.
Not right.
Come forward as the message calls, you let spray. Grace's Father in heaven, we pray that your understand, the understanding of the work of Jesus Christ was made clear this morning that the recognition that you loved us enough to give everything for our lives. Is there? And that all the we have to do is come to you and trust you as Lord, and Savior? Oh father. I pray that your spirit is been working in the lives, in the hearts of the people here that the turmoil has been so much that if they don't know you, they can't help but jump up and run forward.
And ask for you to be Lord of their lives.
Touch Hearts today, Lord in the power of your name. We ask this. Amen.
Please stand.
Descendants.
Okay.
There's no for the whole. All about you say able to use that Grace is rest for the weary.
Rihanna Tupac.
Come As You Are.
Joe in the morning. Earth has no sorrow. That heaven cannot heal.
Is joy in the morning till 7?
And he'll and we recognize that. Oh Lord. I pray that you would touch the hearts of all who are here and that you would not let anyone leave. That needs to know you as their lord and savior without responding to the call. Bless the Lord in this way. In Jesus name. Amen.