Sunday Sermons
What Do We Get
What Do We Get?
The first thought that sometimes enters the mind of someone who is hearing the gospel message, is "Well, what do I get if I become a Christian?" This isn’t a new question,
Matthew 19:23-30 "And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 "And again I say to you, 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." 25 And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" 26 And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 27 Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?" 28And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name's sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life. 30"But many who are first will be last; and the last, first". Points to Note: 1. Jesus does believe in the idea of rewards and that there are tremendous rewards for the person who follows Him (Romans 8:18; Matthew 5:12 "for your reward in heaven is great"). 2. At the same time, the Bible tell us that we need to deny ourselves, that is, stop being self-centered and just thinking about ourselves and what feels good right now (Luke 9:23 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me"). The great rewards promised will only come to those who start thinking about others (Matthew 7:12). 3. All the rewards in the Bible cannot make up for a lack of love for God. The rewards that we are going to talk about in this lesson have always existed in the Bible for anyone to read, yet many people seem unmoved by these promises. The motivation for serving God has to go beyond, "What will I get", to "Look at WHO I will be with".
Friendship/Family
Mark 10:28-31 "Peter began to say to Him, "Behold, we have left everything and followed You." 29 Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, 30 but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and childrenand farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life". Points to Note: 1. When you become a Christian you automatically become part of a huge family. The people in this family really love you, they will become a fantastic support group for difficult times (Galatians 6:1). 2. It is a family that truly cares about you, they will tell you when you are wrong, they will even go after you if you stray from the truth (James 5:19-20). 3. Wherever you move or live in this life, this family will be nearby. 4. These people will fill in the gaps that exist in your own physical family. If your child doesn’t have a father, there are men in the church who will step in and provide a spiritual male role-model for that child. If your father or mother isn’t a Christian there are older men and women in the church who will give you wise parental counsel.
The Key To All Relationships
Matthew 7:12 "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets". I believe that many people are afraid of marriage, friendships or parenting, because they fear messing everything up. This fear is only strengthened by observing society where over half of all marriages do end in divorce. Becoming a Christian gives you the keys to successful relationships with other people, even with your enemies! (Matthew 5:44-47; Romans 12:17-21) Since we only live once, we can’t afford a lifetime of trial and error, or trying one philosophy in parenting or marriage, and then another. In addition, our marriage won’t be very happy if we finally learn how to be a loving husband or wife near the end of our marriage. We need all these things right at the beginning of our relationships with other people. Becoming a Christian gives you what you need to make your marriage a success right now.
Optimism
Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose".
Points to Note: What could be more encouraging and positive than knowing that God is with you? That the God who controls the universe is watching out for you and working behind the scenes for you? Besides the above verse, the Bible tells us many things that enable the Christian to have a very positive outlook on life. 1. We can resist with God’s help any temptation that comes our way, 1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it". 2. There is nothing inherently in any of us that demands that we remain enslaved to any sinful addiction (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). 3. We do have choice, we are not governed by impulses, fate, cosmic or environmental factors or desires that are all-powerful, the most powerful thing that we have is our freewill. The realization that I don’t have to sin right now, or that I don’t have to react in a sinful manner, is liberating. I can do good things, I can think good thoughts and I can love God with all my heart. All of us can say, "Be gone Satan" (1 Peter 5:8-9).
Freedom/Liberty
John 8:31-36 "Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. " 33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free'?" 34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 "And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed".
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. 20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. 23 And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it". Points to Note: 1. There is the freedom from guilt, that you don’t have to keep on replaying the mistakes of the past. Often people will dwell on some sin in the past and say, "Well, that proves that I am no good". You can start living a new life today, the past doesn’t have to determine your future. In fact, you can be a completely different person from what you were in the past (1 Timothy 1:13 "even though I was formerly".) 2. There is the freedom of being liberated from human opinion and what people think. Becoming a Christian frees you from human prejudices, politically correct thinking, preconceived ideas and bias. We are free to do what is right, even if people have a problem with it, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). 3. The Christian is kind of a universal traveler, in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, in order to save people, Paul was willing to adapt himself to whatever morally neutral customs or fashions that existed in particular cultures. Look at the freedom in these verses!
Fewer Rules Not More
Even though many people associate becoming a Christian will observing a whole bunch of rules, I would argue the following: 1. The actual number of rules probably either stays the same or decreases. The reason for this is because God is not impressed with all the human rules and traditions that men have added in the religious realm (Matthew 15:1ff). 2. The rules that you now observe will actually mean something! People in society observe all sorts of human rules that are absolutely meaningless, and they are rules that have no eternal value. When we follow the Bible we are observing God’s rules (rules that are always in our best interest), and rules that really do help us treat people better and improve ourselves. In addition, God’s rules avoid the trap of inconsistency and artificial and false distinctions (Matthew 5:33-37), and typically His rules are far easier to understand (Matthew 5:37).
Peace/Contentment
Philippians 4:8-13 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. 9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me".
LIFE
Matthew 16:24-26 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it. 26"For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.ch-of-christ.beaverton.or.us
