Seven Things Jesus Wants Us To Know (7)

Seven Things Jesus Wants Us To Know (7) 12-15-19

Bottom Line:  If we want God to bless us not and later, we must make good choices constantly.

Introduction:

 A. If Jesus was our guest speaker, what would he say?

   1. Some or all of the Sermon on the Mount, Mt.5, 6, & 7

   2. Principles essential to a relationship with God!

 B. Seven things Jesus wants us to know!  Review first 6:

   1. God loves seekers; 2. Choose real over ritual

   3. Attitude drives application; 4. Tools are treasures

   5. God takes care of family; 6. Comparison destroys but commitment succeeds

 C.  Principle 7 and Easy Truth 7 are the same:  Godly choices produce godly rewards

   1. Warning – challenges: distractions, comparisons, focus

   2. Notice vs.11-12, God wants you! Show you want him by how you treat others. (John’s point about love)

 D. Jesus uses three analogies about godly choices:

1. Choose the right gate! Vs.13-14

 A. His description of the choices:

   1. Size:  Wide vs. Narrow

   2. Destination:  destruction vs. life

   3. Statistics:  Many vs. Few

 B. What is the wide gate?

   1. It’s the best decorated, most attractive and alluring gate!

   2. It’s the gate with the red carpet of fame, attention, and acceptance!

   3. It’s the gate playing the music of fun, feeling good, and following the crowd!

   4. It’s the gate with the drum-beat marching to your wants, needs, and desires!

   5. It’s the gate with the mascaraed party of being fake, false, and hypocritical and you pretend to be something you aren’t!

   6. It’s the gate with the parade of people procrastinating, rationalizing, and feeling entitled rather than indebted!

   7. It’s the gate of excuses, criticism, and self-righteousness!

   8. It’s the gate of pleasure over purpose, con-job over convictions, and pride over brokenness!

   9. It’s the gate were love is taken, sacrifice is shunned, and commitment is comical!

   10. It’s the gate where the Creator is ignored, the correct way to live is laughed at, and the Cross of Christ is ridiculed!

*Is that the gate you have chosen?

 C. What is the narrow gate?

   1. It’s not narrow to hide it, but narrow because of the small number who choose to use it!

   2. It’s narrow because love is narrow! While it’s broad in application, it’s narrow in definition!  Love everyone!

   3. It’s a narrow gate because faith is narrow! We are either seeking God or we are not!

   4. It’s narrow because convictions are narrow! “If anyone would come after me let him…”!

   5. It’s narrow because there is only One Master – not the multitude of masters the world tells us to live for!

   6. It’s narrow because there is only one heavenly Father giving good gifts to his children!

   7. It’s narrow because there are no other worries except seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness!

   8. It’s narrow because there is only one place where we are storing up treasures – heaven!

   9. It’s narrow because we’re driven by an honest heart not legalistic obedience to man’s laws and traditions!

   10. It’s narrow because it’s the direction the light is going!

* Is this the gate you have chosen?

 D. How did Jesus sound when he said, “only a few find it”?  Preaching or sorrowful?

2.  Choose the right fruit! Vs.15-23

 A. There is fake fruit! Vs.15-18

 B. What it is will be recognized and judged, vs.19-20

 C. Actions speak louder than words, vs.21-23

3.  Choose the right foundation! Vs.24-27

 A. Wise vs. Fool is about rock vs. sand!

 B. Time, effort, and materials all good, but…

 C. Lesson:  Hearing Jesus and putting his words into action is what really counts!

   1. Assumes listening and caring

   2. Faith must be obedience not just talk or looks

   3. We are only as strong as our foundation!

Conclusion:

A. Do we have foundation problems?

B. Christmas is a metaphor for church

   1. Christ Mass = Jesus first! Reason for the season!

   2. Church is family = Christmas is family – over celebrations, gifts, & traditions (that some don’t like)

   3. Values: Love, edify (giving, sharing, memories), supporting, and celebrating!

C. Story of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas = Stole church

   1. What really matters = love, togetherness

   2. People over performance

   3. God, Jesus, and love are the real foundation!