What a wonderful opportunity that we have to worship God and
we appreciate that. So very much and we have some
visitors among us and we would hope that you would feel as you
are and that is an honored guest This series that I began a while
back. I've really enjoyed very much
presenting it on the seven. I am statements.
That Jesus made as recorded in the Gospel of John.
This is number six. We've already noticed.
The following Jesus says, I am the bread of life.
He said, I am the light of the world.
He said, I am the door. He said, I am the Good Shepherd.
He said, I am the resurrection and the life, and now he says, I
am the way. The truth and the life.
Just a little bit about this text, a little background here.
This was on the eve of the crucifixion of Our Lord.
And he met one more time, behind those locked doors with those
disciples. He was eating the Passover feast
with them. It was, then that he instituted
the memorial that we still participate in today and that is
the communion, the Lord's Supper.
He instituted it on this particular occasion, with those
disciples. It was also the night that he
would be betrayed Judas would sell our lord for thirty pieces,
of silver, the price of a Slave. But on this night, as you've
heard me say, I don't know, a hundred times Jesus was no man's
victim. There was nothing that Jesus
didn't know, and Jesus was not surprised at all.
When they came to arrest him, he knew it all.
He also wasn't surprised when Judas would betray him, he knew
that in fact, on this night, with those disciples behind
those locked doors. He said, one of you will betray
me. And then he said, I will be
delivered into the hands of man and he would lose his life on
that occasion. You know, it's beautiful about
this though in the midst of all of this.
Jesus gives comforting words to his disciples that they're going
to need to get through their life, especially in the days,
following the Lord's crucifixion, he always thinks of
his He would do this again to by the way, in the Garden of
Gethsemane. After he prayed to his father
three times, I won't spend a lot of time on this.
After he prayed to his father. If it be possible, let this cup
pass from me. But not my will.
But yours be done with the determined resolve.
He looked out into the distance there and here they come.
The Roman cohort, 600 soldiers, a band of man led by the
horrible betrayer. Judas Iscariot Jesus sees them
coming and he goes out to meet them.
And he says this, he says, who you looking for?
And they said, Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus said, I am
he, they all fell down. They all got back up.
He asked again, who you looking for?
They said, Jesus of Nazareth. He said I already told you that.
I am. He therefore, let these go.
He protected his own. In the darkest most difficult
times in his life. But in this particular occasion,
these words of comfort, he speaks concerning the place
where he's going. In John chapter 14 and verses
two and three. and where I go you know, Jesus said and the way
you know, Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where
you're going and how can we know the way Jesus said to him?
I am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the father, except through me.
First of all, what is the word Mansions mean?
In my father's house? Are many mansions, if it were
not. So I would have told you I go to
prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again. And receive you to myself that
where I am, there you may be also Thomas said, we don't know
where you're going and how can we know the way?
And Jesus says, in my father's house are many mansions, the
word mentioned, by the way, in this passage means a staying
place and Abiding. Place a dwelling place and a
boat. Okay, he tells them, I'm going
to prepare a place. Now, in your mind, it kind of
sounds like Jesus is saying this, I've kind of thought this
too. But my conclusion doesn't really
make sense. It sounds as though.
Jesus is saying I got to go away, so I can go build a place
for you. I can go and create a place for
you in heaven, but, you know, that's not really what he's
saying, because the mansions that are there have always been
there, the heaven that is going to be prepared for God's.
People is already prepared for God's people.
So what does it mean when he says, I'm going to prepare a
place for you. It literally means this, I'm
going to make a reservation for you.
I'm going to reserve a spot for You, you know, it's kind of like
this Tina is my travel agent. And anytime over the all the
years we've been married that I was going to go somewhere.
She makes a reservation for me at a hotel.
She doesn't create the hotel door exist.
She makes a reservation for me so that when I get there, it's
ready for me. That's what Jesus was saying.
He's telling those disciples. I'm going to go make a
reservation for you in heaven because in my father's house are
many mansions. If it were not.
So I would have told you that's what he meant when he said I'm
going to prepare a place for you.
I'm going to make reservations for you and you know, Not just
those disciples but guess what? The faithful Christian lives
today. And has lived all the years
beginning in Acts chapter 2, all those that are saved.
All those that are the redeemed, he tells them at this place is
prepared for them. And Thomas says this Thomas
says, Lord, we do not know where you're going and how can we know
the way. And Jesus said these beautiful
words, by the way, these are the most encouraging thoughts.
Is the Lord's response. Thomas said we don't know where
you're going, how we can get there?
Where is it? Jesus says, I am the way.
The truth and the life. This is the sixth.
I am statement of Jesus, and you remember this to the, I am
statements of Jesus indicate who Jesus was and is and they also
tell us a great deal about God himself.
In fact, in John chapter 1 and verse 18.
The Bible says, no one has seen God at any time.
Okay. These are exclusive words here.
By the way, no one has seen God at any time.
The only begotten son, that's Jesus.
Who is in the bosom of the father, he has declared Are
these are exclusive in nature. These statements just God and
Jesus. So what are we saying?
Jesus says three things. I'm the way I am the truth.
And I am the life. What did he mean?
First of all first and foremost, he said, I am the way.
And Deuteronomy chapter 30, we learned something very sobering.
This is back in the Old Testament and these were words
that were given a long time ago and they describe the following,
they described there's only two ways.
Just too. Only to in Deuteronomy chapter
30 verses 15 through 20. The two ways, our life and good
and death and evil. Now we're talking about death
here, everybody's going to die physically unless the Lord comes
back. Sooner before they're dead.
Everybody's going to pass the chilly Waters of death, everyone
that's just part of life. So the debt that we're talking
about here is not physical death.
It's talking about spiritual death, in other words before us
going all the way back to Deuteronomy, chapter 30.
Life has a choice. We choose good and there's life,
we choose evil and then there's death, spiritual life and
spiritual death going all the way back to the Old Testament.
All right. What about the New Testament?
What kind of choices are we going to make in Matthew?
Chapter 6, and verse 24, Jesus says, no one can serve two
masters for either. He will hate the one and love
the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the
other. And then he says, you cannot
serve God. And Mammon, what does all that
mean? Well, first of all, the Slave,
master relationship was well-known.
In fact, at the time in this country, in that country, many
people had slaves. There's many people that were
slaves, they the slave relationship.
But everybody understood. And they would have known the
concept if you're trying to make a point and making an
illustration to the slave master relationship.
They would have got it, you know why?
Because it was very common, they all knew that you had a master
and the master had slaves. Everybody also would have
understood the concept that the slave Would never divide his
devotion between his master. And somebody else wouldn't do
it. Not only would he not do it?
He wouldn't want to. I mean, after all why would a
slave that is enslaved to a Master create devotion of that
Master and then Devotion to another Master, he wouldn't do
that. Number two.
If he didn't do that, he would be subjected to the punishment
of his own master. So, when Jesus starts speaking
these words, they would have totally understood what he
meant. You can't serve two masters, you
can't be devoted to two masters, but then Jesus adds a little
something, his own self. He adds a little idea here.
He said, you can't serve God and Mammon, what is that?
Mammon is, what is trusted, it is a treasure It is riches.
Please don't misunderstand here. Jesus was not saying you can't
have riches. He wasn't saying you can't have
things in life that you enjoy that are not sinful in wrong and
it said either he didn't say you can't have any money.
Nowhere in the scriptures does it say you can't have any money?
What he's saying is don't divide your attention or your devotion
between God and anything else. Anyone else?
Here's the simple Point, folks. God must be number one in your
devotion. That's it.
And you can have things in life. Surely you, can they're not
sinful. And by the way, every good and
perfect gift is from above. So every good thing in the world
is because of God and anybody in the world.
That's blessed with something good.
That comes from God. That's a fact.
Everybody enjoys that blessing from God in life.
The point is, don't ever let it be that God competes with your
devotion for your devotion with anything else.
Well, let's talk about what Jesus said about two gates.
And two ways in a very familiar, passage in the great Sermon on
the Mount. In Matthew Chapter 7, Enter by
the narrow gate for wide. Is the gate and Broad is the way
that leads to destruction. And there are many who go in by
it, because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that
leads to life. And there are few that find it
in the King James version. It says the word straight stra
it, that's the Straight Gate and it means narrow.
And I like the way the new King James renders it because it says
the word that it actually means. It is the narrow way.
It's Looked, I want to make a point about this, though being a
Christian. Please get this.
And stay with me. Please do this point so you
don't misunderstand. I'm really trying hard for you
to get Living the Christian life is difficult.
And it's a struggle. It's difficult.
And it's a struggle. In Jude 3.
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you
concerning our common salvation. I found it necessary to write to
you exhorting, you to what contend earnestly for the faith.
That once was delivered for the Saints, the word contend there.
By the way, it's a strengthened word in its Origins and it
actually means to agonize, so the word contend means to
agonize mr. Thayer said it this way, he
said, the whole idea is A matter of Christians facing the foe
wherever he is, wherever the opposition is.
Yes, Christianity is a struggle and contention means to be
agonizing in it. By the way, when I get done with
this is going to be encouraging. But let's be realistic.
We got to be realistic. And I'm gonna tell you why just
a moment. You know why?
First this passage in Ephesians 6 and 12.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood.
But against principalities against Powers against the
rulers of Darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the Heavenly places.
Alright, here's some more reality, it's not easy.
It's not I think people need to be realistic.
You know, what happens to people when they have unrealistic
expectations. When they're about to Embark
upon an Endeavor and they have unrealistic expectations of
easy, you know, what happens when it's hard, they get
discouraged and quit. You know why?
Because their expectations were, it's going to be easy.
My mother will remember this years ago, my whole family's Old
World Book, Back when actually had Book Sales and all the
educational products and every year, there was a great big
convention somewhere in the United States, everybody got all
excited about making it to the convention you wanted to sell
enough so that conventions paid for it all that.
You know why? Because you got there and you
want to talk about getting pumped up then get all the cream
of the crop that we're in the company.
All the best salesman. You know they do they get up and
give their testimony they say look this is what I did.
And people get the idea, man. This is so easy.
I'm going to go home and do all this.
They get so high in the air, they got to look down and see
the clouds. You know what happens?
You go home and you start working it.
Oh, it's hard. Wait a minute, I think it's
gonna be hard. He made it sound real easy.
You know, what happens to those, especially the newcomers.
They quit and they do something else.
Unrealistic expectations. I don't want you to have an
unrealistic expectation expectation about being a
Christian, I just want you to understand what it is and it's
worth it. It's worth it.
Yeah, it's going to be a struggle sometimes, folks.
It really is. That's what the Bible says.
Paul In this passage Likens, the Christian Warfare to a wrestling
contest, very common in those days, by the way and you know,
I'm not a wrestler. I never was a wrestler but I
think. Yep, if you pin a guy for two
seconds or so you win the match. But back then, wrestling contest
were quite different. What they did in a wrestling
context contest. Not only, did you have to pin
the opponent but you have the take your hand on the neck of
the opponent and hold his neck down his head, down until that
opponent or that other person that you're beating.
acknowledges, his defeat Yet hold them down until they say.
I'm tapping out. That's what Paul is talking
about. It's that kind of, it's that
kind of a contest. The idea is the antagonist or
the opponent must be held down and let me ask you something.
Who is our opponent? Who is it?
Who is our greatest antagonist? It's the devil.
In James 4:7. Therefore submit to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
In your life, you're going to have to wrestle with the devil.
Why? Because all the Temptations.
And by the way, the devil doesn't come at you with all the
ugly mean, terrible, bad stuff. Because if he did, he would run
from it, we all would be easy. The Devil comes and temps us
with things that we like Temps us with things that we enjoy
appeals to our flesh appeals to our fun side.
And if things are fun and they're okay, it's not from the
devil. But if there are things that are
fun and it's not, okay, those things are from the devil.
So we're in a wrestling contest with the devil, and we need to
rise up against him. How do you do it submit to God?
What else? You got to do?
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And I promise you this, if you have temptations from the devil
and you're struggling, go to God In Prayer, right?
Then and there submit yourself to God and pray to God, you know
what the devil will leave you. We're time but he always comes
back, but you can have the power to keep him on the run.
All right? Jesse James 4 and verse 7.
Very practical passage of scripture.
Yes, being a Christian requires effort and sacrifice.
In Luke chapter 9 and verse 23. And he said to them all if
anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up
his cross and follow me. All right, what does it mean to
deny yourself? It means to disown ones.
Earthly interest. And again, what are we talking
about? We're just saying this.
Nothing's going to be more important than God, that's all.
And by the way, when Jesus says that if a person has to do this
and has to do that, and hate this one and love the other at
all, he's not saying that you have to have horrible feelings
about Look your loved ones. You just means you got love God
more. That's it.
God put God first. So you may not have to give up
your Earthly riches to be a Christian.
You may not have to I think we live comfortable lives.
The question, is this, you have to be willing to disown your
Earthly interest. If need be to serve God, that's
what it means. What else?
It's a life of sacrifice. He says, take up your cross.
This was a figurative phrase based on the practice of a
doomed man carrying his cross to the place of crucifixion.
And that's exactly what Jesus did.
So in our life, we don't literally take up a wooden
cross. We literally in our life in a
figurative sense, I mean, in a figurative way We carry our
cross. Meaning we are willing to
sacrifice for Jesus in our life. What are you gonna do?
Put God first and realize it's a life of sacrifice.
So this way is what this way is the way of Christians.
What else acts 16 and 17 This girl, followed Paul and said,
and cried out saying, these men are the Servants of the most
high God, who proclaimed to us the way of Salvation.
It's also the way of God and Acts chapter and Acts chapter 18
and verse 26. So he began to speak boldly in
the synagogue when Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took
him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
So, what is the way? It's a great way.
It's the way of Christians is the way of Salvation is the way
of God. And here's why it's so worth it,
it's the way to have it. It's the way to hit me.
Ask you a question. You want to go to heaven?
Think about that. I would imagine there's no one
here in this audience that would say, nope not me.
I want to go to hell. You want to go ahead?
There's a way to have it. Jesus says, you got choices to
make to Matthew 7:14 because narrow is the gate and difficult
is the way that leads to what leads to life.
And there are few that find it. Also folks listen to this it's
sometimes the lonely path. Sometimes you feel like you're
all by yourself, it's the lonely path.
I did tell you there's some good stuff coming.
I'm presenting the realistic side.
Sometimes it's going to be difficult and I do that like I
said before, so when things are difficult and lonely, you don't
quit, you just understand what it is.
This is often times the lonely path, but this is the path that
our savior. Our Good Shepherd is leading us
with love in the 23rd. Psalm he restores my soul.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness.
For his name sake and those that walk on this road and stay on.
This road will receive eternal life.
So very important in Romans chapter 2, We got to have some
staying power. Eternal life to those by.
What? Who?
By patient continuous continuance in doing good seek
for glory, honor and immortality What does this mean?
Beat says it this way. One scholar it.
Signifies the grave holding up under burdens, which would cost
castus down a pressing forward in the face of foes who would
drive us back and that patients manifest itself in Good Works.
Tell him stay in power. Revelation 2 and 10 won't spend
very much time on this but I got we got four with look at this
passage In the seven churches of Asia.
One of the letters from Jesus Through.
John was the church at Smyrna. That was the persecuted Church.
And this is what was said to them.
They were under tremendous persecution, do not fear any of
those things which you are about to suffer.
Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison
that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation 10 days,
be faithful unto death and I will give you a Crown of Life.
This phrase be faithful unto death.
Okay. It sounds on the surface like
he's just saying this. Be faithful, all of your life or
until your death and it includes that but contextually that's not
what he's saying. What he's saying is this be
faithful? Even if it takes your life.
Even if you lose your life be faithful, even if it cost you
and you die, don't worry about that.
He said, I'll give you a crown of life.
Now, there's a lot said about this phrase, here, 10 days.
What's 10 days? I've read commentators that
said, 10 days, a day represents a year.
So 10 days is 10 years and some say a lifetime, some say short
lifetime. It really doesn't matter.
This is what it means. Ten days refers to a full and
complete period. It may be long or short, but it
will come to an end, it means to have a willingness to die,
rather than quit, and that's what it means. 10 days. you
know, sometimes people Whether it's those that preach the idea
of a period of tribulation. And they say comes after Jesus
comes back. And there is a period of
tribulation know, the tribulation is right now.
It began all the way back in Acts.
Chapter 2 and the church was established.
It began all the way back there. It will exist until time shall
be no more. That is the period of
tribulation. So when Jesus comes back it's
over with it's good for the same.
No tribulation and those that are lost are cast into the Lake
of Fire. That's what it says.
May have some difficult stuff going on your life, but you can
make it. What else, not only is he the
way, there's no other way to get to God, except through Jesus
Christ. But secondly, Jesus says, I am
the truth, Jesus is the word of God.
And what's that mean? In John chapter 1, And beginning
in verse 1 there, he says, in the beginning was the word and
the Word was with God. And the Word was God, the
phrase, the word, it was with God.
Now that word in the Greek is from logos, It was a word used
to express, reason and speech, and thought and expression.
Now obviously, the word here is referring to Jesus Christ before
Jesus was born in the flesh. He was known as the word and the
Word was with God, but there's more, then it says, and the Word
was God and this is where people get confused.
I'm going to try not to be confusing here.
The Word was God, first of all, in these two Clauses, the first
clause in the beginning was the word shows the Lord's Eternal
existence number one, the second clause.
Is the Lord's distinct personality.
He was God, okay. Here's the deal.
Here's the attributes of his deity.
He is God. Let me try to explain this as
simply as I can. There are three separate persons
in the godhead. They are God.
They are Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
There are three separate persons in the godhead.
Not one person, three persons in the godhead and those three
persons in the godhead. They are one in purpose.
They agree with each other. They are working together as one
All in the godhead working together.
So what does it mean? When it says the Word was God,
and what does it mean? When it says Jesus Is God, it's
very simple. Is what sir said.
I want to put this on the screen.
This really explains it. Very simply for me.
How do you sort out? What?
Wait a minute. They're all God.
How can be three persons? Here it is.
The Word was God that phrase is set on the basis that God is the
family name of deity. Hence, any member of that family
would rightfully take that name. Just as any member of the Smith
family would take on the name. Smith, are they all the same
person? No, there's a bunch of Smith's.
The family name. Well, that God.
It's the family name of deity and God the father has it.
The sun has it and the Holy Spirit has it.
They bear the name of deity three separate persons though
working together. And by the way, that's why Jesus
is called God in Isaiah 9:6 For unto us.
A child is born, unto us a son is given and the government will
be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called
wonderful. Still talking about.
Jesus counselor, still talking about Jesus.
God still talking about Jesus Everlasting father, Prince of
Peace. He Bears, the family name of
deity and that is God. It also explains this to why the
phrase Church of Christ and Church of God are often used
interchangeably in the New Testament acts 20:28.
Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock
among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to Shepherd
the Church of God, which he purchased with his own blood who
died on the cross, who shed his blood?
It was Jesus. Here, he's called It's called
The Church of God, because Church of God, and church of
Christ are the same. Are the same.
Alright. Then, what happened to this
word? Well, he became flesh.
And dwelt among us and we beheld, his glory, the glory, as
of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth,
the word of God. Please get.
This is truth in John 17 and 17. Sanctify them by your truth.
Your word is truth in Psalm 119 and verse 16 T, the entirety of
your word is truth and every one of your righteous judgement
indoors forever. Here's another passage first
Thessalonians 2:13 for this reason.
We also thank god without ceasing because when you receive
the word of God, which You heard from us, you're welcomed it, not
as the word of men. Hold it right there.
I have to make a point. Because we're talking about
truth. And the Apostle Paul makes a
distinction between the word of men and the word of Truth.
Why do I make that point? Because sometimes people today
believe in this concept, that every man or every person
determines what truth is for their life and there's no such
thing as absolute truth. Not according to Paul, Paul
makes a distinction, you didn't receive it.
Because it came from, man, you received it as it came from God,
the Of Truth, let me take it a step further.
If I as a man, come up with a philosophy, that is against
God's word. It's the way of man is not the
way of God, if I preach the truth from the word of God, even
though it's coming out of the mouth of a man, it is the word
of God. And that's how those of vessel
and Aika received the word, which Paul's talking about when
it was preached to them. Came from God, What else is this
truth going to do for us John 8:32.
And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
Romans chapter 8, and verse 24, the law of the spirit of life in
Christ, Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death,
okay? Truth brings us to heaven.
And those who live in truth or by the truth, have their names
written in the book of life. Now, Do me a favor.
Would you as we're progressing now, I want you to wrap your
mind around the concept. Of being in the Book of Life.
Because I'll tell you want to be in that.
We all want to be in there. Everybody wants to be in that
book of life, okay? The truth of the word of God
leads us to be found in the book of life.
It leads us to be put in the Book of Life we will all want
that, Philippians chapter 4, and verse 3.
And I urge you also True Companion.
Help those women who labored with me in the gospel with
Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers.
Notice whose names are in the Book of Life.
The phrase book of life comes from an Old Testament passage
where it describes God's covenant people.
It goes all the way back to Exodus, 32 and beginning there
in verse 32 yet, now if you will forgive their sin, but if not, I
pray, blot me out of your book, which you have written, and the
Lord said to Moses, Whoever has sinned against me.
I will blot him out of my book. Those who overcome folks.
Will be found written in the Book of Life.
John the Revelator said in Revelation chapter 3 and verse
5, He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I
will not blot out his name from The Book of Life.
But I will confess his name before my father and before his
angels. You know, the phrase he who
overcomes. It's the same idea as be
faithful unto death. Sir says this that phrase has a
universal practice for institutions that consists of
individual membership, to keep a record of its names in a book.
That fact, is the basis for the figurative idea of Book of Life,
in which the Lord keeps a list of his people.
The point is that all whose names are in there may be
considered in good standing with the Lord.
I want to be in the book of life and I want to In there, because
if I do that, I'm in good standing with the Lord.
And by the way, the only relationship that matters, the
absolute most in your life, we have a lot of relationships.
The only one that matters the greatest second to none.
Is our relationship with the Lord.
That's all that matters. And you know why?
Because if we don't get that right, nothing else matters,
nothing number. Glad I was born used to say if
there is no God, Then, nothing matters. but if there is a God,
nothing else matters. That's the most important
relationship that you will ever have.
I want to be in good standing with the Lord.
I want to be in that book of life.
All right in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1, The Who some sobering
words we got to use this to its time about those that reject the
truth. They're not going to be found in
the book of life but look at this very sobering passage Paul
wrote this. Second Thessalonians 1.
And to give you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord
Jesus is revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, in
flaming fire taking Vengeance. On those who do not know God,
And on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord, Jesus
Christ. These shall be punished with
Everlasting, destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power. When he comes in that day to be
glorified in his Saints and be admired among all those who
believe because our testimony among you was believed I want to
ask you the question again. Are you in the Book of Life?
Are you in there? Revelation 20:15.
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into
the Lake of Fire. What did Jesus say that?
He said I'm the way there's no other way.
He said I'm the truth. There's nothing else that will
guide you and Lead You. And then, he says this finally,
Jesus is the life. He said, I am the life without
Jesus. There is no life.
We learn in John chapter 1, and verse 3, he is Creator.
He was there in the very beginning with God.
When the Bible says, let us make man in our image, after our
likeness, It included, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit In
The Creation in Jesus only there is life without him.
There is no life. In fact, John 1:4 tells us that
very thing in him was life. Number three, what else does he
do? Has life it, upholds all things
by the word of his power. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 3 in
him, all things consist Colossians chapter 1 and verse
17. All right, now In Romans chapter
6, there's a contrast there. For the wages of sin is death.
And again we're talking about spiritual death, okay?
Spiritual death, Bible says all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God, except the precious little kids.
They haven't sinned, and if they lost their life, their Precious
Little Lives. They go straight.
That they be saved. They go straight to him.
They'd make it right to write to him.
But everybody else that gets old enough to be able to know
better, especially from a moral choice, and commits, a sin,
which is everyone of us at some point, our life.
It's it begins. We become accountable for our
sins. Well, what Paul says is this
what you got coming for sin is spiritual death, separation from
God, here's the great news though, it doesn't have to
happen, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ, Our Lord The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
Christ. Our Lord, I want to talk about
the kind of life that it is, by the way.
In John 10:10. I have come that they may have
life and that they may have it more abundantly.
Okay. Remember when I said that
sometimes being Christian is a struggle.
Sometimes it's hard work, sometimes it's discouraging.
Sometimes, it's lonely. All that's true.
But guess what, the life that we're talking about here, what,
what Jesus says, I came that they may have life and have it
more abundantly. That weren't abundantly means
overflowing rich. Fulness That is the life of a
Christian overflowing rich fulness.
Burton Kaufman wrote this, I love this.
How grotesque and unreal are the ideas of those who think the
Christian leads a life of boring inhibition.
Sitting out his years in the chili, Twilight of a monastic,
Gloom forbidden to do, anything that anyone else wants to do and
always cowering in the fear before an Angry God on the
contrary the Christian Life is the happy life free.
Abundant overflowing adventurous, exciting be Any
other kind of existence, why can't men believe their creator
to the effect that the way of Christ is the way of joy and
fulfillment? It's the best life.
It is the greatest life and you know why?
That's what make it practical. That's why, when a faithful
child of God passes away, we're saddened because they're not in
our presence anymore. Oh, but we Rejoice because, you
know, why is saying it? there's a better life after this
one, a Christian has an abundant life and lives his life with the
Abundant riches, understanding all that he gets all that she
gets by being a Christian. In conclusion this morning.
Jesus says, I am the way I am the truth and the life, but
Here's the rest of the story. He says no one comes to the
father. Except through me.
This is the way of God today. In this idea.
This is specific. All and only.
So, if we would look at this passage like this, all those
that would come through Jesus Christ, can go to the father It
also means only those that go through Jesus Christ.
Can go to the father, there's no other way except through Jesus
Christ. So let me ask you this.
Remember when I asked you the question are you in the Book of
Life? Are you following Jesus?
According to the truth. That we talked about today.
If not that I ask you this question.
Are you ready to follow Jesus? Are you ready?
Here are the steps to follow Jesus here.
They are very simple to put every one of them on the screen.
You got to hear the word of God, Romans, 10:17.
So, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
We've done that today. But after you hear the word of
God, you got a choice to make. Jesus said you got to make this
Choice, what's the choice? You got to believe, with all
your heart, Hebrews 11 and 6, but without faith, it's
impossible to please him for. He who comes to God, must
believe that he is, and that he is, a rewarder of those that
diligently seek Him. Do You Believe In Jesus with all
your heart? Today, surely you do?
Then we got to make a change. All that means is I got to
repent, I've been going in this direction.
I don't want to go that direction anymore.
I want to follow Jesus. It's called repentance but
changed my life. Yeah.
Repent of those sins acts 17:30 truly these times of ignorance,
God, overlooked. But now commands, all men
everywhere to repent. What else?
I got to make the confession. I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. The greatest words you will ever
say. When Philip was preaching to the
Ethiopian eunuch, they came to a body of water in the man said,
well here's water, what's keeping me from being baptized
Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may and he
answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, but it is. Now the point of Salvation when
you're baptized for the remission of your sins, Mark
16:16. He who believes and is baptized,
will be saved. But he, who does not believe
will be condemned. If you'll do all of that, your
sins will be washed away. You become a child of God.
And you know what's gonna happen?
Your name's gonna be in that book of life.
If you've never taken those steps, obedience we'd love to
assist you in doing that right now.
Today during our invitation, you come forward, let your requests
be made known but maybe maybe have taken all those steps.
May your life, just isn't what it should be.
Maybe you have some changes you need to make maybe use, you've
straightened gone away, that's the case, then what a great time
to come back to Jesus today while we stand while we sing, We
thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the Church of
Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you
would like any additional information or you would like to
receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.
Please email us at info at True Church of Christ
Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. p.m.
please make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our
honored guest