Revisiting Mark 9!

Why not one chicken chicken maybe it's not the perfect gift for your family but it is the perfect gift for poor family ninja chicken can break the cycle of poverty for poor family yes chicken chickens and provide nourishment for family and they can sell mosaics at the market for income when you donate a chicken or any other gospel for Asian 100% of what you give goes to the field and get the ball went gospel fundraiser to support family of Jesus family this Christmas and give them six explanation see chickens and camping hello this is Matt slick from the match look like podcast ride from the Christian faith and lay out our foundational truths of God's word chosen Truth Network podcasts starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoyed Sharon but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network this is Truth Network, do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill. Christianity is just a system of regulations, I can do this but I can't do that. Do you feel like your efforts to reach God. Find God, and please God do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today. Pastor Russ Sanders will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose of local tribal ministry glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living.

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Thank you for what you do in the world to the vast majority of people in the world who unbelievers it looks like us in chaos product a lot of believers… I'm way below. We know from your word that you hold all things together and that your control of everything. History political events elections. Each one of us. Everything happens according to your sovereign will lower. Thank you for your grace and mercy.

We thank you for giving us your word.

The holy Bible. I pray Lord that your word will go forth tonight and accomplish the very purpose for which you intend knowing that I pray, amen, entitled tonight's message. Don't waste your life will be looking at Mark chapter 9 verses 30 through 48 now to set the record straight before I tell you this first open story, actually own a boat on blessed to have a boat in my two older sons not love you got this place called shock Allen and I see a couple guys out here you know all about shock. Allen and daylight go there and fish and then make fun of because I like to walk around the island collect shells the several manly when I just want to trade him for sure the store within a minute you see why I'm telling you that John Piper's book don't waste your life pictures about the death of two elderly church members. In April 2000. By the way John Piper spoke in May 2000 to about 40,000 students in Tennessee skill passion 11 day and so this store right here comes from that message and from his book don't waste your life.

If you have not read the book get it and read it. So in April 2000. Piper shares it Ruby last and Laura Edwards were killed in Cameroon, West Africa, Ruby Lawson, she was over 80 single all her life on nurse poured her life out for one thing, to make Jesus Christ known among the sick and the poor in the hardest and most unreached places in the world, Laura Edwards, a medical doctor in the Twin Cities and entering retirement. She decided to join Ruby she was also pushing 81 dated two of them were going from village to village in Cameroon and the brakes give way and over a cliff. They go in there dead instantly and Piper asked those 40,000 students. Is this a tragedy to women in their 80s whole life devoted to one idea Jesus Christ magnified among the poor and the sick and the hardest places in 20 years after most of their American counterparts had begun to throw their lives away on trivialities in Florida and New Mexico.

These two women fly into eternity with their deaths in a moment, and he asked this is a tragedy and then he says I'll take what a tragedy is and he held up an article was written in Reader's Digest in the title of the article was start now retire early the next sound good.

In February 1998 Bob and Penny took early retirement. According this article from their jobs in the Northeast five years earlier when he was 59 and she was 51.

Now they live in Punta Gorda Florida with a cruise on the 30 foot trawler play softball and yes collect shells. I hope he when talking about the deer living what is called the American dream live a good life, go to myself give a nice new truck saving for retirement, then move somewhere really nice and indulge yourself for the rest of your life. Just think about it you come to the end of your life one life to God is giving you to prepare for eternity and what you do with it. You have the last great work of your life before you die and stand before God be this playing softball collecting shells. Can you imagine what it will be like for this couple when they stand before God on Judgment Day and the site look, Lord hears a show collection. Don't waste your life. Men on things that have absolutely no eternal value. If you want to stand before the Lord one day and hear him say to you, well done my good and faithful servant did take my advice, don't live the lie that is called the American dream about whether people who are spending billions of dollars to get you to buy into it and it's a lot the American dream is all about self.

It promises something it cannot deliver in Matthew chapter 6 verses 19 and 20.

Jesus S. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and with these break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy it with these do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also wish your heart tonight.

Who or what is your treasure so from from Mark chapter 9, with a look at verses 30 through 50, and I will give you three wise men that you can live a life that God rewards is the first way. Live your life in service to others.

Look at verses 30 through 37.

Jesus and his disciples left that place in Pastor Galilee Jesus do not want anyone to know where they were because he was teaching his disciples.

He said to them, the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise, but they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him.

They came to Capernaum when he was in the house he asked them what were you guys talking about back on the road, but they kept quiet. You know why because on the way they talk about who was the greatest sitting down. Jesus called the 12 and he said listen, if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all that he took a little child and had him stand among them taking of this young boy in his arms, he said to them, whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me the path to true greatness and eyes of God, begins at the cross and Jesus is our example Jesus knew at this point where he was headed and had to humble himself submit to his father's will and actually head back to Jerusalem where he knew pain and saw in death were waiting for him.

He knew this, and yet he was still willing to go to the cross to be crucified to know why is he knew that if he did you not be sitting here tonight worshiping him, but the disciples didn't understand what he was talking about and they were afraid to ask him. I don't think the moment and I think they were afraid of the truth. Jesus had just said to them that he was going to be betrayed into the hands of men.

By the way – the great war for betrayed this used here is para dinnertime, which means to deliver up or to hand over issues of God the father delivering his own son over to be killed by his sovereign will is by God's sovereign will. He had the son to be killed, and we we must never lose sight of this truth in acts chapter 2, verse 23 Peter writes, Jesus, this man was handed over to you by God set purpose and foreknowledge in you. With the help of wicked men putting to death by negative him to the cross because this was God's plan before he made the world as you know that he knew we were going to blow it was always plan a God himself would come to this earth in the form of a human being in live a perfect life.for you and me and that would be a perfect sacrifice that would satisfy his wrath and his justice than he would have a way to pardon us to forgive us, but you have to believe that you have to place your trust in him. Danny Akin, the present southeastern explains God purposely killed his son know that he might not kill us think about that Jesus if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me say here's the truth. The path of the Christian life takes us through valleys and deserts. It involves pain and suffering and the closer you walk with Jesus.

Men, the more you going to feel the heat.

But Jesus promises eternal reward in the end they want to go to church and hear a wonderful, uplifting, encouraging message so they can go back and tear him up on the golf course and talk about football. They don't want to hear the truth. This why so many people flock to someone like Joel O'Steen because what Joel Oshima sure is a gospel that is devoid of the cross.

Paul warns about this and this is the data were living in in second Timothy chapter 4 verse three pulses for the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. You know, people want to hear. I'm okay you're okay. Have a great day.

The Bible tells that were not okay Akin puts it like this. Jesus points the way to true greatness.a self serve others care for those no one else cares for receive them in Jesus's name, and you receive Jesus and his father today. The way up is down, the way to get us to give the way to be first is to be last. This is the way of Jesus.

And this is the way to true greatness is yes and it did. Jesus flipped upside down everything in the world teaches us sleep the life that God will reward is the life of a man who serves others in the name of Jesus. But here's a warning you can serve others and if you don't put your own glory in your own name and without faith in Christ that was if you just a great philanthropist, just when you will get your ward here now, and that's it develops, it is impossible to please God without faith. So philanthropy without Christ has absolutely no eternal value. Jesus put a little board to his arms and said whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me Jesus try to make a point which William Barclay explains the child has no influence at all.

A child cannot advance a man's career nor enhances prestige. A child cannot give us things the other way around is easy to cultivate the friendship of the person who can do things for us in his influence can be useful to us. It's easy to curry favor with the influential in the great and to neglect the simple, humble, ordinary people you know who got tends to use in ministry ordinary people centers today is the first day of the rest of your life is not too late. Don't waste your life, you won't hear the words well done good and faithful servant to live your life in service to others and secondly live your life devoted to Jesus. Look at verses 38 to 41.

Teacher said John we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop because he was not one of us do not stop and Jesus said no one who does a miracle in my name. Can the next moment say anything bad about me. For whoever is not against us is for us to the truth. Anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ was certainly not lose his reward she were insistent about reward, that in a minute. See when you do anything in the name of Jesus that makes it.

That means if you do it because you have faith in Jesus and you have faith in God's word. Moreover, what you are doing here is his authority as you do exactly what he's told you to do in this book. This book tells us how to live alive right so we need to pick it up and read it poured into our minds. Furthermore, when you do it in the name of Jesus.

He carries his power and because you serve others in his name. He would use what you're doing both for his glory.

And guess what, for your glory, you may not see Glover the Sutter heaven but will be waiting for you in heaven say, here's the truth, whatever you do in the name of Jesus comes with a promise of eternal reward hemi Humana working for earthly rewards and listen is nothing wrong with that was supposed to work hard and if you work hard earthly rewards will come.

But when you get an earth reward.

What should you do look great. I am there were you doing give glory to God. I love it when this gospel touchdown in the point of thinking that what they're doing to translate. He's the one that gave me the ability to run a football across and in some one day every single believer who was ever lived will stand before Jesus Christ and what is known as the judgment seat of Christ. Unlike the great white throne judgment which would be a place of eternal condemnation. The judgment seat of Christ will be a place of honor and glory and reward and obligate a big gathering of all believers of all time on a house that is going work out that many people but do you want to be that ceremony empty-handed is only putting believers to pastor the flames. They'll be there recited only as one escaping to the flames as foursquare 315 so the second Perkins chapter 5, verse 10, Paul describes this very event here, the judgment seat of Christ. He says full weight is talking to the believers incarnate fully. We believers must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Why but each one might may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad, have had the privilege men of going to Greece and I've been to court of what the three caught several times and I'll never forget the first time that I won't do it and I came face-to-face with this huge section of stones.

It was staggeringly chilly was probably 20 or 30 feet long and about five or 6 feet tall and about 10 feet thick and I was standing face-to-face with his bronze plaque that said Boehmer for great letters that great word is translated judgment seat what the vein the ES is a raised platform where the judge is set during the great games and they gave out awards to the victors go silver and bronze.

And that's a picture of what Paul says in store for believers in vision of the Bible tells us that there are five crowns that you can receive is a reward listen works. Don't save you but what you become a believer works determine your reward to his the first crowns held the crown of the crown of victories in first Riggins 925 through 27. This credit will be given to believers who turn away from the pull of the world and truly live for Christ since serving Jesus is the only way to have a victorious life in the in those who serve Jesus when secondly the crown of rejoicing. First Thessalonians tonight doing this credit which those who are so one is for Christ, so there will be a crown given to those who take people to heaven with them. So let me ask you a question. If you ever shared your faith with your friends.

If not, why not this the crown of righteousness, as a second Timothy 48. There are those who live every day with an eye to the sky. One owner one hour looking upward while they wait for the clouds. The part the waiting for the trumpet the sound they're watching and waiting for the Lord to appear while because they love him and they longed for his appearing right before Paul was going to be executed on the road.

He wrote this word of encouragement to Timothy.

Now there is in store for me the apology that he was iteratively beheaded.

He sits in a prison. Yours thinking about his reward, which is really Jesus now is in store from they Timothy the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that day and not only to me but also to all who belong to his appearing. Do you long for his appearing at the been looking for over 40 years, people looking then is the crown of life. This is James 112 is a very special crown will be awarded to believers all around the world who endure affiliation, bitter persecution and even death for their faith right now.

I was sitting in this church in perfect safety there Christians right now in prison will be in tortured and executed because they will not deny the name of Christ. Finally, there's the crown of glory first Peter 54 is a very unique crown which those who faithfully teach and preach the word of God and shepherd God's people faithful pastors like the one we have here. Grant Castleberry, who faithfully teach the word of God. They will there crown of glory to guess I guess if I don't best Baltimore football team. What you will go off of whatever you want you working striving because you want to win a prize.

Nothing wrong with that God created competition applicable have competition in heaven and I don't think I'll ever lose love my hair anyway. I simply go to competition heaven.

That's another sermon.

See, God loves others he loves athletics he lost was to strive to to be successful, but he wants us to do it in Christ for his glory. Listen member the.

The runner was a movie trip so far. I don't. He said when I run.

I feel God's what pleasure Gottfried's do all these things that we love doing them is nothing wrong with it. We just want to do them for his glory.

Finally, you want to live a life cover warts. And here's the third way. Live your life pursuing holiness and this is not easy to live in a very fallen world. Look at verses 42 to 48 if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin will be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off is pretty drastic and it is better for you to analyze main then with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. This is from the mouth of Jesus. Now if your foot causes you to see and cut it off is better for you to analyze crippled and have to feed to be thrown into hell. If you are tells you to sin, pluck it out is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one didn't have to ask anything of the hill where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. So me in his the bottom line. How can you and live holy lives in this world we live in little what he's telling us here to take drastic measures because sin is a serious matter, how can we do it. Let me share just a few verses from Colossians chapter 3 where Paul writes since then you been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things for you.and your life is now hidden in Christ in God. We Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory to believe that but is is put to death. Therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature, sexual immorality, impurity, lust, Dr. found that interesting to those in the first three things he mentions that's probably what more was here struggle with anything else, sexual immorality, impurity and lust, evil desires and greed which is idolatry.

So there's a lot I could say about this time is limited. Let me just give you three things meant to help you as I'm preaching to myself to live a life of holiness is not learned one thing guys about holiness. That's what you fun, happiness and joy. First, set your hearts and your minds on things above.

How do you do that Springtime a lot of time in God's word spent a lot of time in prayer and ask God to help you listen to Christian radio.

Second, get rid of it or lease go to hedge of protection around anything in your life because you to sin you television your computer's cell phone which is like a computer. Certain places in certain people. John Doe and said be killing sin. Sin will be killing you and it will would it take drastic measures and third join a God-fearing spirit filled work preaching church and to develop friendships with godly man who can and will hold you accountable if you take these three steps and you asked the Lord meant to give you strength to live a life is pleasing to him, he will he will help you because one day the Lord Jesus Christ is going to return to this earth. Man when he comes back the second time limitation something he's not coming back as a baby wrapped in a manger. He's coming back as the judge of the world and the Bible says is going to separate the sheep from the goats is will separate believers from unbelievers. Believers will stand at the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded, but unbelievers will be summoned to the great white throne judgment. If you want to write about that. You can read about that in Revelation chapter 20 verse 11 through 50. Let me just read that it will close with this John writes, and I'm not trying to scare you because you won't to share with some 20 oh Godzilla David if you are new here to American you never been down that river and you didn't know you could never falls was a mile ahead. Would you want to know about it you know you will.

And if you out there on the river headed towards Niagara Falls will join a minister that might be telling you I have a good day, God loves you that's what most churches are doing no hey guys turn around or you going to die. So this is what will happen to those who refuse God's grace and mercy. Jesse Johnson given a vision from out of Patmos of this coming judgment. Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them and also the day a great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another but was open, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.

The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them.

Each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. If anyone's name was not written found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire because Jesus said more about hail than he did about heaven. He described hill in vivid detail what you think Jesus did this he did want to go there.

He loves us is his warning, repent, come to me that you might have eternal life that I hope you live your life in a way that pleases him so that you will have great reward in heaven. So me and as I sit a few minutes ago. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. It didn't matter how old you. You want to finish well that's what I told the Lord, you know, if you're Lord messed up a lot like Stephan with messed up a lot as Christians. I want to finish well. Do you don't waste your life, the spray and the father thank you for this day. Thank you for your word. Thank you Lord for everything that you are teaching us. Thank you that these men came here tonight to hear more from you in another.

They did Lord will take this war penetrate their minds and hearts as well as mine and help us to live.

Is this the managing creators to be as your sons help us to live a life being a Christian is not about being religious but about having a dynamic alive relationship with Jesus Christ you been listening to finding purpose with pastor Russ Sanders local triangle ministry glorifying God by helping men and their purpose for living, and discover more about finding your purpose in life by checking out the resources finding purpose.net will connect to finding purpose on Facebook pastor Russ would also like to extend a special invitation for you to join him in over 300 other local tribal men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

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