What Are You Prepared To Do?- Part#1

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This is part one of a special two-part episode.

Do you feel like you're on a religious treadmill. Do you feel like Christianity is just a system of rules and 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, you, do you feel like your faith is dead or alive today.

Pastor Russ Andrews will walk us through Scripture to answer these questions join us on finding purpose, glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living.

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What are you prepared to do when we look at Luke chapter 9 verse 18 through 26 men were my favorite movies of all time is the Untouchables – share this with our NC State group showed up yesterday. By the way after spring break and $16 while Van how they would confess anything but when presently are. But anyway, none of them have ever heard of the Untouchables so I got Sherry as Asiatic as any of never the Untouchables ability.

Clint University Untouchables – symbols are usually familiarity is a carton right guess is this one of my top five or 10 movies. Anyway, the movie stars Sean Connery, who by the way, my wife said I look like him as a people say that baby cables and then she does. This is getting nowhere fast he likes to gossip in the movie the Untouchables Sean Connery Plaisted. If you are solemnly replace the dissolution, by the name of Jimmy Malone, and Malone has spent his career but he walking the streets in his face at the reflection of all the chronic corruption that he had witness in the city under the control of a monster by the name of Al Capone. In one famous scene. Malone is sitting in the second row appears in our Lady of sorrows church and next to him as a young man who looks about half his age that he is habitation loans were in a crumpled brown tweed jacket and his general grape slacks and a young man is wearing a tan blue striped suit. His face appears as innocent as an altar boy's. His name is Eliot Ness. Doesn't this restore about what the time is 1931 in the place Chicago CONS was sent to Chicago by the FBI one mission to bring down this Capone to justice wanted FBI get involved because the Chicago Police Department was totally corrupt witness season.

Malone is the one cop he believes he can trust. However, she Malone is now faced with a decision. She just will continue in a doing his beat and retire with this tension of single get reengaged in a fight that may cost him his life before Malone can decide what he's going to he puts forth a very important question to Mr. Ness and this is while they were meeting secretly and discreetly in this church is are sitting there and disappearing in the `for women dressed in black or say in their prayers before blades of blue candles and so was quiet in this church and in the same Malone turns to NASA and begins to explain to him the rules of the game you said you wanted to get Capone. Do you really want to get him to see what I'm saying is what you prepared today. Ness says anything within the law and then we prepared today. He asked if you open the can only swarms you must be prepared to go all the way, is not going to give up the fight until one of your stead. I want to get Capone out how to do it.

Your ragged how to get Capone.

They pull knife you pull a gun. He says want to go to the hospital using one of his to the morgue – the Chicago way that I get Capone now do you want to do that.

Are you ready to do that I'm offering you a deal. Do you want to steal this as I have sworn I have sworn to This man with all legal powers at my disposal and I will do so and then Malone looks up to heaven and he says he size bus will God hates a coward.

He turns running jabs Ness in the side and in this shakes his hand and he says you know what a blood oath is Mr. Ness.

Yes, he says, guess what just took one that's the thing. The July my British accent. Let me just say this, the Chicago way is not going to repeat this. Not the way of Christ. But the question is just as relevant. If you say I want to follow Jesus to let me ask you have asked myself what you prepared to do what price you want to pay.

In other words, what is the true cost of being a follower of Jesus Christ.

In today's world. That brings us to Luke chapter 9 verse 18 through 26. I just go to verse 26 judgment to get with verse 27 is missing from this text is sure to light how to show you before fourfold progressive stages man fourfold in their progressive stages that we each must take.

If we say I want to be a man who follows Jesus in here.

Stage one if you want to follow Jesus, then you must be willing to confess him publicly. Are you willing to do that. Look at verse 18 through 24, citing you once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him. He asked him who the crown say I am, they replied, some say John the Baptist others say Elijah still others that were the prophets of long ago as come back to life and then he looks at them.

I think you look right at peters's.

But what about you, who you say I am a Peter answered boldly as he always did, the Christ of God's I would contend that the first truth that Jesus is trying to lay out he's got the 12 and is trying to teach them consistently to be crucified and leave please prepare them for his departure is trying to show them that the people have no idea who is the godmother would do are probably hundreds there who will follow visual all disciples for their clueless just like most people today don't really understand who Jesus is. So let me ask you who is Jesus to you who should have been to them will he should of been to them what the Bible says the Messiah would be like the long-awaited Messiah whose profits at all throughout the Old Testament it would be the anointed one man that God was send into the world to save his people from their sins, but usually here lies the problem the people. This promise Messiah was to be someone like Moses, that's what they said maybe the prophet come back to life like Moses and Burma. Moses was the deliverer who rescued them from Egyptian bondage and what they want they want another deliverer result set them free from Roman rule say what they failed to understand is that is not what their scripture said you see the Old Testament foretold of a suffering servant who would die a sinner's death man and he in that suffering servant would bear the wrath and the punishment of God is the Lamb of God, thus, withhold all test was about this coming Lamb of God if this was John the Baptist who was the forerunner he was like Elijah. That's what I said maybe is a larger babies, the forerunner with the forerunner or come. His name was John the Baptist and he pointed at Jesus in the crown say look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. So he identified him, which is a the people blind to this truth, you why because they wanted a Messiah of their own imagination just like today people the God of their own imagination.

They want their Messiah to be crowned without a cross. In fact, the cross was not even in their theology, but it was in God's theology is he got the cross man was God's plan before he even created this world did you know that first Peter chapter 1 verse 18 through 20.

Peters, reflecting back on the Old Testament.

He says this for you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

He was chosen when before the crease the world but was revealed in these last days for your sake. Even before God spoke creation into existence. The cross was and is mine's plan. If that guy your thing happen it in your exact likeness. I think you look at his son, the second person of the Trinity in eternity past and he said son what you prepared today and what the son said father not my will but thy will be done the same conversation he had in Gethsemane with a fellow brother once again said son what you prepared to Jesus was sweating blood droplets because of the stress on him. He had never been separated from his father. He didn't have an spec of cinnamon and he actually knew beforehand what kind of suffering. He was ready to endure the humiliation. Do you know why he did that because he when he was on the cross he was thinking about you and your second matinee stick about Stephan. Think about Tim up there everybody in here. The way this is what the word redeem things that he refers the price paid to set a captive free and that's exactly what Jesus did when he shared his blood on Calvary. He pay down the ransom heap. He paid the price of redemption for you and they set us free and obligate Jesus picked up the leg of the 12 who was paid or was he a perfect leader. No, but he was a leader and he asked in the most important question mended every single person must answer that.

Is this what about you who do you say Jesus is your buddy get the answer that question squared away before you die the way this is what believers baptism is all about and what it is you see what Peter what he did right there in the presence of whoever was there. The 12 at least he made a public confession before men had he done that to this what believers baptism about that's what believers baptism. If you're the New Testament, as always happens after conversion.

That's where there's no such thing a New Testament of infant baptism is running. I got baptizes and efficacy of our group. The Methodist Church I got these from one site and that moment I know I was doing and remember, it is my guess is one-year-old social adjuster dedication service. If I ever do one but is not does not baptism. Baptism happens after you converted, and this is a chance for to stand up in a place like behind that screen stand right we have we have for five here baptizes past Sunday but there behind that screen who stood up here before church's shared publicly that they have placed their trust in Jesus Christ sees, and its announcement to the world that you had.

I have decided what to follow Jesus.

What no turning back there turning back, Peter answered. You are the Christ of God… And that you think what he said you are the Christ of God.

He really understood what he was saying. Not really, but he hadn't mustard seed of faith. Just like the thief on the cross and that's all Jesus needs to say, and he knew that what he didn't understand he would learn his fate would grow. That's what happens when you decide to follow Jesus and you begin to study God's word, your faith is born you just begin to blossom and grow.

Jason turned to the toilet and what he did in the next two verses is eventually shared with him what the true gospel he is.

Look at verses 21 and 22 stuff great. I have more time to do it. I get to do like it asked for the last two days of office just studying this this text Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone why he said the Son of Man has the gospel must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed in the third day he be raised to life. I got news for this was news to them really knows his first three things out of this. These two verses. The reason the reason he wore them not to tell anyone at this point was made was this one time is time had not yet come.

He was only divine time schedule. That's why when you look to the gospel. John, he would say things like my time is not yet come to his brothers for you anytime you get his resume type is not the right time for me at any city or the hour has not here, and when he finally gets to the Last Supper wasted hours here. He was only divine timeframe gas and he will and will get ahead of God. His father is a lesson there for you and me. Yes, when you want with the Lord you are in his hands, and you want to walk with him day by day step-by-step. Don't fall behind, and don't get ahead second, Jesus referred to himself with his favorite title was his favorite title. Jeff, the Son of Man wanted to use that title.

First of all, he was droning back to Daniel chapter 7, where the first reference of the Son of Man in the Old Testament, and because he he wanted to pick us to Ross and the reason that he is favorite times.

The Son of Man is it pictures what he had to do. He had to come to this earth literally had to humble himself. Leave the glories of heaven and ember come in the form of a man.

He was born of a woman and then he had to live a perfect life. Why, in order to qualify as the perfect lamb. Remember, without defect is the perfect lamb.

He would then be an acceptable sacrifice to a just God's heavenly father, and then then he could bear a condemnation guilt or shame our sin, and he in that moment on the cross he received God's just punishment that was due to you in the third before he endured the cross, the Messiah had to according to Scripture, be truly humiliated that that involve public shame which included neck in this marking ridicule splitting and brutality at the hands of a group of soldiers that were a lot like Putin and they did everything the killing when they flog them. That's why the crucifixion, only to six hours. Most men it took 2 to 3 days in all of this was prophesied in the Old Testament view of the ironic thing is the therapist, the elders, the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. They pretty much had the Old Testament memorized memorized you backward and forward, the city will blind God's they were blinded by their own man-made religion, just like many are today. All these religious men had to do was to understand Isaiah chapter 53 what the prophet Isaiah, who lives several years before the birth of Christ is looking into the future page describing what the coming Messiah would do what it would be like, but he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the file is laid on him the son. The iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted it. He did not open his mouth.

Remember when he stood before Herod who'd cut off the head of John the Baptist agency awarding him disappointment in God, stop speaking to you, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and there the Lord makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days as a reference to what the resurrection, because he poured his life under death, and was numbered with the transgressors. Verse 12 says for he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the trends aggressors – you and me. He intercedes for he could use the media to get between us and God so that we can be restored to the relationship that God intended for each one of us to have me to what happens here in Luke chapter 9 in Luke verses include chapters 1 through four.

The inauguration of Jesus ministry begins with Bessie John the Baptist announcing that he is the Lamb of God, and then from chapter 4 through chapter 9 we see Jesus when he goes to Nazareth United is rejected by his hometown of any, begins his Galilean ministry which we been written about what now guys the hours approaching and so he does here in chapter 9, he turns his face towards the cross and at the same time, he begins to break the news slowly to his disciples that pain, suffering and death all await him and now he puts his question before them, what you prepared today, many turned away.

Gilroy John chapter 6. The teaching got too difficult for them to accept it and Jesus what the disciples says in John six we going to lead me to know what Peter said nine W. Can we go you're the one who possesses eternal life. Look at verse 23 run is your shirt and the cost of following him. They said to them all if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me to his what we need understand men. Unlike what Joel O'Steen is telling you which is but you know what following Jesus is costly is far from a stroll through a park on a Sunday afternoon when you make a blood oath with Jesus which bases make the blood of your lien what you're doing and that moment is your your coming after him. By the way would assist come after me.

What he means literally in the Greek is to attach yourself to me and be my disciple. That's what the disciples had done when they drop their nets. They attach themselves to Jesus and say well in some images tell you this following Jesus involved total commitment. You can't be halfhearted either.

You're all in your really not in this is stage II and includes three aspects deny take-up and follow. Let me explain this to you briefly. First, you must deny yourself as you be willing to turn away from you all way of life.

You really done that to people searching see a change in your you the same approach you've always been similar things.

We all have selfishly engaged in like partying, getting drunk, hanging with the wrong crowd trying to climb the ladder of success in order to make more and more money, and when the applause of men see the motivation is wrong, then all these things, you must deny yourself as the world is always enticed Peter get more by the way, you can no longer expect to be in the cool crowd as much is some leaf turning out, including the County wanted you. You can, or the like by your buddies right well you choose Jesus sometimes friendship with your buddies. Remember in John 15, 18 to 21 Jesus is the world will hate you because my name sortie prepared today. Somebody once said of sandlot. I think that if you not being persecuted.

I want to work on the witness.

You really are convicting his second you must take up the cross, we just give you William Henderson William Hendrickson's wonderful commentary on this. He says the underlined figure is that of a condemned man who was forced to take up and carry his own cross to the place of execution, have a what the convict does under duress, the disciple Jesus does willingly and voluntarily and decisively accept the pain, shame and persecution is going to be his particular note he is not someone else's lot because of his loyalty to Christ and his calls. Luke even retain Jesus's insistence on making the taking up of one cross a daily assignment see in America is so easy just to be a Christian and you know I not much of the sacrifices and not much persecution. Try doing that if you're Jewish in Israel and you convert to Christianity or try doing that in a Muslim country and enjoys my don't think they'll kill you in love that will kill you. Father will kill her son have read about it. He was a son who turns to Jesus is what you what that's what he sees that Sandhu is your you did not. My name in your dessert and your family. Therefore, we dessert you and they will put a price on your head. What happened if that happened in America and you know for sure is sure she will be arresting him if he will show the church see in China. The wall days and nights to get to an underground church to meet five hours Convicted by This. Okay I'm Not Preaching at You on Preaching at New York I Sortie Prepared What I Prepared Today at about Age Life You Have Third You Must Follow Jesus All the Way to the End of Your Life. This Means to Trust and Obey Mother Because One of My Heroes Is Jim Aylett You He Was at Wheaton College Back in the Late 1940s and He Kept a Journal Which I'm Just Amazed at His Spiritual Maturity When He Was a Junior in College.

He Wrote This on January 17, 1948 Jim Elrod in His Journal. God, I Pray the Light. These Light These Idle Sticks of Mulattos Take a Match in Light Witness Permanently and They Are Burned for the Consumer Life. My Gosh, What's Yours I Seek Not a Long Life, but a Full One.

Like You, Lord Jesus and Guess What He Died in His 20s. In 1956, 1 PM for the Men Who All Had the Same Calling Went to Ecuador to Share the Gospel without Indians and They Were All Spirited. If Elizabeth Ellen Her Book Shadow of the Almighty Says He Just Didn't Read This Book Getting a Rated Shadow of the Almighty. You Can Borrow My Website When He Died His What She Wrote about Her Husband When He Died He Left Little Value Is the World Regards Values of Material Things. There Were Few Home of the Jungle. A Few Well-Worn Closing Books into the Men Who Went to Retrieve the Bodies of the Five Commissioners Brought Back to Me from Jim's Body His Wristwatch and from the Beach. They Found Him. The Board Pages of His College Prayer Notebook. There Was a Funeral No Tombstone for Memorial No Legacy.

Then She Asked Was It Just As If He'd Never Been to. She Says Jim Left for Me in Memory and Force All These Letters and Diaries.

The Testimony of a Man Who Saw Nothing but the Will of God to Pray for His Life Would Be an Exhibit of the Value of Knowing God. Being a Christian Is Not about Being Religious but about Having the Dynamic Alive Relationship with Jesus Christ You Been Listening to Finding Purpose with Pastor Russ Sanders Glorifying God by Helping Men and Their Purpose for Living. You Can Discover More about Finding Your Purpose in Life by Checking out the resources@writingpurpose.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 men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh.

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