What Are You Prepared To Do?- Part#2

Hey this is Mike Swick from if not for God podcast our show stories of hopelessness turned and I hope your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. This is part two 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 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, glorifying God by helping men find their purpose for living. For more information and to connect with Russ Andrews and finding purpose could visit us online@findingpurpose.net connect with us on Facebook.

Now let's listen to Russ Andrews as he teaches us how to be a Christian without being religious is planning a back alley nothing happened. I think of politeness.

I think you look at her son, the second person of the Trinity in eternity past and he said son what you prepare today and you know what the son said father not my will but thy will be gone the same conversation he had in Gethsemane when the father probably once again sits on what you prepared. Jesus was sweating a lot 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 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 stink about Stephan. Think about Tim up there everybody in here. The way this is what the Lord were doing things that he refers the price paid to set a captive free and that's exactly what Jesus did when he shed his blood on Calvary. He paid down the ransom 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 perfectly written 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 it what it is you see what Peter what he did right there in the presence of whoever was there. The toilet laced, he made a public confession before men you 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. This running. I got baptizes and efficacy of our group. The Methodist Church I got news from one site in that moment I know I was doing well. Remember, it is my guess is one year old says register dedication service. If I ever do one but it's not. That's 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 45 he baptized this past Sunday, but the man 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 of the Christ of God, and as you said 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 let 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 22,000 stuff. Great. I have more time to do what I get to do like it asked for the last two days. My 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 capital is not the right time for me at any suit in the hour. His not here, and when he finally gets to the Last Supper.

He said 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 refer 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 five times the Son of Man is it pictures what he had to do here to come to this earth literally had to humble himself.

Leave the glories of heaven and ever come in the form of a man. He was born of a woman and they 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 man 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 and me 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.

That's why the crucifixion, only to six hours. Most men it took 2 to 3 days and 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 are 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 his appointment 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 a 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 and then he 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 prepare today, many turned away. Gilroy John chapter 6. The teaching got too difficult for them to accept it in Jesus look the disciples as John six we going to leave 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 insured, 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. We need to 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 you 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 involves total commitment. You can't be halfhearted. Either you 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 that it was 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 because 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 yeah you can order the like by your buddies right well you choose Jesus sometimes friendship with your buddies.

Remember in John 1518 through 21 Jesus is the world will hate you because my name sortie prepare today. Somebody once said of sandlot. I think that if you not being persecuted. I want to work on a witness.

You really are convicting his second must take up the cross. Let me just give you William Henderson William Hendrickson's wonderful commentary on this. He says the underlined figure is that of a condemned man who is forced to take up and carry his own cross to the place of execution, have a what the convict does under duress 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. Try doing that in a Muslim country in injuries and I don't think they'll kill you in nothing that will kill you.

Father will kill her son have read about it.

She 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. There won't days and nights to get to an underground church to make five hours gas and convicted by this.

Okay I'm not preaching at you on preaching at New York I sortie prepare today what I prepare today at about Asia's 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, Bramley MAI burn 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 with alkyd Indians and they were all spirited.

If Elizabeth Ellen her book shadow of the Almighty says just get rid this book getting rated shadow of the Almighty.

You can borrow my website when he died, his was right about her husband when he died he left little value is the world regards values of material things.

There were few home in the jungle. A few well-worn close 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 where they found them. 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 froze all in these letters and diaries. The testimony of a man who saw nothing but the will of God who prayed that his life would be an exhibit of the value of knowing God.

The interest which accrues from this legacy is yet to be realized is hinted at in the lives of Indians that help us to determine to follow Christ, persuaded by Jim's example in the lives of many who write to tell me of a new desire to know God is. Jim did his death was the result of simple obedience to his captain and he puts me to shine.

I just went on a little mission trip to Latvian came home early because it was one tough enough. You know what was in America today is a watered-down version of biblical Christianity effect is not really Christianity at all. We really look at what Rooker shanty as you look at our country and get this is a joke. JC Ra was an evangelical Anglican Bishop in Liverpool, England, he lived from 1860 to 1900 that was over 120 years ago and I want you to listen to how he describes Christianity in his status back in the late 1800s in in England there is a common worldly counter Christianity in this day which many have been think have enough that she Christianity which offends nobody and requires no sacrifice, which cost nothing and is worth nothing, which last time you went to church and got offended the process that we go to church. Defendant am I going to church to be offended that I got news for the gospel is offensive and when you read the Bible. It it convicts us to the core. Why look at our lives in negative self, which we are power trips is the spiritual DNA of man is selfishness. Anybody disagree with her annual percentage of people attend church these days in England, the 5% 5%. This is where John and Charles Wesley and John Wesley on George Whitfield and so many others were preaching the gospel and it was forcing all throughout Europe and in anger.

What happened to what happened. Progressive liberal theology swept through the church in the 18th century sheep in the 19th century during the age of reason Mama severs myself I think is right. The 1800s when when reason replaces faith as the basis for Christianity reason. Faith, which rest on reason's and ask you something to happen to America with our happening cartoonist is dropping like a rock when just a few years behind Europe and England, unless men don't yield God do with 12 men he turned works identically could do this group right here, right here in Raleigh's revival gas receipt listen following Jesus is costly but is one of my heroes to the late Darlene Rose to sit the compensations formed with the cost sorely compensations the way the stage III. I'm almost look at verse 24, 25 who wants to save his life will lose it, but Eva loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for man to gain the whole world and yet love Lucy's wing will forward his very self is so sees a deal this is care for gas if you want to destroy a life in your soul reject Jesus and live your life to please yourself is L Budweiser commercial said no. But remember, the more your goal go.

I want to live.

So what grab all the gusto you can really is a problem with this with thinking. Elisha leads to the destruction of your soul and death were running will design for ship, where we were designed to worship God and God alone will you worship any and everything but God just read Romans chapter 1, we worship success against is nothing else except that we worship it we worship success and pleasure in sex and money and fame Wesley doing what she destroy ourselves. This would would destroy our souls would not be in God critters to be worship of him. You see worshiping ourselves is draining distraught huge ranges of life. All the party and all the success all the money and fame is never so satisfying dear why is it was never meant to be living your life consumed with self is dying a death by a thousand cuts and every time you live for self serve God. What you do is you take a long life in your cutting your soul over and over and over again.

On the other hand, gas is the good news. Living for Christ worship him in all that you do actually fees your soul merges in my food is the work of innocently food Fiji every time you data self and live for Christ.

Your soul is satisfied and strengthened and gradually over the course of time by trusting and obeying God toward man telling you I tried it both ways.

You become like that stationary lighthouse out in the rough ocean they can withstand the bearing of the wind and waves you become like a wise man who built his house on her on the rock when the rain comes in the streams rise in the wind blows and beat up on you. You still standing you become like a tree planted by streams of living water. Someone says blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand a way that sinners take, or sit in the company of Mark know which market are you hanging out with but his delight is the law of the Lord in all his law he meditates day and night. He's like a tree played by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not with whether whatever he does prospers. Does the prosperity gospel, by the way you want your soul to prosper us all that matters is the man who truly follows Jesus in this life is becoming like Christ himself in one day men will not be with Christ but we go to share in the coming glory of Christ in this. The fourth stage, we men were designed for glory is were designed to be like God not God but like him in thought, word and deed so that we are have the light of life living in us like a lily by a stream. Look at verse 25. If anyone is ashamed of me in my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and the glory of the father is a holy angel cement don't be ashamed of. The one who paid the price for you. Don't be ashamed of publicly confess Christ Jesus to your family or friends. If you're ashamed and you will you not truly data self and you get one of his followers.

His little warning. William Hendrick says something very interesting, perhaps very telling about us. Together the three that is deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.

Together the three indicate true conversion followed by lifelong certification. There is a question have usually been converted. The masses of gas, close with this. There's a bright day ahead. This run is so dark I can't believe it, but there you have great hope is because I have the light of Jesus shining in the in Jesus is my banker, I'm clinging to gas every day and life is probably a lot more difficult in this world you would share in the coming glory of Christ what you reverted to the possible says enclosing Philip and flipping story. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.

And so, somehow, to attain the resurrection from the dead, you want to become like Jesus.

We want to share the suffering is what is UNICEF and you will share in his glory, and this earth is passing away very fast. In fact, milligrams/was the most amazing thing you've learned about life. He said the brevity the sprite family father, thank you for this man.

Negative sit there and listen to me as a sometimes give a very on their hardier message but it's the truth or use of the truth will set us free, always in the room or to experience joy and peace to be the manager creditability so that we can walk around what I hit him hard not from pride but because we know you and we can be about your business.

Sharing the truth with others. So I ask you to bless the pavilion here and Lord watch over us and much of the people of Ukraine and I pray, amen. 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 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 men to study God's word together every Tuesday night at 7 PM in downtown Raleigh. Find out more finding purpose.net. This is the Truth Network