building solid lives - part 1

8/7/2019 Building Solid Lives - Part 1

1/4

Pastor Jon Cobler January 22/23 2011Church of Living Water Saturday/SundayOlympia Foursquare Church

BUILDING SOLID LIVESPart 1

TEXT: Luke 9:23-26

I. INTRODUCTION

A. The Truth will set you free.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him , If you abide in my word , you are truly my disciples , and you will know the truth, and the truthwill set you free. (John 8:31-32 ESV)

1. Believing in Jesus as Savior doesnt mean you are automatically walkingin freedom.

2. Freedom = Fullness

3.The title of Christian doesnt make you free anymore than having a gymmembership makes you fit.

4. The problem: We can hold the title of Christian without experiencing thetransformation of being a disciple.

B. Every believer is called to be a disciple...Every disciple is a solid life.

1


2/4

II. THE BLUEPRINT FOR A SOLID LIFE

A. Take up your cross and follow Jesus.

And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me . For whoever would save his lifewill lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man beashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of theholy angels. (Luke 9:2327 ESV)

B. Come after : to come, to arrive, to be in the vicinity of someone or something

1.COME AFTER = THE CROWD

2. Characteristics of the Crowd :

a. They have a mental understanding of the ways of Jesus.

b. They have been recipients of the miraculous works of Jesus.

c. They can speak the Jesus-speak.

d. They can testify of what theyve seen Jesus do.

e. They are observers.

C. Follow : to imitate, learn from, to be a disciple of

1. FOLLOW = THE CORE

2. Characteristics of the CORE :

a. They have an experiential understanding of the ways of Jesus.

b. They have seen and participated in the miraculous works of Jesus.

c. They can speak Jesus-speak with authority.

2


3/4

d. They can testify of what Jesus has done through them.

e. They are participants.

D. Everyone will begin their journey of faith by COMING CLOSE to Jesus inthe crowd, but we were not created to SURVIVE in the CROWDwewere created to THRIVE in the CORE!

E. What is the bridge between the CROWD and the CORE?

1. It can be summed up in eight words: deny himself and take up hiscross daily

2. Choosing His way above our waynot one time, but every day!

III. THREE EXPERIENCES EVERY FOLLOWER WILL FACE ON THE ROAD TOA SOLID LIFE

A. A Release

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

1. Jesus didnt come to improve us, He came to exchange His nature for

our nature.

But that is not the way you learned Christ! assuming that you haveheard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,and to put on the new self , created after the likeness of God in truerighteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:2024 ESV)

2. The five Mes you dont want to be.

a. The Me I pretend to bebecause I want others to think Imimportant.

b. The Me I think I should bebecause I compare myself to others.

3


4/4

c. The Me other people want me to bebecause I believe the wordsthey have spoken about me.

d. The Me Im afraid God wants me to bebecause I misunderstandor dont trust Gods heart for me.

e. The Me that fails to bebecause I try in my own strength

3. The final Me:

a. The Me I am meant to bebecause I am a child of God and a newcreation in Jesus!

B. A New Pursuit

1. Jesus doesnt change your gifts or your personality, but He redirects your pursuit to build up His way of life on earth.

2. What does my life reflect that I am pursuing?

C. A Resolve

1. What happens when we dont possess the power to do what we haveresolved to do?

2. The power of the Holy Spirit.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away,for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7 ESV)

3. No one is immune from the temptation to doubt, to be afraid or to strugglewith faith.

4. The resource that anchors our resolve is the Holy Spirit.

4

building solid lives - part 1

Documents