christians believe weird things!. 1. what choices does god give us? heaven or hell! (then - grace!)

CHRISTIANS CHRISTIANS BELIEVE WEIRD BELIEVE WEIRD

THINGS!THINGS!

1. What choices does God give 1. What choices does God give us?us?

Heaven or Hell!Heaven or Hell!(Then - grace!)(Then - grace!)

2. Why doesn’t everyone make the 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice?right choice?


a. They haven’t heard the good a. They haven’t heard the good news.news.


a. They haven’t heard the good a. They haven’t heard the good news.news.

b. They don’t want to give up b. They don’t want to give up what the world offers.what the world offers.


c. They are afraid of being c. They are afraid of being hypocritical.hypocritical.



d. They don’t want to commit.d. They don’t want to commit.



d. They don’t want to commit.d. They don’t want to commit.

e. God’s way doesn’t make e. God’s way doesn’t make sensesense..

I Corinthians 3:18-23I Corinthians 3:18-23Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you

thinks he is wise by the standards of this thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”futile.” So then, no more boasting about So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all or death or the present or the future — all are yours, are yours, and you are of Christ, and and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.Christ is of God.


f. It sounds too easy.f. It sounds too easy.

Fool Fool ((μωρόςμωρός) = dumb, stupid.) = dumb, stupid.


f. It sounds too easy.f. It sounds too easy.

g. Too intellectually proud.g. Too intellectually proud.

3. God’s way & Satan’s way are 3. God’s way & Satan’s way are opposedopposed to each other! to each other!


a. Satan’s world encourages us a. Satan’s world encourages us to be to be independentindependent..



b. God’s way is to . . .b. God’s way is to . . .Cast all your anxiety on him because he Cast all your anxiety on him because he

cares for you. - I Pet 5:7.cares for you. - I Pet 5:7.



b. God’s wisdom is . . .b. God’s wisdom is . . .. . . the power of God for salvation. - Romans . . . the power of God for salvation. - Romans

1:16.1:16.

4. What do we Christians believe 4. What do we Christians believe that sounds weird to the world?that sounds weird to the world?

I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!Find It!

A. What does the world say?A. What does the world say?

I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!


B. What does God say?B. What does God say?


Matthew 10:34-39 - Do not suppose that I have Matthew 10:34-39 - Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find and whoever loses his life for my sake will find itit..



B. What does God say?B. What does God say?Matthew 10:37 - Anyone who Matthew 10:37 - Anyone who loves his father or loves his father or

mother more than memother more than me is not worthy of me; is not worthy of me; anyone who anyone who loves his son or daughter loves his son or daughter more than memore than me is not worthy of me; and is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.follow me is not worthy of me.



B. What does God say?B. What does God say?Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and

his righteousness, and all these things will his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.be given to you as well.

1. Give up every temporary 1. Give up every temporary interest . . . & you’ll have real interest . . . & you’ll have real permanent life!permanent life!



B. What does God say?B. What does God say?Love the Lord your God with all your heart and Love the Lord your God with all your heart and

with all your soul and with all your mind.’ with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest This is the first and greatest commandment. - Matthew 22:37commandment. - Matthew 22:37

2. How about earthly loyalties?2. How about earthly loyalties?




Lose your earthly life in Jesus &Lose your earthly life in Jesus &you will find heavenly life in you will find heavenly life in

eternity!eternity!



II. You Must Be Last to Become II. You Must Be Last to Become First!First!


II. You Must Be Last to Become First!II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

Mark 10:28-31 - Peter said to him, “We have left Mark 10:28-31 - Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!” “I tell you the everything to follow you!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions) and fields — and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. in the age to come, eternal life. But many But many who are first will be last, and the last firstwho are first will be last, and the last first.”.”




1. There’s no room for 1. There’s no room for selfishselfish pridepride in the Kingdom of God. in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 23:12 - For whoever exalts himself will Matthew 23:12 - For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.will be exalted.




1. There’s no room for 1. There’s no room for selfishselfish pridepride in the Kingdom of God. in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 20:1-16Matthew 20:1-16




2. Humbleness & dependence are 2. Humbleness & dependence are more important than more important than achieveachieve--mentsments!!



II. You Must be Last to Become First!II. You Must be Last to Become First!

III. You Must Become Weak to Be-III. You Must Become Weak to Be-come Strong!come Strong!


II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

II Corinthians 12:7-10 - To keep me from becoming II Corinthians 12:7-10 - To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, sufficient for you, for my power is made for my power is made perfect in weaknessperfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all .” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am For when I am weak, then I am strongstrong..




1. The more you rely on God’s 1. The more you rely on God’s power, the stronger you will be power, the stronger you will be to accomplish God’s work!to accomplish God’s work!




2. Why are we not as effective as 2. Why are we not as effective as we could be?we could be?

We try it on our own efforts without We try it on our own efforts without God’s direction & power!God’s direction & power!


Conclusion:Conclusion:

Who are you going to trust?Who are you going to trust?

God or the world?God or the world?


Lose your life in God!Lose your life in God!



Be last in your own eyes & the eyes Be last in your own eyes & the eyes of the world!of the world!



Be last in your own eyes & the eyes Be last in your own eyes & the eyes of the world!of the world!

Regard yourself as insufficient for Regard yourself as insufficient for the task!the task!

You can become a dynamic You can become a dynamic influence as a shining light!influence as a shining light!

You can prove to this world that the You can prove to this world that the wisdom of God is the only wisdom of God is the only

genuine way to life!genuine way to life!

christians believe weird things!. 1. what choices does god give us? heaven or hell! (then - grace!)

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