Fickle Series

Sunday Morning, September 22, 2002 Bel Aire Baptist Church

Series: “Walking With Jesus” [#3]

SLIDE 1

FICKLE

Matthew 16:13-24

Introduction:

SLIDE 2-3

Romans 7:14-18

1. I don’t know about you, but this is how I feel. I know how God wants me to live. I know God wants me to serve Him in all I do. But, I spend most of my time failing.

2. Living the Christian life is a way that glorifies God is difficult. In our text we find Peter doing well one moment and messing up the next.

Matthew 16:13-20

SLIDE 4

Confessing Christ

1. Often times we will listen to what others are saying enough that we become confused. Many were saying that Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets; but did Peter believe them. No! Peter knew the truth and was not going to allow worldly opinions to cause him to sway.

2. Not only did Peter know the truth, but also he was not afraid to tell it. Peter was allowing God to work in his life. God had reveled to him who Jesus was.

3. Peter was doing well and Jesus blessed him for it. Don’t you like to be told you are doing well? Isn’t it good to know that your life is pleasing to God? The Keys is the Message of Jesus Christ. The only way to Heaven is through Jesus but our lives can lead people to or away from Jesus. Christians you have the keys to Heaven? Peter knew who Christ was and wasn’t afraid to say so. How about you?

Matthew 16:21-23

SLIDE 5

Confronting Christ

1. What happened to the Spiritual Peter? Peter went from confessing Christ as the Son of God to confronting Him.

2. It is easy for us to hear something and make decisions, especially when we are feeling spiritual. Here lies the problem. When we begin to feel spiritual we forget that it is God that produces those spiritual things, not ourselves, and the next thing you know we are doing the talking, planning, and decision making for God.

3. Peter had no problem confessing Jesus as the Son of God but he had a huge problem with Jesus dieing on a cross. The cross was a symbol of terrible shame and humiliation and Peter just wasn’t going to let that happen. Peter had allowed his flesh to jump in and he started looking at things from the world’s view.

Matthew 16:24

SLIDE 6

Luke 9:23

SLIDE 7

Committing To Christ

It so easy for us to follow Christ in a church setting, but what about following Christ all the time? How do we possibly follow Christ all the time? This is how:

SLIDE 8

1. Deny self: To be a follower of someone else means that you’re opinions, your ideas, your plans, your actions, and your will don’t matter. You had no say so about your hair color, your eye color, who your parents are, etc… God determined that. Your only decision is your will. You can surrender that to God or don’t.

SLIDE 9

2. Take up your cross daily: I like Luke 9:23 better because of one word, “daily”. We must take up our cross daily. By the way, things like church attendance, prayer, Bible study, etc… are not your crosses. Those things you should be doing. The cross-it is talking about is about is those things that demand sacrifice upon your life. Those things that “Knock” you out of your comfort zone.

SLIDE 10

3. Following: It is easy to confess Jesus as the Son of God, but to follow Him is tough. Do you want your life to please God? If so, you must do these three things daily.

Conclusion:

SLIDE 11 (Blank Slide)

1. What’s it going to be for you? Do you confess Jesus as your Savior? If not, don’t’ leave here today without having surrendered your life to Him.

2. Christians, have you been committed to Christ? Are you denying self, taking up your cross, and following Him? If not, when are you going to?

3. You do want to please God don’t you?

SLIDE 12-17 (Invitation Hymn 315 “Room At The Cross”)