CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE
“BUILD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS”
INTRODUCTION
1. What a wonderful day, the sun is shining, the temp is great. I am so glad, and grateful to our Creator. You see, I have reason to be happy and excited. My mighty God that takes care of me.
2. I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today, I know that He is living, no matter what men may say. I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice cheer, no matter where He leads me, He’s always there. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today, He walks with me, and He talks with me, along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how, I know He lives, He lives within my heart. (Taken From a Hymn)
3. I am glad that each and every one of you has taken time to come to church today, but there is one question that I must ask you today. “Why are you here? Have you come here for the right reason? Who is it that you come here today to worship?
4. Perhaps, some of us have come here out of obligation to self, so that we might secure our place in heaven. Perhaps some have come here because it is Sunday, and that is what we do on Sundays. Perhaps some have come here searching for an answer to a question. Perhaps some have come here for entertainment. Perhaps some have come here to help ease the hurt and pain. Perhaps some have come here today to hear this great preacher???? Perhaps some have come here to meet the King of Kings Jesus Christ, as He is the one who shall be proclaimed and glorified today. AMEN. HALLELUJAH. Whatever reason that you came here for, I pray that you find what you are searching for.
5. Beloved of Jesus, as we continue in our sermon series in Christian discipline, let us recap last week’s sermon. We saw that as Christians, we need to be disciplined in our walk, and that it is a mindset, not a feeling that falls on us. I urged you last week to decide who you will follow. Either the prince of the world, or the King of Heaven and earth.
6. I need to ask you again today: Who are you going to follow? Who is going to be your King? Who is going to make the decisions in your life? It had better be Jesus Christ the Son of God.
I. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD.
A. The Order Of The Creator.
1. In the world that we live in, man has elevated himself to the level of God. In fact, if man thinks it is ok, then he believes that he has made a law that governs the whole universe, and yet man is so insignificant in the total scheme of things.
2. Have you ever considered for a moment the size of man in the universe. Here is man that thinks that he is so mighty and all encompassing, and yet man has not even set foot on the planet mars, let alone even been to the milky way to see what it is.
3. Consider the atom. The atom is so miniscule, and yet so complex, and controlled by a force, which no one understands. They know it is there, but what is it. Man is able to observe it, and yet can man create it and control it. No! man can sort of manipulate it, but create it, never.
3. All of this is in perfect timing, the planets or the atom never ever get out of time or sync. They never loose their force that controls them and keeps them together.
4. Now some men, want you to believe that this all happened by mistake. It is a mistake that all the planets and atoms work so precisely. Beloved, this is not the truth, no matter how much man wants to be his own creator, it is not the truth. Everything that is precise and magnificent and perfect has a creator.
5. If I was to look at a beautiful Swiss watch, and suddenly exclaim “look at this fantastic watch, that happened by accident. I was walking along, and suddenly there was a bang, and this watch formed itself to start with as iron ore, and began to just assemble itself. I would be ridiculed and locked up. All has a Creator. nothing ever happens by accident. It is not always intentional, but there is always a cause and effect principle in the universe we know.
B. Jesus Is The Son Of God
1. Brothers and Sisters, as you look around, I want you to consider the masterful Creator of all that we are, and all that we see, and all that we could ever be. Who is this Creator, and why did He do this?
2. One of the places, where I try to get all my questions answered, is the Bible, and so let us go to the Bible and see what it says.
a. Firstly, in Genesis 1 it tells us that God made everything. We do not see His name until He speaks with Moses, and He says that His name is Yahweh, which means I Am.
b. Secondly, we see that God created mankind and everything for mankind, because He wanted a creation to lavish His Love upon, and be loved in return.
c. Thirdly, we see The Creator, in human form throughout the Bible, but get to really know Him in the New Testament. JN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
3. We see that God created all for it to be His, and gave mankind free will so that love would not be forced and commanded. But that which was His rejected Him and wanted to be god himself, and did not return the love that God desired.
4. And so God had to demonstrate His love to His creation.
a. JN 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him
b. ROM 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
C. Jesus Is Knocking At Your Hearts Door.
1. There may be some who will say, “Well isn’t that a nice story!” But let me share with you, it is not a story, it is truth, and here is the kicker. This truth will adversely personally affect you one way or the other.
2. Jesus Christ, is very desirous of having a personal relationship with you, and the choice is up to you whether you will let Him do that. Jesus stands at the door of your heart and knocks and knocks. Will you let Him come in and be the Lord of your life, or perhaps have a different relationship with Him?
3. Friends, there are different relationships that people have with
Jesus Christ.
a. Some will state, “I know of Him.”
b. Some will state, “He is God,” and keep Him in a distant temple, separate from our lives, only when I need Him.
c. Some will state, “He is a weak lover and will never destroy us, because He loves us.”
d. Some will state, “He is Master, and I must work hard for Him to make Him happy.”
E. Others will state, “He is Lord, and I know Him, and He knows me.”
4. The question that we have to ask ourselves, is what do we say about Jesus, and how do treat Him. Do we know Him, and does He know us? Listen to me, as this is important, and the eternal position of your soul will depend upon you answer. MT 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
5. Jesus must be one with you. Everything you do must be centered on Jesus Christ and His will for your life. Let Him know you, and be a part of you.
II. JESUS IS REALITY EVERY DAY
A. Jesus Is The Loving Servant.
1. I want to share with you today, that I will not serve a God that is not real in my life. I became a true Christian after I researched all the options, and when I saw that Jesus Christ is real each and every day in my life, then I fell under His spell of love.
2. I want to share with you, that in turmoil, pain and suffering, that I have gone through in my life, there is only one person that never deserted me in my time of need, and that is Jesus Christ. I know, because I know, that Jesus has never stopped loving me, and caring for me, even when I wanted nothing to do with Him and was rejecting Him, He was there for me. RO 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. Jesus came to save me, teach me, comfort me, protect me, strengthen me, heal me, uplift me, encourage me, wash me, purify me, and above all to make me holy and presentable to the Father in Heaven. LK 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." and I was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see. Praise the name of Jesus Christ!
4. Jesus, even though God, came to serve my needs, and I have many needs, and each and every day He provides for me. He looks after me. I love my Jesus, because He loves me and cares for me.
5. There is a song taken from Song of Solomon, which says, “I am my beloved’s and He is mine, His banner over me is love.” This is exactly the way it should be between Jesus and us.
B. Jesus Is The Trustworthy Friend
1. One of the saddest things that I have ever come across, is that many of my friends that I knew as a youngster are no longer in contact with me. It seems that we sent our separate ways, and no longer have anything in common. I to America, and them to who knows where.
2. One thing I know about Jesus Christ, is that He will never let me go. Even if I want to end the friendship, He will work and work at getting us back together. He will never grow tired or weary of me. He is constant in my life, and never is too busy for me.
3. He will never force Himself on me, and will give me space, but is always there waiting for me to invite Him back into the relationship. Jesus is the beautiful faithful bridegroom, that never leaves us for someone else. HEB 13:5 ….."Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
C. Jesus Wants Your Unfailing Love.
1. Beloved of Jesus Christ, will you fall in love with Jesus, and make Him the first and important one in your life. Jesus desires to be more than just your God. He desires to have relationship with you. He desires to walk with you, He desires to hold you, care for you, provide for you and be one with you. JN 17:20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
2. Are you in love with Jesus? If not, then perhaps you don’t really know Him. Perhaps, He is not the Lord of your life. Perhaps He needs to be elevated slightly in your opinion. Is He your all in all? Do you seek Him out in every situation. Do you share with Him, and does He share with you.
3. For too long, we have prostituted ourselves to the prince of this world and believed his lies, because we thought it would benefit us, but in fact it has just made us worse, and at the end of the day, it has turned each of us into prostitutes that turned away from our Husband and Creator.
CONCLUSION
1. Beloved, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? If not, then what is stopping you from coming to know Him. He is waiting for you.
2. What is holding you back. Search your soul and honestly share with yourself what the barrier is that is stealing your eternal salvation away from you.
3. Jesus wants you to be His, and He wants to be yours. Will you make the good confession of faith.
4. Will you pray to Jesus, asking Him to become the Lord of your life. Perhaps you have once known Him and have turned away from Him, seeking destructive pleasure rather than righteous goodness. Come back now, repent, ask for forgiveness and He will lift you up.
5. Will you make the decision to take a stand now, and gain that pure, holy relationship with Jesus?
