The Way In, Is All In Series

“The Way In, Is All In”

Matthew 8:18-22

QUESTION – who here in this room or watching online is ready to dive into some...

• ‘alive and active’

• ‘sharper than a double edge word’

• ‘judging the thoughts and attitudes of your heart and mine’

Word of God?

OKAY – let’s do this!

NOW - I want to start off this morning with a few passages of Scriptures that God breathed...

2 from the pen of Paul, and 1 one from the pen of Luke

BUT BEFORE – we read them I think it would be a good idea for us to pray... because today’s conversation just might be one of the most important one’s that we could ever have.

(palms open)

Prayer

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.– 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. – Galatians 2:20

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. – Luke 14:25-33

May God bless and empower the reading of His Word!

AMEN.

SO – we are in a verse by verse study of the Gospel of Matthew (The King and His Kingdom)...

AND AGAIN – from the day we launched it, the goal of this study has been...

To gain a greater understanding of both who Jesus is, and of what it looks to live in the Kingdom that He established 2000 years ago. So that we would: know Jesus more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly... day by day.

NOW – if you remember... when Jesus finished the Sermon on The Mount, the crowds were amazed because Jesus

Spoke as one who had... ‘authority.’

AND THEN – right after that powerful sermon, Jesus came down from the mountain, and began to demonstrate that authority. AND MGCC – that is what Matthew chapters 8 and 9 are all about...

JESUS – demonstrating His authority over all things: over nature, over sickness, over demons, over sin, over death, over the grave and over how we must live out our lives if we choose to follow after Him. Requires

AND AGAIN... Here’s the deal... here’s the point that God is making through Matthew in these two chapters...

Since Jesus possess absolute authority in the world, He therefore warrants/demands/requires... absolute allegiance from the world.

From: you/me/right and left

Get It?

AND LISTEN – here’s the deal...

Everyone walking on this planet right now, whether or not they acknowledge or submit to His authority...

NEVERTHELESS – is still under that authority.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me’

–Matthew 28:18

MGCC – it’s May 21st 2023... and we will be unpacking Matthew 8:18-22, in a conversation that I am calling,

‘The Way In, Is All In’

A conversation where Jesus will demonstrate that He has absolute authority to tell us how we must live, if we choose to follow after Him.

UNDERSTAND B/S – Jesus is the one who determines what following Him involves and requires, not us.

Get It?

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, He gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to Him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” Another disciple said to Him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” - Matthew 8:18-22