What Jesus Is After

What Jesus is After

I know in the beginning, things can be awkward, but let me encouarge you, walking with God is the most eternal decision you can ever make.

I remember awhile back, when my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, went to church and it was just hard for me to understand. It was one of those Sundays, that we went to church, but both Laura and I just weren’t there. How many of you know what I’m talking about? I’m gonna be watching you guys today!

We were just kinda phasing in and out, and I looked at my wife. She was so much more spiritual than I. I was looking at the windows and she was taking notes. So I looked at what she was writing. She was drawing these pictures of flowers, so I knew we were there, but we just weren’t there. So there we are, and I thought, you know, beign the romantical guy that I am, I’ll give her a scripture that would woo her while we are in church. I look up a love book. If you want a romantic book in the bible to read, it is the Song of Solomon. So I turn there and read a verse that says…

“Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly destroyed.” Song of Solomon, 7:7

You know. Romance. Impress Laura. So she looks at the verse. She looks at me. At the verse. At me. Gives me a weird look. I smile at her. Remember we are not married yet. She points out the verse to me. I actually read Song of Solomon 8:7, not 7:7. Chapter 7:7 says…

“The stature of yours is like a palm tree, and your breasts its clusters. I said, ‘I will go up to the palm tree…”

I don’t know if they should put that kind of stuff in the bible. It gets people like me in trouble.

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If you have a bible, turn to Matthew 11:28-29

Sometimes, its awkward as we start in our walk with God, but we are laying our foundations today to make sure our foundations are pact tight.

I remember awhile ago when a mall that is open today, was first built. I remember how immaculate it looked, but over the next few years, the parking lot quickly got large potholes, and the parking lot began to fall apart.

I remember asking my dad what happened. Now he is not the authority in laying pavement for parking lots, but here is what he said and I always remebered it. He said, “Ty, when they get ready to lay the pavement, they need to pack the foundation in tight, because if they don’t, when the pressure comes, the road is going to crack.” That is what you are doing today. Laying your foundation tight, so that when the pressure comes, you don’t crack.

Today I wanted help lay some foundation for you. I’ll be talking to you about Salvation. What does it mean to be saved? How am I saved? So what do you say? Let’s pray and we will get into it.

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The teaching I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light” Matthew 11:28–29.

You might say, “I’ve tried that. I’ve read the Bible, I’ve sat in on church, but I’ve never received relief. I’ve never really changed all that much.”

If that is the case, could I ask a question? I don’t want to be insensitive, but could it be that you went to religion and didn’t go to God? Could it be that you went to a church, but never saw the Christ?

“Come to me,” the verse reads.

It’s easy to go to the wrong place. I did when my family and I first went to the Water Park. I was in Kapolei heading east to the park when it was actually further west. One wrong turn. We ended up in Waipahu and my wife had to force me to go where NO MAN GOES! Ask for directions.

Went to a nearby gas station, and after struggling with my pride, I went up to an attendant and admitted that we were… LOST, and asked how to find the water park. The attendant was very gracious, looked at me and said, “You went the wrong way in Kapolei.”

Now, I had several options I could take. First, I could have pouted and sighed, “Well, there must not be a Water Park to go to. Looks like I’m stuck.”