What Matters Most In Life!

I almost died this week... The words, “I love you.” became meaningful to me. Love came alive in Janet, when she didn’t want to leave me even though they kicked her out.

Almost every phone call - the words I love you were spoken from the heart.

Tonight - Communion - I will tell about the walk to Emmaus - 70 men

Title---- What Matters Most In Life!

ILL>>> Calif. fires. People grabbed what mattered most and ran.

What is the first thing you think about or worry about when your house is on fire? The People in it!

ILL>> Rick Warren - PDL>> When you die you wont ask for your trophies, diplomas,

Gal 5.1-5

Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails (matters) anything, but faith working through love.

What Matters Most In Life! Love is the key to attracting the lost to church!

I. Love is what saved us Jn. 3:16

A. Any attempt to be justified to God by doing good is worthless legalism.

What matters most 1st your salvation! Are you really saved?

Let me tell you about some false salvations.

*Family salvation - family baptized

*joining the church

*Baptism salvation - what are you counting on?

*Believe in Jesus (invite in) - in bed at night have you ? -- are you counting on this?

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Real salvation = 1. Admit 2 Believe (turn away from sin to Jesus) = repentance & faith

1. >>>>> Pray the sinners prayer

2. >>> Who prayed that for the 1st time today?

B. For God so loved ...-- We have that same love toward others.

- Do we act as if we earned our salvation?

7You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you. 9A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is. 11And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!

Many men are afraid to say- I love you. - Scott Brown called me while I was in the hospital. Says guys hug w/ 3 pats on the back that say “I’m not gay”. - Men don’t be afraid to say “I love you” more often -

What Matters Most In Life!

I. Love is what saved us

II. Love is how we serve

A. Love looks for ways to serve

13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

quote -- “Love is my decision to make your problem my problem.”

B. Love does not fight and argue

14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

Continually biting and devouring like wild animals in deadly combat, i.e., a picture of church fights. Mutual destruction by slander and criticism.

ILL>>>A young soldier was going off to fight in World War II against the Japanese. As his father put him on the train and waved good-bye, he turned with bitter tears and said, "If my son is killed, I hope every Jap in the world is killed!" Yet the fact that the father was a Christian made it difficult to feel that way in reality. He had a fierce struggle with himself and finally realized that it was not Christian to hate, whether his son lived or died. He declared rather, "I will not hate. I refuse to be destroyed by hate!"

A year later the son was killed. Soon life insurance money arrived. The father did not really need the ten thousand dollars so he sent it to the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board and designated it for missions to the Japanese.