TOPIC: YOKED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (3)
TEXT: LUKE 9: 23 – 26
23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
INTRODUCTION
On Sunday, 1st of January we introduced this topic. We spoke about (
The Satanic yoke.
The agricultural yoke, And also
The Spiritual yoke.
And on Wednesday, 4th we continued…with DENY YOURSELF and TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY.
LAST SUNDAY we considered
Vs. 24. 23 Then he said to them all: “
…………………. QUESTION. DO YOU HAVE EARS?
Now. Let us look at Vs. 24. ….. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. (NIV)
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” We concluded with
LET THOSE WHO HAVE EARS HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT IS SAYING…
TODAY
We shall continue with the theme as we are led of the Lord ….and we shall focus on Vs. 25 and 26. – 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Please permit me to again point out certain things I am seeing….certain words that stand out to me….GAIN and …..LOSE. it reminds of the elementary Accounting I did in Form 3 in 1973/74. I remember that one prominent thing in accounting is PROFIT and LOSS, about DEBITS and CREDITS It is ASSETS and LIABILITIES…………
In Accounting, it is all about these two sides of the ledger….all ultimately falls into either one or the other
Accounting comes out of doing Business….in the Business of God, it is about PHYSICAL and the SPIRITUAL. It is about HEAVEN and EARTH
The question that should agitate our minds today is that for all that we do, are they an asset to God or liabilities to Him?…………………
Again, if we look closely at that same verse, we can see that it is indeed possible to ‘gain’ on earth and lose heaven.
- So, don’t think that because you gain prominence, you gain money, you gain position on earth then it means that God is with you? NO……………….
- Don’t think because you look good in the sight of men is an automatic endorsement from Heaven
Vs. 26, shows us a classic way to gain the world and lose yourself….. when you do not carry the banner of Christ into the things you do….. when you are ashamed of Jesus, ….
- Will you carry the Banner of Jesus this year and wave it continually?…..will you be a flag-bearer for Jesus this year…..
- To you school
- To your business
- To the world…..
CONCLUSION
The Lord Jesus said, if you are ashamed of waving His flag……the flag He gave you at the cost of His blood……….all He is asking you is …lift it high…… let the world see……
- Wave it with Love
- Wave it with your Commitment
- Wave it in service
- Wave it in spite of opposition from men
BUT IF YOU ARE ASHAMED OF HIM……………
- He will be ashamed of such a person……………
HOWEVER…. maybe you do not even have a flag to fly……GET YOURS TODAY
Read Part 1 Here
Read Part 2 Here
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