Matthew 16:25….Ready

Matthew 16:25….Ready

16:25 For whoever wants to save  his life  will lose it, but whoever loses  his life for me  will find it. (For Complete Expository See Book)

Extended  Sermons

“Teaches you can live life on your terms, which leads to lose, or on God’s terms which leads to life. .” ⇒ How has living life on your terms worked out? Not to good I bet! When we abandon God’s rules and start doing whatever we want our life starts getting really bad, really fast. Our terms are limited and temporary. God’s terms are comprehensive and lasting. We often go for the quick fixes that don’t last and often sets us back.  Only by living life on God’s terms leads us to our true purpose and destiny. Ask yourself this, where has living life according to your terms gotten you? I know for myself that it just got me into a lot of trouble and produced loss and shame. Pray and ask God to help you to begin living life on His terms, and you will see your life and everything that you value steadily improve. God’s terms of life will bring true blessing.

“Teaches rather than run our life our way, thinking we know best, turn it over to God and what He says is best.” → Often times we think we’re wiser and smarted than God when it comes to life choices and what’s best for us. But when life feels overwhelming and uncertain, it is wiser to relinquish control of our lives to divine wisdom. Will you surrender your life to God’s guidance, trusting that His plans are ultimately better for us than our own. Because God created us and loves us, we can trust that He has a better outcome for our lives than we could ever imagine. Because God knows all and sees all, we can trust that even if our plans don’t turn out the way we originally thought, He is a redeemer who works all for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Trusting in God’s plan can bring peace and clarity, guiding us towards what truly is best for us, even when we might not see it ourselves. Embrace the faith that there is a greater good at work, and allow it to lead you to where you are meant to be.

“Teaches how true life is found in giving it away in serving Christ and helping others” ⇒  True happiness comes from service. God designed you to be happiest when you are giving your life away. It’s when you give your life away you’ll uncover a greater joy, a greater peace, a greater happiness. Giving yourself away in serving and helping others reduces stress and depression, and improves your mood, as well as increases longevity. Additionally, giving can lower your blood pressure, protecting your heart and providing similar results as those of a healthy diet and exercise. One study found that on days people volunteered their time, they had lower levels of cortisol, resulting in reduced stress. In addition to all the health benefits above, giving results in greater happiness and satisfaction. Studies have shown that when helping someone else or giving a gift, the body secretes endorphins in the brain: Serotonin, (a mood regulator) Dopamine, (a pleasure and feel good chemical) and Oxytocin, (a compassion and bonding chemical) which creates a sense of connection with others. These give you an immediate “helper high,” that warm, fuzzy feeling of joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction—and the effects can go on for weeks. Generosity also triggers the release of pleasure and satisfaction hormones in your body, resulting in the potential for improved mood, improved motivation, and even reduced pain. The effects of giving can have a positive impact on our overall health and wellbeing. Giving your life away to charities can make you feel pretty good about yourself. There’s nothing quite like doing something for someone else to put a smile on your face. Even when we’re not feeling our best, if we put some kindness back into the world it can help us feel a little better in ourselves and about the world around us. It’s been said “If you’re not serving, you’re not living; you’re just existing”.

“Teaches how Jesus doesn’t want us to settle for a easy and comfortable life when He has something far better for us in Him.” ⇒ The same is true for us now and for eternity. Jesus is telling us to deny ourselves because he has a better way for us for this life…….(To be continued)

“Even today, you can save your life by living a happy and safe existence. A life least demanding, least costly, least offending. Or you can live for Jesus and find true hope, peace, purpose, and fulfillment. ” ⇒ How often do we want to avoid the reproach, the hostility, the persecution, the intimation that goes along with being a Christian, so we clam up. Are you the type of person who only serves Jesus up to the point it gets too painful then you bow out. Do you only follow Jesus up to the point that it starts to cost you something then you stop. That the sacrifice just isn’t worth it. When faced with a choice between Jesus and the comforts and pleasures of this life which will you choose? When faced with a choice between Jesus and the approval of others which will you choose? When faced with a choice between living for the world and living for Christ which will you choose?

Additional Notes & Applications

Calls for hating our old life and the person we used to be, to living for God and who He created us to be.

Calls for staying true to Christ when everyone else in the world around us are not.

Warns against living a double life in wanting the delights of this life and the spiritual things of Christianity.

Warns against thinking we can have all of the wealth, and all of the self-promotion, and all of the self-preservation and still follow Jesus.

Prepares believers for paradoxes in the Christian faith. A paradox is defined as a statement or situation that seemingly appears self-contradictory on the surface, but in reality, reveals a deeper or more insightful truth. It often involves two seemingly opposing ideas that can both be true simultaneously. Paradoxes are used in literature, philosophy, and everyday conversations. Some paradox’s we often come across in everyday life are things like:  “Hurry up and wait.” We think how can you hurry up and wait. It’s a paradox and seeming contradiction. Or “The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know.” We think if I’m learning more, doesn’t mean I’m getting smarter. It’s a paradox and seeming contradiction. Or “The more you try to impress people, the less impressed they’ll be.” We think if I’m impressing them with my knowledge and skills, how can they not be impressed. It’s a paradox and seeming contradiction And Jesus here says “Whoever wants to Save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will find it.” We think how can saving and preserving my life cause me to lose it. Wouldn’t saving my life help me keep it. It’s a paradox and seeming contradiction Or how about the Apostle Paul in his Second letter to the Corinthians gives a whole list of paradoxes in the Christian life; “Always being sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” (2-Corn. 6:10) We think how can you rejoice in hardships , trials, and sufferings. It’s a paradox and seeming contradiction.

Today our culture says if your going to be somebody you need a successful career, wealth, reputation, and status. You have to gain peoples respect and leave a lasting legacy . The world says that you need to look out for # 1 and get what is yours. It’s all about looking out  taking control of your future, and making your own destiny. Not realizing that we’re not that good at knowing what’s best for us

Ways We Try To Save Our Life’s

• We try to save our lives by becoming a workaholic, that there’s no time for God.

• We try to save our lives by engrossing ourselves in entertainment, doing things we enjoy.

• We try to save our lives by handling the situation & outcome ourselves rather than on God