Sermon Central
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It's Time To Serve The Lord
Contributed by Andrew Huson on Nov 23, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: A call to change from a mindset of simple believing to a mindset of discipleship
It’s Time To Serve The Lord
“The Call Of Jesus”
THEOLOGY AT NW
Thankful for mentor opportunity
Fan of my dad’s preaching
12 year list of best
Last week was one of my personal top 3-get tape
Something stirring-conviction
-Andrew you must seek me
-I have been so busy with life that I haven’t taken time to seek God-not pray-seek
1. Conviction
2. Repenting
3. went home determined to seek God
4. I Did It
That is what the preaching of the Word is to do for you
-The word demands a response
Don’t let yourself grow cold to the word
-So many are cold to the blood and the cross
John Rogers-I walk away different
When you hear the Word you should walk away different
Its time to serve the Lord
-A Call to change—think about our Christian walk
AIRPLANE STORY
A call to change from a mindset of simple believing to a mindset of discipleship
CHURCH STORY
God is not looking for weak Christians, He is looking for Christians who are strong, determined, and willing to stand up for what is right
It’s the call of discipleship
It’s the call to relentless pursuit of God
The call of Jesus is not-A cowardly Call
-A half hearted Call
-not an easy call
The call of Jesus is an extreme call
-Those that follow his call must pay a price (over 100,000 believers are martyred every year)
Although you may never face death there is a price to pay
God did no call you to be a mere believer he called you to be a disciple
If you are going to be a disciple:
1.Jesus must be first
-you must get rid of things in your life that keep Jesus 2nd
(3 pastors)
Like these pastors there are things in each one of our lives that we must lay down
If you want to fully experience me there are some things you must give up
You may do all the religious things, but if you put anything before God you will have lack
For this man it was his riches-not that he had them-he put them first
How do you know he put his riches before Jesus? He wouldn’t give it up
What is it for you?
Growing Problems
What is first in your life? Business, Job, House
What do you need to sacrifice?
2.It will cost you everything (38)
Missionary
In reality to bear your cross is much more then temporary trials
I bore my cross this week-I did nursery
-went to wend night prayer
To bare your cross is much more then a degree of sacrifice you face this week
To bare you cross is to have a willingness to give your life
Those who carry a cross are condemned to die
Every disciple except John was martyred
James-beheaded
Peter-crucified
Simon-crucified
Mark-burned
Barthalemew-beaten, crucified, and beheaded
Philip-stoned
James the brother of Jesus-Thrown off the top of a temple
Matthew-killed by a spear
Andrew-who while being hung on a cross made this powerful statement, O cross, I most welcome and long for you! With a willing mind, joyful and desirous, I come to you, being a scholar of him who did hang on you, I have already been your lover and longed to embrace you
Loved ones the cross isn’t something to be ran from but something to be embraced
MARK BUNTAIN
Successful doctor-on his way
One summer he went on a short trip to India
Dr Buntain worked among the sick of Calcutta
Leprosy
-That’s embracing your cross-following Jesus no matter what it may cost
It is easy for us to sit back here in our church and say I would embrace the cross
It is easy for us to say we would give our lives
It is hard for us to say we will give over our pride
Our plans
Our ambitions
Our habits
Before you can embrace the cross you must embrace the way of the cross-which is the way of discipleship
3.It is worth everything (39)
A. CLOWN CAR
The things we give up as a disciple are temporal
The things we gain are eternal
B. Phil 3:7-11
To know Jesus
To embrace the call of Jesus-the path of the cross
It is more precious then life itself
C. Grandpa H
-Its not worth the sacrifice because of what it may gain for us
-Its worth the sacrifice because of what Jesus did on the cross
1 Pet 1:18-19
-Because He paid such a great price nothing we face because of our following him is to much
GOD IS NOT LOOKING FOR MORE BELIEVERS HES LOOKING FOR DISCIPLES
