Spartanburg 1st Church of the Nazarene

-Path - hearing but not understanding
-Rocky ground – receives with joy, has no root; falls at tribulation
-Sown among thorns – cares of the world choke away
-Good soil – bears fruit; multiplication

“The removal of the stoniness of latent self-will and spiritual hardness is a promised privilege inherent in the new covenant and exactly what occurs in sound repentance and entire sanctification.”
-Dr. Ralph Earle

You and I are to be sacrificial.
Like Jesus’ parable of Sower, the seed must die for new life.

Having to die to self is hard.
I mean HARD!
Paul gives us the key to die to self in verse 1 in one phrase.
Primarily in 2 words (3 words if you include the modern English
preposition): By the MERCIES of God.

οἰκτιρμός
(oyk-ti-mos) (auk tea, moss) compassion, manifestations of pity
“My grace is sufficient”

After the encounter w/ Rich Young Man
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus tells the man he knows the commandments.
Head knowledge, Behavior
Jesus knew of the barrier – wealth and his possessions
Tells the man to sell everything, give to the poor
Have treasure in heaven, come, follow me.
Left sorrowful, possessions

Self-reliant. Rich young man had “great” things.
Understood that there are more than great things.
God does not require us to be penniless.

His Value and his trust were not in God.
Our wealth is in God.
Our faith needs to reflect that.

Peter begins to rationalize: “We have left everything, followed You”
Peter’s heart was going to continue to receive work as well.
Word of caution for us as we are journeying.
We have to be open to the Spirit to work.

Be careful. We think of the cultural/behavioral barrier in the world outside
the church.
Sometimes the most dangerous cultural/behavioral barrier is within some of those INSIDE the church.

Jesus instructs that what we leave behind we will receive 100 fold.
Be careful. NOT a prosperity gospel.
Houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, lands and…
persecutions.

The cares are not always “bad” things.
Rather sometimes the cares are “good” things that get in the way of our
relationship with God.

Don’t walk as the Gentiles
(superiority of the Jews? – NO)
Alienation from God, life of God.
If you don’t know God, it’s impossible to live the life of God.
There are a lot of people who know exactly what a Christian should look
like.

Think about the depictions you see of people who follow Jesus.
How many of them were positive?
Easy enough to see in secular circles.
What about “Christian” circles.
Wooden, Unrealistic.
Darkened understanding
Hardness of heart
Callous
Practice every kind of impurity

Put off the old self
Put on the new self
Speak truth, to our neighbors.
Neighbor as self.
Who is my neighbor?
There are no Lone Ranger Christians.

“Therefore having”
We need to back up, 1 verse, Spirit.
Who has the Spirit?
Ministers
That isn’t just the minister that stands before you.
We are ministers
(man/woman, young/old, rich/poor, black/white, English/Spanish/Russian)
We are ministers
Let light shine.
Shone in our hearts,
Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
This isn’t Optional.
It isn’t part-time.
“I can do all things…Except”
Our excuses for why we can’t do ministry will NEVER measure up
to the calling and the empowerment of THE Holy God.

“What will others think?”
Social pressures.
“He’s a fanatic.”
Cultural pressures
“She can’t do that.”
“He isn’t smart enough”
She isn’t engaging enough”.

“What will I have to give up?”
Fear
Pride
Self-reliance
Safety
What could you or I hold on to, fear losing, that would be greater than an eternity with God?
An eternity with the gratitude of “Well done, thy good and faithful servant”.