Mat 4:18-22; Build Something That Will Last.

Class Outline:

Tuesday March 12, 2024

 

Introduction. 

Fear of the Lord: ROM 3:17-18 in comparison of LUK 1:78-79 [Zacharias’ prophecy] (quotes ISA 9:2) and adds “To guide our feet in the way of peace.” 

 

The conclusion: without the fear of the Lord you will not find the way of peace. 

 

Temporal vs. Spiritual. 

 

The good fight of faith, is a struggle that is rarely fought in the hearts of believers. That is because it is the clash between two different worlds, the temporal world and the spiritual (eternal) world.

 

Life is fleeting: quote from Shakespeare (Macbeth):

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

 

Many Christians struggle to give up the seen for the unseen.

“There is a general tendency to treat Christianity as a component of life along with other components such as family, work, and finances. This compartmentalization fosters a dichotomy between the secular and the spiritual.” [Kenneth Boa, Conformed to His Image]

 

Life for the believer is not compartmentalized, but all of it, every part of it, is done by a resurrected you under the Lordship of his or her master.

 

Hodos: the way is Christ and it is narrow, [click in] MAT 7:13-14; JOH 14:6. Time is our most precious earthly possession. 

 

Find the way and walk it before you run out of time. 

 

Idea:

Following Christ in all areas is going to lead you to work with everlasting results.

 

The ability to do things that are lasting, even to eternity (PSA 90:17; JOH 15:16). 

 

Psa 90; written by Moses, advanced in years and painfully aware of the brevity of life. The psalm begins with a meditation of the eternity of God, which is then sharply contrasted with four images of the transitory nature of humanity.

 

JOH 15:16

 

The Exodus lost their God given opportunity forever (1CO 10:6 - let’s not crave evil things like them…).  

 

When Jesus calls the disciples He promises that He is going to make them fishers who catch men. He does not call them to experience their own personal salvation, but to ministry of others. Is that only true of apostles, or all of us? 

 

Works are not a requirement of salvation, but they are a part of the call of salvation, i.e. of following Him. 

 

These works for others are lasting, eternal. 

 

Jesus called you to a life that begins with a school, salvation immediately puts you in His school. The way of Christ is many things, of which is ministry to others. If you do not have this then either you are not on the way or have not traveled far on the way. 

 

If we value the world first then we will seek only to manipulate people to get what we want and activities will take precedence over intimacy both with God and people. We will have amassed temporal things that disappear like a sandcastle.