Sunday, February 24, 2019

The Commands of Christ – Part 6: Ask, seek and knock, do unto others, choose the narrow way and beware of false prophets

The Commands of Christ – Part 6:
Ask, seek and knock, do unto others, choose the narrow way and beware of false prophets
HOFC - Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

This Document is a Sermon Outline, you may hear the full audio of the actual sermon by following the link Online Audio Files located above for this, and other Full Sermon Audios.  For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org, or Truth Digest on facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on facebook at House of Faith Church

SERMON INTRODUCTION
Matthew 28:18-20
 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nationsbaptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


SERMON SERIES
Part 1 – Make disciples, baptize them and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you
Part 2 – Repent, follow Me, rejoice and let your light shine
Part 3 – Honor God’s Law, be reconciled, do not lust and keep your word
Part 4 – Go the second mile, love your enemies, be perfect and practice disciplines in secret
Part 5 – Lay up treasures in heaven, seek God’s Kingdom, judge not, do not cast pearls
Part 6 – Ask, seek and knock, do unto others, choose the narrow way and beware of false prophets
Part 7 – Pray for laborers, be wise as serpents, fear not, and hear God’s voice
Part 8 – Take my yoke, honor your parents, beware of leaven, and deny yourself
Part 9 – Despise not little ones, go to offenders, beware of covetousness and forgive offenders
Part 10 – Honor marriage, be a servant, be a house of prayer and ask in faith
Part 11 – Bring in the poor, render to Caesar, love the Lord and love your neighbor
Part 12 – Await my return, take communion, be born again and keep my commands
Part 13 – Watch and pray, feed my sheep, baptize my disciples
Part 14 – Receive God’s power and make disciples

TODAY’S SERMON
Part 6 – Ask, seek and knock, do unto others, choose the narrow way and beware of false prophets

SCRIPTURE READING
Jesus is giving this command, to Preach, Baptize and Teach, to everyone who is a follower of Christ Jesus.  Then to the disciples, and today to His disciples.


       I.            ASK, SEEK AND KNOCK
a.       Ask and it will be given to youseek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to youFor everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8
                                                             i.      The Lord is listening
                                                          ii.      If you are truly looking for Him, you will find Him
                                                       iii.      And if you knock (your act of obedience) He will answer (His response of blessing)
                                                        iv.      “Yeah, well I asked to be a millionaire!”
1.      That’s why Jesus didn’t stop talking with these verses, but continued…so you would have an understanding.


b.     The Lord has made Himself available to us!
                                                             i.      “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:9-11
1.      You see, when you ask, you will receive, not what you ask, but what is GOOD.
2.      If you ask for something that would be bad for you, you will not receive it…i.e. if you asked the Lord to make you a millionaire, if that would be bad for you, then you just asked for a stone, God will still answer, but give you bread.
                                                          ii.      Therefore, do not ask the Lord for a snake, and get angry when you receive a fish!


c.      He supplies our needs and answers our calls
                                                             i.      But gives ONLY that which is GOOD


   II.            DO UNTO OTHERS
a.       “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12


b.     Treat others the way you want to be treated.
                                                             i.      Not because they “deserve it”
                                                          ii.      Not because they are “good people”
                                                       iii.      Not because you “like” them
                                                        iv.      But because the Lord COMMANDED it!


c.      Matthew 5:46-47
                                                             i.      If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?



III.            CHOOSE THE NARROW PATH
a.      “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14


b.     Jesus is that narrow gate
                                                             i.      John 10:7Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.”


c.      Only one way for the sheep to enter! Through the gate!
                                                             i.      John 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”


IV.            BEWARE FALSE PROPHETS
a.      “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15


b.     You WILL recognize them!
                                                             i.      Matthew 7:16-20 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”


c.      The Warning is clear
                                                             i.      You will recognize false teachers by their fruit
1.      They may say the right things, but what they do will be wrong
2.      They may preach “fruits of the Spirit” but they will LIVE fruits of the flesh!
3.      Galatians 5:19-21The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
                                                          ii.      You will know a false teacher by the way he lives, not always by the words he speaks
1.      Preaches scripture, commits adultery
2.      Condemns sin, abandons his family
3.      Performs baptisms, lies and cheats
4.      Proclaims Christianity, but breaks laws of the land and commits illegal activities
5.      Claims allegiance to Christ, but lies to Elders of the church to hide his sins
                                                       iii.      They are teaching others to live in the Spirit while all the while they live for the flesh and its desires.
                                                        iv.      They are false teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing
                                                           v.      When their fruits expose them, what are we to do???
1.      I Corinthians 5:13 "Expel the wicked person from among you."



CONCLUSION
Matthew 28:18-20
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus promises His us, while we are obeying His commands to preach, baptize and teaching others to obey His commands, He will be with us to the end of this age!

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?   

Want to hear the audio to this sermon?   



No comments: