Pleasant Garden Baptist Church Podcast (Sermons)

"The Way of Jesus" 

The Way of Jesus

Matthew 7:13-23

13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 

14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. 

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 

16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  

17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 

18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. 

21 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

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1. The way of Jesus requires courage at the beginning (7:13-14).

2. The way of Jesus reveals fruitfulness in the middle (7:15-20).

3. The way of Jesus requires obedience to the end (7:21-23).

    9…Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ---John 15:9-10 (ESV)

 

Application Questions:

   1. Am I going the way of Jesus? 

   2. Am I bearing Jesus’ fruit?

   3. Does Jesus know me?

Pastor Robert speaks on the Trigger of depression.

Jesus on Judging Others 

Matthew 7:1-12

1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 

2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 

3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 

4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.  

6 Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you. 

7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 

9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 

10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  

11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

12 So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

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1. Jesus explains the process for how we should pass judgement (7:1-5).

   Jesus’ Process on Judging Others (7:1-5)

      - Deal with yourself first

      - Determine to deal specifically with the other's speck

      - Discern who and what situations are worth it

 

2. Jesus points us to the power for handling relationships well (7:6-11).

3. Jesus leaves us with a guiding principle for right relationships (7:12).

Jeff Laing addresses the trigger of "Submission to Authority"

Jesus on Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 (NASB)

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 

26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? 

27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? 

28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, 

29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 

31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 

32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 

33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.  

34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

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3 Defining Questions:

- Who do you love most?

- Where do you place your trust?

- What do you seek above all else?

5 Principles That Lead to Living in Peace!

1. Understanding the value and purpose of your life determines how you deal with the difficulties you will face.  (vs. 25)

2. Understanding the limitations of your control and ability to fix things will bring freedom to living without worry by placing your trust in Christ.  (vs. 27)

3. Understanding we best portray light and salt when our faith causes us to trust God’s desire to meet our every need.  (vs. 28-30)

4. Understanding and living out God’s declaration of priority for life brings order and peace.   (vs. 31-33)

 

5. Yielding total control to the Creator of Life – Sustainer of Life – demands therefore we trust God for the day in which He entrusts us. (vs. 34)

Who you love most, where you place your trust, what you seek above all else will determine your peace of mind or anxiety of mind, it will guard your heart or break your heart, it will keep your mind stayed on truth or create havoc with doubt, fear and anxiety.

https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=YD90wmyCO3

The trigger of unforgiveness

Abundant Life with Jesus

Luke 7:11-17 (NLT)  

11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 

12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 

13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 

14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 

15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.  

16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” 

17 And the news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding countryside.  

  The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ---John 10:10

  Jesus said – I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comesto the Father except through me.  ---John 14:6

  And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.  ---John 17:3

1.  Along every path, Jesus walks with us!  v.11 

      God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.  ---Psalm 46:1 

      The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.  ---Proverbs 18:10

      Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. ---Nehemiah 8:10

      So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  ---Isaiah 41:10

2.  In every circumstance Jesus cares! v.12-13

   - Compassion = Your pain inside my heart

   - Because He cares – Jesus takes action!

   - He gave HOPE through His WORDS

   - He gave COMFORT with His TOUCH

   - He gave LIFE by His GRACE

3.  With every opportunity, our response matters!  v.16-17

The Trigger of "worry."  

Jesus on Treasures

Matthew 6:19-34 (ESV)

Matthew 6:19-24 (ESV)

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

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Jesus on Treasures

1.    Jesus teaches us to pursue the right treasures (6:18-21)..

2.    Jesus warns us that the wrong treasures can blind us (6:22-23).

3.    Jesus reminds us that only one treasure can have our allegiance (6:24). 

Matthew 6:24-34 (ESV)

24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. 25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Application Questions

1.    Do you give to God obediently? 

2.    Has your giving increased parallel to your income? 

3.    Who is your master – God or something else?

Jonathan Heitman continues "Triggers" series focusing on anger.