Trust & Obey
The best way to live your life
Sermon Introduction
You are either about to hit uni and the rest of your life; or you are coming back to study and more than likely not sure what you will do after next year.
We will be considering the ideas of trusting and following: this is like being in a relationship.
What does it mean to be in a relationship?
Being in love - passion; always wanting to be with them;
Talking, spending time, listening
Christians are supposed to be in a living dynamic relationship with God.
All those things that was just listed and...
Doing what he desires us to do; be a blessing to the nations
You trust and follow because of the relationship you have
(Hitchhiker - you don’t pick one up and let them drive your car; you have faith in someone based on the relationship that you have with that person; you can therefore trust and follow them)
Trust
Trust - The trait of trusting; of believing in the honesty and reliability of others; Certainty based on past experience; Complete confidence in a person or plan etc; Be confident about something;
You can put your trust in something when you know it can be relied upon
?How trustworthy is God?
Trust God in all things
You can do this since: you won’t be tempted beyond what you can bear
1 Corinthians 10:12 - And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
?What else do you know of God?
?How well do you know God?
True knowledge of God comes through faith
Faith - Confident trust in the promises of God, centered in His provision of spiritual life through a sacrifice; it is the sole condition of salvation and is not a work, but, in fact, a gift of God (Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8); synonymous with belief (q.v.); Heb. 11:39; Mt. 12:46; Lk. 7:44; Rom 1:16; 3:28; Heb. 11; Jas. 2:26.
So know that you trust > you need to follow
What is: “Hearing His voice”
You want to follow what he is truly saying.
Follow
Follow - Travel along a certain course; To travel behind, go after, come after; Behave in accordance or in agreement with; Imitate in behaviour; take as a model; Choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans;
Mark 8:34-38 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Jesus commanded us to follow Him and His teachings
And that means to give up all that is not of God
This won’t be easy; but it is possible.
Temptations will be a normal part of your life
Follow God's path and not your own
No compromise
Develop a personal mission statement – character and achievements;
Phil 1:27a Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
Serve the Lord in some way
Future careers
For Discussion
- Discuss the areas in which you struggle trusting?
- How can you trust better?
- Discuss the areas in which you struggle following?
- How can you follow better?
Discussion Debrief
What did you come up with for those 4 questions?
Trust
Struggle: friendships; direction; making decisions; family/parents;
Share your struggles with others who you trust; praying and handing over the issues; remembering past experiences were God has come through; (set up altars)
Follow
Struggle: when you know you are not meant to do something but you do; don’t know what you’re meant to be doing (decisions to make about the future)
Therefore get into accountability; ask for good friends;
God gave us and told us to be active members of the church; concept of the church > community;
Who are you living for
2 Corinthians 5:15 [And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.];
Prv 3:5,6 [Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.]
Conclusion
Don’t be content where you are
Don’t settle for less than the best
Don’t continually feel condemned if you are saved
Don’t turn away from your faith (who still attends church now?)
Continue to follow God
Keep the fire burning
Desire Jesus
Make sure you connect significantly with the Lord today/everyday – Psalms 86:11 [Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.]
Priorities – is God your first love?
Junk in – junk out
God's plans are the best > listen and follow (done by trusting)
Illustration - Know your blessings
Bill was sitting in his house during a torrential downpour. As the floodwaters reached the bottom of his front door, some friends came along in a rowboat and called to him to climb in. But Bill said no, I am trusting in the Lord. I’ll be ok. I’m staying here. The rain kept coming, and the floodwaters kept rising, until Bill was on the second floor, and then he was soon sitting on the roof.
Along came a helicopter. The pilot dropped down a rope ladder and called to Bill to climb aboard. But Bill said no, I am trusting in the Lord. I’ll be ok. I’m staying here. The waters kept rising and old Bill drowned.
Arriving in heaven Bill said to the Lord, Lord I just don’t understand it. I trusted in you, and I still ended up drowning. And the Lord replied, well, Bill, I don’t understand it either. First I sent you a boat and then I sent you a helicopter, and you didn’t take either one.
Pray
Future careers
Relationships
Hearing God's voice
Following that voice
That they will recognise the signs of slipping away and not be tricked by the world’s standards.