The Nonbelievers Favorite Verse

Harvest podcasts featuring Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive Pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org listener Bibles now to Matthew chapter 7 Matthew chapter 7 in the title of my messages. The nonbelievers favorite verse what you think it is, John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

No, that's not the nonbelievers favorite verse of auditing or first John 19 would be a good one. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

No that's not it either. What about Romans 828 for we know that all things work together for good to those that love God and other called according to his purpose.

That's not it either on what about Jeremiah 2911, God says, I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

No, that's not the nonbelievers favorite verse. Their favorite versus the one before you right now. Matthew seven verse one Judge not lest you be judged by the way, that's the compromising Christians favorite verse as well. Runner-up would be. God helps those who help themselves. Problem is, that's not in the Bible. So let's just stick with actual versus from Scripture judge not lest you be judged. It seems like every nonbeliever knows that verse in why do they quote it because generally they use it to make you stop doing what you're doing because generally the conversation goes something like this. The Christian approach is the compromising Christian are the nonbeliever and talk to them about their need for Christ and at some point says that a certain thing is a sin, and the person will respond. Who are you to judge me. Doesn't the Bible itself say judge not lest you be judged. And then sometimes you might be dumbfounded and you don't know what to say so what does this verse even mean is Jesus suggesting that we are never to speak truthfully to someone even of what they are doing is wrong is that indeed judge mental what does he mean when he says judge not lest you be judged now. Clearly, there are people that are very condemning of others and are always looking for things wrong in their life. You just can't please these people. It's like the young man who brought up girl home to meet his mother. He was in love with her and hope to marry her and his mom didn't like her. So he went and met another girl and brought her one day home to his mother and his mother didn't like her either, so that he wanted found a girl that look like his mother dressed like his mother talk like his mother and his dad didn't like her season so some people are so here's the question. Is there a place for judging are we to judge one another and, if so, on what basis are, let's read the words of Jesus. Now Matthew seven verse one judge not that you be not judged.

For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with what measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's life. We did not consider the plank in your own eye or how do you say to your brother will let me remove the speck from your eye and look up plank is in your own eye hypocrite, first remove the plank from your own eye, then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give that which is holy to the dogs nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you in pieces.

Let's pray together. Lord we ask now for your blessing on this time a Bible study. Help us to know what it means to not be judge mental but yet how to judge appropriately. Help us to get the balance from the word of God speak to us. We pray now in Jesus name, amen. All right. As we come now to the end of this series on the sermon on the Mount, Jesus is bringing things to a crescendo if you will.

And really, the gist of what were reading in these final movements of the greatest sermon ever given. It's all pointing us to the fact that our life on earth is a journey, it only lasts for a period of time and it's all leading to a great moment of judgment and ultimate assessment, and a final destiny when it's all said and done, it doesn't matter that much. What other people think of us.

It's going to be really what God thinks of us as Maximus says to his troops in one of the opening scenes of the film gladiator. What we do in life that goes in eternity that was mine. Russell Crowe invitation. What we do in life echoes in eternity. And that's true. What we do here has ramifications there and that's what everything is building toward and so we have to keep this in mind in a way that we live in the decisions we make in the things that we do and so for so how do we apply this practically number one we should be discerning, but not condemning. We should be discerning, but not condemning go back to verse one judge not that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you before we see what this does mean let's first see what it doesn't mean does this mean that Christians are never to be critical or make an evaluation. Some people think that to be a real Christian means that you love and accept everyone you're tolerant of everything you never register an opinion and that is the way to be a follower of Jesus, we all should put our arms around each other and sway back and forth and sing Kumbaya is out of Christian will know it isn't because actually that that is it that is in contradiction to what we read in other passages of the Bible. People often say Jesus was the great humanitarian loving and caring and sharing what you know he was sure those things I supposedly want to describe them that way. But Jesus was a revolutionary Jesus confronted people. He had some choice words of the years for the religious hypocrites of the day the Pharisees calling them Vipers and hypocrites and dead men walking so he was not always just sweetness and light.

When confrontation was necessary. Jesus would speak the truth to a person and we must do the same. However, whenever we communicate truth we should do so lovingly because Ephesians 415 says we are to speak the truth in love. That's what we do with people we love. You know if you going out somewhere with your friend in a home for dinner.

Something in and you look at what they're wearing. This like that's not working at all year not connect to got publicly that way. Or maybe there's a big stain in their shirt that would be a guy. Generally because I was the shirt nearest to the door that he just put on no, no, you gotta change again God or maybe you're eating dinner and feathers of peas and spinach stuck in their teeth. Ever notice when that happens, you just find yourself looking at it like and they're not aware they're just talking away are you can ask is that you can or you just to look at it. Worse yet announces everybody one of the moron here.

You wouldn't do that because you're a friend.

What about if there's sin in their life for you to give that a pound so you not going to confront them when they could be deadly. Proverbs 27 boxes open rebuke is better than secret love faithful of the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful at the bar. Verse open rebuke is better than secret love. How dare you say you love someone if you will not tell them when something is wrong in their life. If you really love them you'll tell them open rebuke is better than secret love, the kisses of an enemy are deceitful, you know there are people that will kiss up to us to our faith and stab us in our back, but a true friend stabs you in the front instead of the back though say it to your face.

You know what, I love you because I love you, to tell you this right now for your own good. As I care about your soul. That's what a true Christian does yes as believers we are to make judgments so when someone says to you, will doesn't the Bible say judge not lest you be judged.

Your responses yes but I don't think you understand the meaning of that statement because the reality is, Christians are to make judgments.

We all make them every single day for since Jesus goes on to say here in verse six. Why do you give that which is holy to the docs not 100 does that mean more. The dogs are these people with flea callers why this is me. Note this is an evaluation other words, Jesus is using this is a picture to describe a dog. It would have no interest in what you have to say. In other words, a person who doesn't want to hear the gospel, for instance.

And so the ideas I have to make an evaluation or a judgment to determine who the so-called dog is he goes on to say, nor cast your pearls before swine. Why would you give a pearl to a pit you think a pig would value a pearl no given garbage she be happy with that much more so than a pearl member.

Years ago I was brand-new in the faith, and I was out sharing the gospel with people in the streets, and I was out with it, kid. There was a little bit younger than me. Very small guy but very bold and I remember he walked up to this big, burly, gnarly chatted biker and started confronting him of the gospel and the guy actually said if you don't shut up hung up. Punch you out. I said to him, let's go now and he said when he got even more fired up this little guy and then at one point the biker said again you say one more work to get you in the mouth of Jalisco and in this little guy looked over the bike is fine.

The Bible says. Don't cast your pearls before pics really died today to those verses are not the would you quote to the nonbelievers or those of the internal versus that we use kind of explaining what's happening. That's not the right verse at the right time.

There, but Christians are to judge okay so don't tell me don't judge. I am going to judge and you are going to judge how were supposed to jot all addresses first among what it really means, but words in first Corinthians 16 says don't you know that the saints will judge the world and of the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy did judge even the smallest matters. First Peter 417 says judgment begins at the house of God. We need to make judgments. One is entered, the judgment, it's an evaluation you use them every day and I walking into the street.

I look both ways. No cars are coming. I'm making a judgment. It's safe to go by making judgments about people wider know is this person on the level should I do this should accept this. You know, these are things we do in the Bible tells us we need to be very careful because were living in the last days and one of the signs of the last days as there would be an increase in false teachers, leading people astray. Just because someone gets up and waved the Bible around and says that saith the Lord doesn't mean you should believe them. You need to take everything they say and try it according to what the Bible says that we are to make judgments and evaluations effect on says beloveds stop believing every spirit and try them to see if they are of God. Okay, so it we are to make judgments so it's incorrect the safe Christian should never judge no.

The truth is Christian should judge Christians must judge. But what is Jesus saying when he says judge not, will the Greek word means to separate choose select or determine in the context we see he's dealing primarily with motives.

You cannot judge my motives, nor can I just yours so for you to say whoa his heart is full of pride get unitless hearts full of pride will either get is B12. You may have an evaluation of them, but you can't see their heart here would be the better translation of the statement of Christ condemned not lest you be condemned. I am to make judgments and evaluations, but I am not to condemn Barbara you're going to hell they're going to hell.

I you know you're not God's friend. And that's not for you to say judge not lest you be judge and some people are hyper critical. They're just looking for people to slip up or heard about an old codger who was then like Christians and heard the preacher was going to repair his roof so we went over his house and pull up a chair and just sat there and watched him pastors nailing oasis friended to come here to get some carpentry chips in the old codger said now I'm just waiting to see what you say when that name and then hammer hit your thumb and analysis. I get Whitney's wing form the Messe and that's how people are. A lot of times are waiting for us to slip up quick to jump to conclusions. J. Vernon McGee is one of my favorite creatures and listen to them all the time is a great statement where he says allotment may only exercise.

Some Christians get is jumping to conclusions and running down another J.

Vernon McGee right. Only one of my sermons would you get Russell Crowe and J.

Vernon McGee, but sometimes work with to jump to can illusions which to believe the worst instead of the best of a person, and this is what Jesus is saying we should not do that. There's an old Palm that goes as follows judge, not the workings of his brain and of his hard you cannot see what looks to your dim eyes is staying in God's pure light may only be a scar, bought from some well-worn field where downward is only things and you look you are not in a position to see the heart of a person and you are not in the position to bring final judgment on a person condemned not lest you be condemned. Our objective is never to just condemn and put down. It is to help and restore. Which brings me to point number two are desire should always be to restore, not condemn a person in sin again.

Our desire should be to restore, not condemn a person in sin. Galatians 61 says it perfectly brother's. If someone is caught in a sin you who are spiritual should restore him gently but watch yourself or you may also be tempted to carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ else is an interesting statement here because of the phrase caught in this sin implies it was not premeditated. In other words, this is not a picture of a person that went out intentionally to commit a sin and there are people that do that is different. This is a person that went out and stumbled, they slipped they felt it wasn't intentional.

They do have responsibility. However, they did get trapped or caught I should take no delight in this, but I should want to help them restore the now first I have to confront them and some people don't like that you nicely know what I see that you you're trapped in this and will I don't think it's a sin will actually it is and here's what the Bible says in and you have to help them come to their senses on this because you can't restore a person that they don't want restoration. You know sometimes people don't want your help will get to that just a moment, but I have to first help them see that they have a sin and then I want to help set it right affect the word that is used here for restore means to set a broken bone or put a dislocated limb back in place.

You do that very gently lest you do more harm going back to ever sweep quoted earlier, speak the truth in love. Sometimes we speak the truth, not a lot. Our information is right, but we do it in a you know heavy-handed mean way, but then sometimes, whoa, love, love that we don't speak the truth speak the truth in love restore a person in gentleness. That's our goal. Classic example of this is the woman caught in the act of adultery. The Pharisees brought it through her down at the feet of Jesus and said the law says she should be stoned what you say and they did this because they wanted to trap Christ, so he looked around at these self-righteous hypocrites and the Bible says he wrote on the ground know we don't know what he wrote.

I do think that is so random in interesting he doesn't address any just look to the mall and soupçon starts writing. You can be sure that all the guys are standing there like this Nago to write with the rights on the ground.

Then he stands up and says let him that is among you without sin cast the first stone. Then he gets down on products again. The Bible says they left from the eldest of the young know you wonder what he wrote when I get to heaven. I want to asked Jesus that would you write an essay, I think you're just a suggestion that maybe the first time he wrote commandments down.

Maybe the number of the commandment and then he said let him that is without sin cast the first on the second time, he might've written the name of the person standing there a Caleb I see you standing over here.

Let's see number at the commandment number three here that would be you. All you Joshua I see you're over here like here's your prop Holly I see you are ringing up. He knew all about them. They all left and then he looked at the woman said woman, where are your accusers, she said, Lord, I have none. He said neither do I accuse you go and sin no more. That's how it works.

The Pharisees wanted to condemn her. Jesus wanted to restore her. We see the same in the story of the prodigal son a boy sins. He does wrong, he comes to his senses, admits his failures and his father restores him but his elder brother wants to condemn him. Our objective is to restore not to condemn but here's something I've to consider point number three. I cannot see a speck of my friends.

I if I have a telephone pole in my Jesus uses a little humor here in verses three and four. Why do you look at a speck in your brother's wife who did not consider the plank in your own eye happiness in your brother, let me remove the speck from your eye and look up plank is in your own know the word that Jesus uses her plank speaks of a very large piece of wood and then the spec speaks of a very small bit of wood like even a little bit of sawdust so loose paraphrase, how can you get the sawdust out of your brothers like if you have a telephone pole in your it's a little bit hard to do.

Also an interesting twist on this is that the phrase speck in plank are the same original word meaning that there are of the same substance.

In other words, what Jesus is saying is the reason that some people are so adept at finding what's wrong in the lives of other people there so familiar with it themselves they can spot certain sins and other people's lives because there guilty of the same sin and probably a greater capacity can fuse a great commentator said, quote, we find it so easy to turn a microscope on another person. Sin. But we look at artists of the wrong end of a telescope, we easily spot a speck of phoniness in another because we have a logjam of it in our own lives wrath toward the speck in someone else's life may come from the suppressed guilt over this a massive sin in our own lives."

That's exactly right. So here's the reality.

Sometimes the people that are nitpicking the sins and others are guilty of far worse themselves.

Here's a perfect example.

King David know. Here he is the ruler of all of Israel, and one day he sees a beautiful woman bathing herself name – Eva. Interestingly, Bathsheba taking a bath. David, Caesar, and he has a product to his chambers has sex with her.

She gets pregnant he should've repented of his sin. He misused his role as King is horrible thing that he did but David tries to cover it up and says he, Bathsheba, your husband, Uriah. He's in my military right yes he is all let's bring them back home again and so you're thinking that when he brought Uriah back home from the battle on leave that he would go and have relations with his wife and then Bathsheba did he do your I would think the child was his. Not David's. But Uriah being the courageous soldier. He was would not allow himself the luxury of being with the Zweifel's fellow soldiers were fighting for King David hunching signal grade I have a do-gooder here so you get them drunk.

The next night sends him home again. Uriah will not go be with his wife so David's trying to cover up instead. So what is David Duke gives an order that Uriah himself carries back to the general to effectively send him to lead the charge with the other soldiers would fall back so Uriah would be kill here this man thought he was serving the king, not realizing he was carrying his own death sentence because he delivers the order to the general. He goes in the battle is killed on the field were gets back to David. David Mary's Bathsheba, everything is just perfect. David thing.

The problem was, it didn't please the Lord. So Nathan the prophet comes walking and says David, I need us to question it.

We have a problem here in the kingdom to juggle it. Okay there is this guy. He has tons of sheet so many sheep anyway. He had a friend come visit him in the wanted of a great meal Borman instead of killing one of his many sheep because order was over to his neighbor and is one little baby lamb. In fact, the little baby limits their family pet. Anyway, he kills that guys lamb and serves it to his friend instead of serving up one of his many sheep know what should we do with a guy like that.

David sitting on his royal throne and his blood begins to boil. This had to be content that really for swiping that sheep kind of hearts. Nathan points his finger in David's face and says you are the man who busted but here's the interesting thing about that story. David wanted to kill a man for a relatively minor offense but yet he was guilty of adultery and murder.

He was a man because he was the king and he took another man's wife, but yet he is willing to be so harsh over a relatively small thing when he is guilty of something far worse in his own life and that's something that we need to consider as we read this statement here so quick to diss judgment out to others. Are you willing to be judged in the same way the ghetto Jesus says in verse two with what judgment you judge, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you so careful now about being overly harsh. Are you ready to be judged by God in the same way.

That's the question that is being asked. So first get the plank out of your before you try to help your brother with the sawdust in his he doesn't say don't try to help your brother. He disses get the plank out of your eye. First, I think of you know anything of being forgiven by God, you will be a forgiving person forgiven people should be forgiving people. Now we come to another point number four. Some people just don't want our help. Some people just don't want our help. Don't give what is holy to the dogs. Verse six cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet and tear you in to pieces. Sometimes people don't want help. The very person you're trying to save may turn on you more than one lifeguard is been frowned by the person they were trying to save a member years ago we were in Hawaii snorkeling and that we went went with one of the local boys there who the water really well and and sword were cruising along and and there's a snack and inside of the net is a shark shark got caught in and it was a certain land there, not moving, so we all got really close because often you get a chance to see a shark in the wild in a work looking at it in this guy the local boy pulls out his knife and starts cutting the net to let the shark that were all like housecalls is great and all of a sudden the shark he comes back to life. He was alive. The whole time researching the world. If people can walk on water. We would've done it right there. Better yet, run on water in the opposite direction. See the very animal that he was saving was now turning on them and swimming toward him and toward us and that's all some people are. You try to help when they churn on you, so this is the whole idea of casting your pearls before swine or giving that which is holy to adult. I'm really amazed at how people try to make dogs their children and now this new this thing. I don't know what you want to call it this illusion of pushing dogs around in strollers. I don't want to ask you any of you do that, but I bet there's a few people here, you know, here's something you see them they trust the dog over these little outfits and therefore seen the dog along and I was waiting the other day and try to get a parking spot in the cars you know double parked in and it's like okay I really want him to go but then they go around in the getting the baby stroller out waterless babies for all wait for that.

So I'm waiting and they're taking a long time and in the and finally the strollers open up full of these little poodles I was. I when I did it but I wanted to get out. I waited for a dog you know the dogs like this is humiliating.

Help me go live and do this to. I don't like it really I read an article in our travel magazine the other day. This is so bizarre I could make this stuff up. The newest trend in the hotels and resorts and so forth is catering to owners and their dogs as a travel. These new hotels now provide dog menus, massage therapists were a dog. All kinds of client services. These boutique hotels, a birthday cake from a local dog bakery up hard to cure you know that it hardly curates her the pedicure, and there's workout tips and dietetic menus. There's even a dog surf package at a hotel down in San Diego and the author of this article writing said that she's describing going out to dinner in one of these restaurants with this dog. Here's what he writes. He said I guess a dog can be a pretty good day. I told the waiter when he arrived with our entrées filet mignon for my dog grilled salmon for me. Oh yes, sir. The best service. He said when the bill came, I noticed that my dogs meal was more expensive than mine, but at least there was enough left over to the doggy bag for both of us to eat later." Sick, not right filet mignon for a dog does the roadkill. A NYC, toilet water dogs eat varmints like you believe you said that in church it's in the Bible.

A dog returns to his own vomit.

How many of you have seen that anything Audrey.

How many of you have done strollers reason so so glad you're afraid to go after that I wouldn't really hide you on the you know those you know, that is, you know, in the snipers have their sites trained in the little things are moving around. Never forget takes too long to explain. It's absurd. Okay, it's absurd. A dog is a dog just like a horse is a horse, of course think you so here's what Jesus is saying you know it. Sometimes people didn't want to hear we have the same so let's penis scenario you're out talking with someone about your faith. They say you know what, actually, I'm really don't want to hear about Jesus Christ and I don't want you to quote the Bible to me anymore, so just go away. Now our natural inclinations and inclinations. No press on one another tell you, my God, what you and I really don't hear what will hold on there comes a point where you don't cast your pearls before swine. I don't tell them you think there's wanting but here's what that means. It's not designed to call a person a pig or a dog to insult the kids to say those animals don't appreciate something like that and if someone doesn't appreciate the holy truths of God, don't waste your breath. Go find someone or actually wants to hear because sometimes people really do want to hear we had to say but they go through their little dance you know of of opposition, but really they want to hear it. A good example of this in Scripture is the woman at the well and John for and she was flippant, sarcastic, not totally respectful of Jesus. Initially, as he begins his conversation with her, but he pressed on and she believed and so obviously he was not cast in this pearls before swine. There then we seen with the Nicodemus any took great time with Nicodemus to unfold the truth of the gospel but yet when Jesus was brought before King Herod the Bible says he did not say a word. Why King Herod, come on man. He's the king he's powerful, surely you would give him the truth, though he didn't want to hear the truth. And Jesus knew that the Bible says here just wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle. Herod was a cousin we do a trick pull a rabbit out of a hat. I don't care what you do entertain me, Jesus is like no I don't do that and you're not open to the truth and on the go to waste my breath on and there's some people that didn't want to hear nothing.

Okay I'll respect that all stock will yeah you know if you want to hear it.

Then I will tell you, but there are people to do want to hear. So we need to pray for discernment to know one from the other one final movement now in this text before us. It's Matthew seven verse 13 down to verse 14 read with me. Enter by the narrow gate.

For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many that go unbiased but narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life and there are few who find so there are two gates into roads.

We can walk in life. The narrow gate, or the broad gate the narrow gate is basically the person who's walking with God. It's a difficult row. It's not easy to be a Christian.

Is it you're going to be the odd man out. You're going to be different than other people. If you're so worried about fitting in and being cool in a culturally acceptable etc. etc. you're going to really have a hard time being a Christ follower because you're on a narrow road and as a matter of fact, this is not a popular word there is, it doesn't sound right to our 21st-century years narrow when you hear the word narrow, you usually hear use with words like intolerant, bigoted, insensitive you narrowminded, intolerant, close minded, idiot, how dare you judge me and tell me what I'm doing is not right, etc. that's how the line usually goes so that we read narrow is the way that leads to life, so we are to be in a strict sense narrowminded now what does that mean want to be narrowminded does not mean more to be self-righteous, righteous or arrogant or know it all. We should have a humility as we share the truth of God with people but yet we recognize that there's a specific road we must walk on to get to a particular destination. It's as simple as that specific road to a particular destination and really in life. We like narrowminded people. We do, would you want a broad-minded pilot. If you are flying to Hawaii in ways like a speck in the ocean. How would you feel if you got in your planing, you're taxing on the runway and hear the voice of the pilot coming over the intercom system hello ladies and gentlemen welcome to flight 343 with direct service to Honolulu Hawaii and by the way, folks, I'm not so sure about this whole navigation thing you know some pilots are really into their maths and their and their hardware here in the electronics and you don't know I'm not in there that I more laid back and I catch him drunk.

I'm drunk right now and so but here's my philosophy. Ladies and gentlemen, I believe that all roads lead to Hawaii. So buckle up. Enjoy your my ties and off we go. You know that guy is a crazy man let me off this point I want to narrowminded pilot that knows what he's doing. How would you feel if you went into see her doctor and he told you give certain surgery and their year in the operating room and they've already put you wonder what you can hear what they're saying than the surgeon says no dudes I don't know you really want to do the surgery today so sick of this surgery.

Let's do this knew what I just read about the other day better… Some plastic surgery is about throughout all I wanted narrowminded surgeon that follows the rules it doesn't right yet when it comes in. The most important issues of life were all spend eternity will say things like, well, I believe the all roads lead to God and as long as a person is sincere. That's so ridiculous. Are you serious, Jesus says, narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are that find it and what is that narrow way will.

It's the way through Jesus. He is the door, he said. Then he said in John 1412 I am the way the truth and the life no man comes of the father but by me. Listen on the final day we stand before God is on to be about good people and bad people. The conventional wisdom is good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. Actually that's not true it if it were none of us would go to heaven because none of us are really in a strict sense.

Good people so what's it about it's really about taking God's provision or trying to do it man's way. We have two roads to choose from.

One is a road of divine grace. The other is the road of man's work. One is a rotor divine accomplishment.

The other is a road of human achievement. One road leads to life. The other one leads to death.

There are two systems of religion in the world, Jesus Christ, and everyone else and if you were to sum up all the other religions of the world it would be due to all you misunderstand what I'm saying or maybe you don't. I don't know, but to this or do that if you do this you might reach in a panic if you knew do that you can get the latest CD by Nirvana.

But they're not playing anymore, but you get my ID no to these things.

No Christianity. In contrast, says done not do this do that. It's time. That's the narrow road. Now here's a broad road brought us a way that leads to destruction, and many there are that go that way. It's popular. It's easy, sorta like the freeway going to Disneyland.

It's easy to find dissident use cruise along pretty soon. Disney way and then you get on the Disney freeway and then it's like Mickey Mouse this and Donald Duck that sleeping beauty. This in and that's the road it's easy to find. It's popular. It's crowded. It's expensive. Sorry to use Disneyland as a metaphor for hell because I don't think of it that way. I like Disneyland. After about four hours he can be hellish for not getting it in a totally getting wet anyway, that's the Broadway that's a popular way. That's the road everybody's on the air. We got were just like sheep we get online we pull into it and off we go. I don't know about you but I don't like crowded roads. Anyway, you know I'm at the market.

I look at all those check stands. I look for the one with the smallest line you some Yvonne menus: you don't, or those with lines long. Maybe this is the popular line get in his go-ahead. I want the short line in 08 items or less actually need 30 things I'm looking to buy eat things because I want to get out of you know when you get in the Lord's line if you will. When you get on his road. It's a narrow road.

It's not a popular road and there's another thing implied here in the original language when he says narrow. It's the idea of its own narrow only one person gets through the time I've ever been in a really narrow little space. Think of a turnstile in the store unit when you turn the little think those are for one person, you can't get through it would to you can try later. An experiment if you like, but is not going to work very well. There designed to get one person through at a time in the narrow road that leads life to leads to life as one person at a time when we stand before God and that final day will talk about that in our last message.

Next week in the series, we will find that when we stand before God will be alone. You will be there with your friends you will be there with your family you be there all by yourself. And if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You can know with certainty that you will be welcomed into heaven. But if you've got on the raw broad road the popular role of the ultracool role of the whatever it is road the wrong road it will lead to destruction, and it will be too late and that final day and I want to close by just asking you are you on the narrow road that leads to life, you know, maybe your person is coming here today and your doing something that's sinful and it makes you uncomfortable to hear some of the things I said but you know that that tension can actually be a good thing to my job is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable and so if you felt a little awkward today because you're doing some you should be good.

I'm glad for that. That means your conscience is working. That's a good thing. It's when you can live a certain way that is wrong and managed to rationalize it to the point we don't even feel a pain of conviction when you know what you're doing is not the right thing. Maybe you need to ask Christ in your life. You're not certain you'll go to heaven when you die. Or maybe you're a person that needs restoration. You know it's right but you been trapped by some sin. He didn't plan on it but here you are, we know what we want to help you. We want to condemn you when we want to drive you away. We want to say let us help you get right with God. Today I want to do that. This would close in prayer and give you an opportunity to make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ with spring father I pray not for any person that have joined us, especially those who may not know you, would you speak to them now. Help them to see their need for you and help them to come to Jesus our heads around her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today. Greg pray for me. I want my sin forgiven. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven. I want to get on the narrow road that Jesus spoke of that leads to life.

Pray for me now I want to become a Christian. I want to go to heaven when I die, I thought your desire. Wherever you're sitting if you want Christ to come of your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die, would you lift your hand up and I would like to pray for your combustion to slip your hand up wherever your city. I'll pray for you today, bless you review sitting. God bless you there in the back of bless you to bless you up in the balcony, but she was well all of you in the balcony outside in the amphitheater. I can see you out there obviously but the Lord sees you and if you would please lift your hand up in you that are watching in the court building on the big screen, would you let your hand up to it's just a little step of faith we are safe. Yes Jesus I want you in my life just wherever you are, lift her hand.

I'll pray for you.

Anybody else you want Christ to come in your life, lift your hand up now pray for you, bless all of you maybe you need restoration today.

You came here. Trapped in some sin. The Holy Spirit is convicted, you haven't shown you, it's wrong and you want to get it right today. You want to be free from it lift her hand up, let me pray for you to publish anybody else accomplish what I think you know for each one of these and I pray you give them the strength to stand up and follow Jesus and receive all that you have for them, for we ask it now in your name. Amen