Which Are You?

TEXTMatt. 19:16-22;  Luke 5:27-28

INTRODUCTION:

A.      NEW TESTAMENT PEOPLE WHO MADE CHOICES - EXTREME.

B.      ONE CHOSE POORLY - ONE CHOSE WISELY.

C.      HOW WILL WE CHOOSE?  WHO DO WE IDENTIFY WITH?

I.      OTHERS WHO CHOSE THE WRONG THING.

A.      PETER - WAS ASHAMED AND DENIED( Luke 22:54-62 ).

          1.  Many deny the Lord by living like they don't know him( 2 Tim. 3:1-5 ).

          2.  If we deny the Lord...( Mat. 10:32-33 ).

B.      JUDAS - BETRAYED HIM( Mat. 26:14-16, 47-50 ).

          1.       Judas' priorities were misplaced( Mat. 6:19-21 ).

          2.       Mat. 16:26.  Every man has a price.  How small the price!

          3.       Paul tells us( 1 Tim. 6:9-10;  17-19 ).

C.      PILATE - DELIVERED HIM UP( Mat. 27:26 ).

          1.       Pilate knew( John 18:38 ).

          2.       He disassociated himself - It had nothing to do with him( Mat. 27:24 ).

          3.       Does it have anything to do with me?

                   a.       All sin( Rom 3:23;  Rom. 6:23 ).

                   b.       Jesus paid the price( 1 Pet. 2:24 ).

                   c.       Acts 17:30-31.

D.      THE JEWS - THEY CRUCIFIED HIM( Acts 2:22-23 ).

          1.       Christian Jews( Heb. 6:4-6 ).

          2.       The passage could apply to us when we sin( Heb. 10:26-31 ).

II.     THOSE WHO DO THE RIGHT THING.

A.      WILL INVESTIGATE - THE BEREANS( Acts 17:11 ).

          1.       Open minded - willing to listen.

          2.       They were narrow minded - not gullible( 1 John 4:1 ).

          3.       Recognized the folly of following man( Col. 2:8 ).

          4.       Did not take their investigation lightly( 2 Tim. 2:15 ).

B.      WILL FOLLOW - PETER, ANDREW, JAMES, JOHN( Mat. 4:18-22 ).

          1.       They forsook immediately and followed.

          2.       Born out of a correct sense of urgency( Mat. 16:26 ).

          3.       Born out of a desire for the reward( John 4:28-30 ).

          4.       The let nothing interfere( Luke 9:62 ).

C.      WILL TELL OTHERS - WOMAN AT THE WELL( John 4:28-30 ).

          1.       The truth is precious but abundant.

          2.       A lesson for the disciples( John 4:29-35 ).

D.      WILL GO TO WORK - PAUL( Acts 22:10;1 Cor. 15:58 ).

CONCLUSIONWHERE SHALL WE WRITE YOUR NAME?