1. CHRISTIANS BELIEVE WEIRD THINGS!

2. 1. What choices does God give us? Heaven or Hell! (Then - grace!)

3. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice?

4. a. They haven’t heard the good news.

5. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? a. They haven’t heard the good news. b. They don’t want to give up what the world offers.

6. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? c. They are afraid of being hypocritical.

7. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? c. They are afraid of being hypocritical. d. They don’t want to commit.

8. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? c. They are afraid of being hypocritical. d. They don’t want to commit. e. God’s way doesn’t make sense.

9. I Corinthians 3:18-23 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” So then, no more boasting about men! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

10. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? f. It sounds too easy. Fool ( μωρός ) = dumb, stupid.

11. 2. Why doesn’t everyone make the right choice? f. It sounds too easy. g. Too intellectually proud.

12. 3. God’s way & Satan’s way are opposed to each other!

13. a. Satan’s world encourages us to be independent.

14. 3. God’s way & Satan’s way are opposed to each other! a. Satan’s world encourages us to be independent. b. God’s way is to... Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - I Pet 5:7.

15. 3. God’s way & Satan’s way are opposed to each other! a. Satan’s world encourages us to be independent. b. God’s wisdom is...... the power of God for salvation. - Romans 1:16.

16. 4. What do we Christians believe that sounds weird to the world?

17. I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

18. A. What does the world say? I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

19. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

20. Matthew 10:34-39 - Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter- in-law against her mother-in-law — a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

21. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? Matthew 10:37 - Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

22. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 1. Give up every temporary interest... & you’ll have real permanent life! I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

23. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. - Matthew 22:37 2. How about earthly loyalties? I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

24. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? Lose your earthly life in Jesus & you will find heavenly life in eternity! I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It!

25. II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

26. A. What does the world say? II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

27. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

28. Mark 10:28-31 - Peter said to him, “We have left everything to follow you!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

29. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? 1. There’s no room for selfish pride in the Kingdom of God. Matthew 23:12 - For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

30. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? 1. There’s no room for selfish pride in the Kingdom of God. Matthew 20:1-16 II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

31. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? 2. Humbleness & dependence are more important than achieve- ments! II. You Must Be Last to Become First!

32. I. You’ve Got to Lose Your Life to Find It! II. You Must be Last to Become First! III. You Must Become Weak to Be- come Strong!

33. A. What does the world say? II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

34. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

35. II Corinthians 12:7-10 - To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

36. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? 1. The more you rely on God’s power, the stronger you will be to accomplish God’s work! II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

37. A. What does the world say? B. What does God say? 2. Why are we not as effective as we could be? We try it on our own efforts without God’s direction & power! II. You Must Become Weak to Become Strong!

38. Conclusion: Who are you going to trust? God or the world?

39. Conclusion: Lose your life in God!

40. Conclusion: Be last in your own eyes & the eyes of the world!

41. Conclusion: Lose your life in God! Be last in your own eyes & the eyes of the world! Regard yourself as insufficient for the task!

42. You can become a dynamic influence as a shining light! You can prove to this world that the wisdom of God is the only genuine way to life!