Greg Laurie - The Three C's of Life (10/14/2017)
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Pastor Greg Laurie reminds us in this Christmas message from Matthew 7 that life comes down to three C's—challenges, choices, and consequences. Building our lives on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His teachings, rather than on sand, ensures we stand firm through every storm, leading to eternal life through the narrow gate.
The Three C's of Life: Challenges, Choices, Consequences
Good morning. How are you? All right. Let's grab our Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 7. The title of my message is, The Three C's of Life. Now we start with a word of prayer.
Father, we are so thankful this time of the year when we reflect on the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, we ask that you will bless this time as we open your word. And that we will think very carefully about what our life is built on. Who our life is built on. Because it makes all the difference in the world. So speak to us now as we look at Scripture and we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
You know, in the Christmas season, a lot of things come to mind that we are all engaged in right now. Of course, there is getting our Christmas tree and shopping. And then there is Christmas carols and shopping. And then there is other things that we do before and after we go shopping. And I will tell you what, the whole thing can become challenging and draining so quickly.
So a quick thought about Christmas. Especially as we are well into the season. Remember these things. And I think if you do, you will have a blessed and a happy Christmas. Number one, it is not about Christmas. It is about Christ. You know, if you put all of your focus on Christmas itself, it is going to be a let down. It is not about Christmas. It is about Christ. It is not about merriment. It is about the Messiah. It is not about goodwill. It is about God. It is not about presents. It is about His presence. That is the essential message of Christmas. That God came to us. Emmanuel. God is with us.
Choices That Changed History Forever
And another thing I think about when I go back in my mind to the first Christmas, it was about choices. Significant choices were made that changed human history. First, there was a choice in heaven. God the Father chose to send His Son to come to this earth to be born of a woman. God the Son chose to come and live among us as a man and ultimately to go to the cross and die for our sin.
But then Mary, she chose to respond to the call of God on her life. You have to understand Mary was just a young girl. She may have been as young as 12. Definitely not much older than 14. And the angel Gabriel comes to her and tells her she is going to be the mother of the Messiah. But keep in mind, Mary lived in Nazareth, which was a city renowned for its immorality. It was sort of a stopover point for a lot of Roman soldiers. So to put it delicately, let's just say that a number of girls would end up pregnant in Nazareth outside of wedlock.
So when the angel comes and says, "You are going to be the mother of the Messiah, and this is going to be done supernaturally," Mary knew what that really meant. She knew that through life she would have to bear the reputation of being an immoral woman. And the irony is, Mary was the most moral woman around. Yet at the same time, she had to bear that image, if you will, of being a woman who had a child outside of wedlock, despite the fact that it was done by God Himself. And so she said, yes, despite that.
And Joseph, how is that going to go down at the worksite? Who is Joseph? Think of a construction worker. Think of him showing up, and the guys are going, "Hey, Joe, what's up? We heard that Mary is pregnant." "I know what you are thinking, guys, but it is not that. She is the mother of the Messiah." "Yeah, right, Joe. Whatever you say, buddy." He could have said, "There is no way. I am not going to put up with this." But Joseph responded to the call of God as well. And that choice resulted in the most historic event ever. It has been said, the hinge of history hangs on the door of the Bethlehem stable.
Right choices were made. And for us, there are many choices in life that we face each and every day. Hundreds of choices. Thousands of choices. You can just start with the supermarket. I mean, the word super says it all. My wife will sometimes send me to the market, which never ends well. Because I buy things she didn't ask me to buy. And I don't get the things she asked me to get. And when I do get the things that I thought she asked me to get, it is always the wrong one. It is the wrong size. It is the wrong brand. And she tells me that when I get back home.
Everyday Choices and the Most Important One
But I am overwhelmed. She says, get cheddar cheese. And I walk into the market and there is 30 kinds of cheddar cheese. Or get this other thing. And I don't know which one I am supposed to get. And then what is the deal with these restaurants that have menus the size of a book? You know, that is overwhelming to me. That is why I like In-N-Out Burger. It is just so simple. It is like burger, double burgers, fries. There is no other option. Same thing with Chick-fil-A. You know, it is just pretty simple. It is a place to get chicken.
Now these are not big choices. These are choices that do not have super long-lasting repercussions. But then there are life-changing choices we make as well. Like who we are going to marry. What career path we are going to follow. But the most important choice of all is what we will do with Jesus Christ.
And that brings me to what the three C's of life are. Have you already figured them out? The three C's of life. Challenges, choices, and consequences. Life is filled, again, with challenges, choices, and consequences.
First there are those challenges. Sometimes they come as an opportunity. Sometimes they come as a temptation. So when that particular challenge comes to me, I might respond to the opportunity, or I might give in to the temptation. That brings me to choice. If I make the right choice, it will result in blessings. If I make the wrong choice, that will result in consequences.
Biblical Examples of Right and Wrong Choices
And man, I tell you, the Bible is such an honest book. It's filled with the stories of men and women that made right and wrong choices. I mean, think of the choice of Moses. He chose to suffer affliction with the Jewish people. He could have probably been a man of great power, maybe even the next Pharaoh. But instead he saw the plight of his fellow Jews suffering under the tyranny of the Egyptians. So he chose to suffer with them. And that resulted in all of Israel being delivered from the kingdom of Egypt and being able to go to the promised land.
There was Joseph's choice of obedience when he was tempted by the wife of Potiphar. There was Daniel's choice of not compromising in even the smallest matters as he sat at the king's table. And each one of these choices set a course that their lives would take.
But then there are people that made wrong choices. Adam's wrong choice cost him paradise. Esau's wrong choice cost him his birthright. Saul's wrong choice cost him his kingdom. Judas lost his apostleship and his very life because of a wrong choice. Pilate, Agrippa, and Felix all missed eternity with Christ because of their wrong choice.
You've all heard of this story, Alice in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll. In that book, Carroll writes about Alice coming to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" Alice asked. "Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat. "I don't know," Alice answered. Then said the cat, "It doesn't matter."
You see, we all come to a fork in the road. Which way do you want to go? You decide that right now. And according to scripture, there are two roads that we can take in life. One is narrow and the other is wide. One is hard. The other is much easier.
Two Gates, Two Ways, Two Foundations
The Bible tells us about two foundations we can build our lives on. And then the Bible tells us that depending on what choice we make, we will stand in the day when the storm comes. And then ultimately the Bible tells us there are two places we can spend eternity. And that's what we're dealing with now as we come to the end of the Sermon on the Mount.
Now you may say, Greg, last Sunday you said you weren't going to speak on the Sermon on the Mount anymore. I know. I made a choice to speak anyway on it. I hope it's the right choice. I changed my mind. Because I came to the end of this message and I thought, I need to come to this great conclusion because it is so significant, these words of our Lord.
Here Christ sums all things up in two choices. He tells us of two gates, two ways, and two groups of people in verses 13 and 14. He talks about two groups of people at the judgment. Then two kinds of builders building on two kinds of foundations leading to one of two destinations.
Let's read Matthew 7 starting in verse 21 down to verse 27. Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will come to me in that day and say, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?' And I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.' Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I'll liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on the house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them, he will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, and it fell, and great was its fall."
We'll stop there.
Warning to Pretenders in the Church
Now these closing words of our Lord are significant because they are a warning to people in churches today. And what Jesus is saying is there will be followers of His right next to people who are not followers. But the fact is they will look like followers. They will seem like His followers. But in reality, they are, well, they are posers. They are pretending to be something they really are not.
Keep in mind that whenever something is innovative, there will always be imitations. This dates me, of course, but years ago, the whole music scene changed when those four lads from Liverpool showed up called the Beatles, right? We have never seen anything like them. It is like they were from another planet. Even the way they spoke, they talk like this, you know. We thought, well, they come from, they are different than us. We do not talk like them at all. And we, wow, who are these people? And where did they get this music? And right after them come all these other bands. They called it the British Invasion. Bands like the Kinks and the Animals and the Rolling Stones and the Dave Clark Five and on it went. But really there was the original. Then there were the imitations that followed.
A more contemporary illustration. The whole phone industry changed with the introduction of the iPhone. There was so much hype and anticipation for the release of that particular product that some were actually calling it the Jesus Phone. Because it was like the second coming to them.
I remember I actually went to a tech convention and they had released a prototype of it. And it was surrounded by thick glass that was circular. And it was on a little platform and it slowly turned like this. And there was a crowd of people around it. And there was a guard posted right next to it. So I walked right through the crowd and I got up really close and I dared to touch the glass. And the guard said, "Stand back." And I, okay, well, stand back. And I looked at all the people who kind of looked like they were having a worship experience. And it alarmed me a little. I thought, this is modern idolatry. Get over it, people. It's a phone.
But that changed the whole industry. That was the new prototype. And soon all the imitators followed. That's the way it will always be. There will be real believers and there will be fake believers.
Jesus told a parable. We call it the parable of the wheat and the tares. It's about a farmer that sowed a field of wheat. At night, his neighbor came who wanted to undermine his crop and sowed tares among the wheat. Tares being the darnel seed, which actually in its initial growth looks exactly like wheat. But with the passing of time, it uproots and destroys the wheat. And that was the story Jesus told to illustrate for us that whenever there is the real, there will be the false. Whenever there is the true, there will be the imitation. And so that's what we see here in the story before us.
Just Saying "Lord, Lord" Isn't Enough
Now I want you to notice something. Number one. Just because you say, "Lord, Lord," does not necessarily mean you're a true believer. Look at verse 21. Jesus says, "Not everyone that says, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven. But he that does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Cast out demons in your name. And done many wonders in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you that practice lawlessness.'"
Here is what I find fascinating. These are not garden variety non-believers. And by that I mean these are not your basic pagans who are biblically illiterate, who have no knowledge of God or the Bible or the church. No, these people seem to be deeply religious with more than a passing profession of faith.
First of all, I would point out they are respectful. They call Jesus "Lord, Lord." In fact, they use the Greek word kurios, which implies divinity. These people affirm the divinity of Christ. Now this is very important. If you want to be a real Christian, you have to believe that Jesus Christ is God. Jesus even said, "Unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins." If you think he's just a great prophet or a great teacher, you're missing the point. He was God in human form. That's the whole purpose of his birth, of his incarnation. It was God with us in that manger.
Now let me take it a step further, and this may surprise you. To be a real Christian, you must believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Why do I say that? Because if Jesus was not supernaturally placed in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit, then he was not different than any other man. Therefore, his death did not atone for the sin of the world.
It was not enough to just die on a cross. Many men died on crosses in the days of Rome. It was not even enough to rise from the dead because others came back to life like Lazarus. No, what was significant about Jesus is he was fully man, and he was fully God, and yet he went to the cross and died for us.
I mean, think about it. There's a lot of ways God could have sent Jesus to this earth. He could have come down in a shaft of light, Star Trek style. You know, just, "Hey everyone, I'm Jesus, and you're not. I'm here now to save you." Who would relate to someone like that? Or he could have been born of two human parents. Joseph could have been his biological father and Mary his biological mother. But then we would say, "Well, he's just like us. He's a sinner."
No, Jesus was born of the virgin. He had a physical birth, but yet supernaturally conceived.
True Faith Shows in Obedience and Relationship
Now let me turn that around. Though you need to believe that to be a Christian, listen, it's possible to believe that Jesus Christ is God. It's possible to believe that he was supernaturally placed in the womb of the Virgin Mary and not necessarily be a Christian. Believing the right things isn't enough. There must be a commitment to Christ that happens personally. Because the Bible says, "The demons believe and tremble."
In other words, if I could interview a demon, I would never want to do that. But let's just say I could for a point. I think you would be surprised how orthodox the demons are in their belief system. How they would agree with us that the Bible is the Word of God. We want to follow it. They want to oppose it. They would believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, but they oppose Him. Even when Jesus would cast demons out of people, they would acknowledge His Lordship. You see?
So coming back to these people, they say, "Lord, Lord." They call Him God. But yet they're not true believers. Also, I would add their profession of faith was fervent. There was passion there. "Lord, Lord" implies passion and enthusiasm.
It's possible to get really excited in a time of worship. You can lift your hands higher than anyone. Sing louder than anyone. Have a great worship experience. But what shocks me is there are people that will do that and then they'll go out and sleep with their boyfriend or girlfriend or be in an adulterous relationship or be lying and ripping people off after they were having their so-called worship moment. These people have passion, but they're not real believers.
And also, I would add, their profession of faith is public. They come out openly. They didn't hide their belief. These things were done in the open. Plus, they're doing miracles. Surely, they're believers if miracles are being performed.
Verse 22. They'll say, "Did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, and do wonders in your name?" Did you know that the devil can replicate certain miracles? Let me repeat that. Imitate, I would say, certain miracles. They're not real miracles, but they're imitation miracles.
I don't forget that God spoke through a flawed instrument like Balaam. And then He spoke through Balaam's donkey. In addition, the donkey opened his mouth and spoke. And I've met a few talking donkeys myself. But my point is, even though this man was not following God as he should have, God, in effect, worked through him. See, there can be false miracles. In fact, the Bible even tells us when Antichrist comes, he will be able to perform lying wonders.
Now we find if you're a real Christian, you will show it in the way that you live. Verse 23, "I'll declare to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you that practice lawlessness.'" This is a very important word. Lawlessness is a word in the Greek that speaks of a continuous, regular action. Jesus is saying, you profess to believe in me, but you continually and habitually practice lawlessness and sin.
This is not a growing Christian who stumbles. This is a pretender. This is a fake. This is a fraud. See, there's a difference between someone who stumbles and sins, as all Christians do, and is sorry for it, and they repent of it, and the person who lives willfully in sin without any desire to change from that sinful lifestyle. That's the person Christ is talking about.
And in 1 John 3:6, we read these words. "No one who claims to know Him will practice sin." And if a person practices sin, they have never really known Him. It doesn't say if you know Him, you won't sin, but it does say if you continually, habitually stay in the same sin, that is an indication you're not a true Christian.
The Right Foundation Makes All the Difference
I know what you're thinking. "He meant judge not lest you be judged." Didn't we deal with that verse recently? And we discovered that there is a place for judging. There is a place for evaluating. But we'll leave the ultimate judgment up to God because that verse really means condemn not lest you be condemned.
And Jesus says to these people, "I never knew you." And the word that He uses here to know is a Hebrew word that spoke of intimacy. In fact, it's the same word that is used of the intimacy between a man and a woman in marriage. He's saying, you knew about me, but I never knew you. These people are religious, but they don't have a relationship with God.
Number four, the real Christian will build their life on the right foundation. The real Christian will build their life on the right foundation. And Jesus illustrates this. It talks about two men building houses. This is such an easy illustration to understand. You have two guys. Think of a tract, a neighborhood. And so, let's say two guys say, we're going to build the same house. They have the same floor plan. They have the same landscaping. They have the same color scheme, same paint. Everything about those two houses is identical. And if you walk by, you would say it's the same house, inside and outside.
But here's the difference. One is built on a good foundation. The other is built on a bad foundation. And that foundation can make all the difference in the world. The most important time of building a house or any kind of structure is the foundation. You've got to get the electrical right. You've got to pour that slab right. You've got to get that plumbing right. Because if you don't, you're going to have to tear up everything else and go back and redo it.
It's not the most exciting time. It's not the most fun time. In fact, when you watch a foundation being laid, it almost appears as though nothing is happening for a long period of time. For us, the action starts when the wall is tilted up or it's framed in and the drywall is put in and then you've got the insulation. Then you put on the plaster. Then you put on the paint or the wallpaper and all the rest. That's the fun part. But the foundation is the most important part.
And in the same way in our lives as believers, that's the most important part of our life as well.
History tells us about an Italian architect named Bonanno Pisano. He began working on his most famous project in 1172. It was a tower that he was building next to a cathedral. But apparently he was in a bit of a rush. He didn't test the soil well enough. And now that tower leans 18 feet off center. People come from around the world to the city of Pisa to see it, the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Scientists travel yearly to measure it because it's slowly tilting even more. And one day they see it's going to collapse. Ironically, they built a restaurant right under where they expect it to collapse. And scientists meet there yearly to discuss when the tower will collapse. Is this a good idea?
So in the same way, what is your life built on? You might say, "I built my foundation on the church." I wouldn't advise that. "Well, I built my foundation on my wife or my husband." I wouldn't even advise that. "I built my foundation on my beliefs." Listen, you need to build your foundation on Jesus Christ. He's the one who will sustain you.
Because the church will let you down. And it's not always the fault of the church. Sometimes it's just you and your perception. But to the point because the church is made up of flawed people like us, it's going to disappoint at times. Don't build your foundation on the church. Don't build your foundation on a pastor or a preacher. Don't build your foundation on your marriage. Build your foundation on Christ. Because if you don't, you will not be sustained when times of hardship come.
Storms Reveal the True Foundation
Jesus talked about the seed that was sown on rocky ground in the parable of the sower. Ground embedded with rocks, thus it shot up quickly but withered in the blazing sun. And then he went on to explain it in Matthew 13. He said, the rocky soil represents those that hear the message and receive it with joy. But like young plants in such soil, their roots don't go very deep. At first they get along fine but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word. That is why your foundation matters.
So you don't want to rush this. You know, I think a lot of times people are more concerned with their appearances instead of what they're really building their lives on. We're always looking for the magic bullet. Sort of like losing weight. And we all think about that this time of the year. Why? Because there's food everywhere. It's unbelievable.
And because I have mentioned that I like In-N-Out Burger, I have quite a few gift cards for In-N-Out Burger. And because I've also mentioned Krispy Kreme Donuts, I have a few gift cards to those. And let me just say, if you've given me one of those cards, thank you very much. And if you're planning on giving me one of those cards, please don't. I don't need any more of those cards.
Now, Ruth's Chris, I like them. No, I'm joking. I don't want any cards. Thank you. None. I don't need any more things to enable me to eat more food, you see.
But, you know, we're looking for that diet. Well, what's this one pill I can take and the pounds would just come off immediately? Or I can get into some machine and it does all the work and I just stand there. Better yet, stand there and eat. No, but what we discover in time is something we don't want to acknowledge. Oh, you want to lose weight. You need to eat less and you need to exercise more. Yeah, I've heard that. Tell me something else.
Same is true of the Christian life. But, you know, I don't want to build that foundation. I don't want to open the Word of God up every day and discipline myself to read it. I don't want to discipline myself to be a regular part of the church and so forth. And that's a big mistake because storms will come in every life. And that will really determine what your foundation is.
You want to find out what your life is built on. You'll know when the storms come because Jesus said the rain descended. And whether you like it or not, that storm is going to come.
Now, storms can take many forms. Sometimes it's a tidal wave of temptation. Other times it's a slow eroding effect of more subtle methods. Sometimes a storm will come in our life that is a tragedy. And it will begin to test our faith.
And you'll say, well, I don't know if I'll be able to stand on that day. Hey, you decide that right now by building your life on the right foundation. I'm telling you, if you build your life on Jesus Christ, you'll be able to face whatever storm comes your way. Is that what you're built on right now?
You know, I've been a pastor for 41 years. I've done a lot of funeral services. And I've done funeral services for parents with children. And those are always the hardest, especially small children. But honestly, any child. It's so hard to watch a parent lose a child.
And over the years, I always did my best to bring comfort. I knew that I couldn't relate to it. But I tried to pick the right scriptures. I tried to say the right words. I tried to help them in some way turn to the Lord. But on more than one occasion, I would walk away from a family that lost a child. And I would actually say this to God. "Lord, I hope that never happens to me because if it does, I don't think I could handle it."
Well, it did happen to me, as you know, six years ago. And God was there with me because my foundation was built on Him. I'm not saying, oh, aren't I wonderful? It's not about me at all. It's about who I built my life on. And it sustained me through the worst storm.
So here's the thing. You don't have to worry about the future. God will give you what you need when you need it. You may never face a tragedy like that. And if that's the case, fantastic. Then again, you may. You don't know. We don't know. But we want to build ourselves on the right foundation. Because no one's going to live a suffering-free life.
Randy Alcorn in his book, If God is Good, Why? writes these words and I quote, "Most of us don't give focused thought to evil and suffering until we experience them. This forces us to formulate perspective on the fly at a time when our thinking is muddled and we're exhausted and consumed by pressing issues. People who have been there will attest it's far better to think through suffering in advance." End quote.
Sometimes when people go through hardship they will turn away from God. I have found that trials and suffering and adversity usually have one of two effects. Either our faith is strengthened because we turn to God for comfort or our faith is weakened and we become angry at God and sometimes even turn away from Him.
In fact, I'll say this. When you go through hardship it'll show what you're really made of. Character is not made in crisis it is revealed.
Sometimes people say, well this crisis has shaken my faith. Well my question would be what kind of faith do you have because the faith that can't be shaken is the faith that has been shaken. When you've been through adversity and you've survived it and God has been faithful to you your faith gets stronger. So the shaking of your faith makes your faith unshakable.
But if your faith is so fragile and wimpy and weak that when anything comes that's a little difficult you find yourself falling apart my question to you is what have you built your life on? Have you really built it on Jesus Christ? Because if you have you will be able to stand the storms of life and they will come.
The Narrow Gate vs. the Broad Way
So we've talked about two foundations. Now Jesus speaks about two gates. Go back to Matthew 7 and look at verse 13. "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 in by it. But narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few that find it."
Okay, if you want to build your life on the right foundation you have to start by getting on the right road. The narrow road that leads to life. And this is not an easy road. It's not easy being a Christian. In fact, it's difficult. But you have to admit the retirement benefits are out of this world, aren't they?
But when you use the word narrow many people find that offensive. Narrow is not a popular word in the 21st century. Because usually the word narrow is used in the same sentence along with words like bigoted, self-righteous, intolerant. If someone says to you, "You're so narrow-minded" that's not a compliment that's an insult.
So what does Jesus say? He says, you need a narrow mind to walk a narrow road. But what does it mean to be narrow-minded? Let me tell you first what it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean that you're self-righteous and arrogant and some kind of a know-it-all. All it means to be narrow-minded is that you recognize there's a specific road you must walk on to get to a particular destination. You accept that.
Look, if you want to go to Orange County, you have to get on the right freeway. You get on the 91 and you get ultimately down there to the 55 and you take it in. That's the way to Orange County via the freeway. You say, well, I don't want to take the 91. I want to take a different freeway. Well, that's not going to get you to where you want to go. Well, I want it to. Well, too stinking bad. It won't.
You want to get to a certain place, you get on the right road, there's one way to get there. The same is true of heaven. Narrow is the way that leads to life. Few there are that find it.
We love to say, you know, I believe whatever road you're on, it'll get you to God. Really? Well, yes, because I believe that all religions effectively teach the same thing. Trust me, anyone that ever says that has never even spent a little time looking at the religions of the world. It is not true that all religions teach the same thing.
In fact, you could sum up all the religions of the world in a very simple way. There's two systems of religion in the world today. One is God's grace, the other is man's works. One is divine accomplishment, and the other is human achievement. One leads to life, the other leads to death.
All the religions of the world effectively say, do. Do. Do this, and you'll reach nirvana. Do that, and you'll find inner peace. Do this other thing, and you may get to heaven. Christianity, in contrast, says, done. Accomplished. Finished at the cross of Jesus Christ. And the way I receive this is it's a gift I accept from God. Not do X amount of good works and get to heaven. No. There's no good works involved. It's all been done for you by Christ when He died there in your place. You accept the gift of eternal life. And now, as a result, you do good works to bring glory to God. Makes all the difference in the world. Otherwise, you have the cart before the horse.
Yeah. The narrow way that leads to life. And then there's the broad way. Hey, that's easy, bro. That's sort of like when you're on the 405 and you get off on Disney Way. That's also the expensive road.
I went to Disneyland the other day. Haven't been for a while. Took my grandkids there for my birthday. I just had my birthday. I don't want any gift cards. Thank you. I'm 40 plus some more years. Hey, is it just me or is the Matterhorn have a rough suspension? I mean, I always thought that was a great ride. I rode it again. It's like, the whole time. You know, but that's an expensive place to go. Okay, there's just no getting around it. I mean, from the moment you walk in, it's going to cost and there's lots and lots of people there. That's the crowded way. That's the popular way. That's the expensive way.
Oh, but the way to life. Sorry to use Disneyland as a picture of destruction, but financially, sometimes it is. Though it is the happiest place on earth or some say. But the narrow way that leads to life. That's not the popular road. You're not going to find as many people on it. But it is the only road that really matters. And I hope that you're on that road right now.
The Danger of Shortcuts and Second Chances
Have you ever heard of the 19th century pioneer story of the Donner Party? It happened in the high Sierras in the winter of 1846. George and Jacob Donner, James Frazier Reed and their families headed to California 2,000 miles away. They had state-of-the-art covered wagons, the latest of their version of technology. They left with a party of 87 men, women, and children.
You probably know that that journey ended in tragedy. They were forced to camp for the winter at a small lake 13 miles northwest of Lake Tahoe. They had heavy snows and 40 of them died. Some of them were so desperate they turned to cannibalism to get through it.
So most people know that version of the Donner story. Here is part of the story that you may have never heard before. How they ended up in this miserable place. Well as it turns out a man named Lansford Hastings told the Donner Party of a shortcut to California. Though it was untried the Donner Party took it. It cost all of them their lives.
And so it is the same way in life. You know we have this shortcut so called this easy way and then there is the narrow way that leads to life. And we decide what road we are going to get on.
Now you might say well Greg I have been on the wrong road for a while. In fact I have made some bad choices. You know you talk about good choices I have made bad choices. You know what? I married that non-believer. I got pregnant outside of wedlock. Even worse I got an abortion. I got two abortions. I have done things I should have never done. I have wasted years of my life. What would you say to a person like me?
I would say Christmas is about second chances. And you stop and think about the fact that God made that choice to send Jesus to be born and Jesus made the choice to come. But don't forget that a decision was made in the councils of eternity that Jesus would go and die on the cross for the sin of the world. The Bible says He was slain from the foundation of the earth. And what that means is way before we sinned Jesus already made preparation. And He already decided He was going to do what needed to be done so we could be made right with God.
You know when you look at the family tree of Christ. You find some pretty unsavory characters. I have a friend who was researching his family tree recently. Checking out his genealogy and someone said to him while he was in the process you better be careful when you look at your family tree you might find some of your family members hung on it. And that's true.
You know you go back and you find some unsavory characters like wow I can't believe they're in my family tree. Hey check out some of the people that made it into the most exclusive genealogy in human history. Two prostitutes Tamar and Rahab a woman who was guilty of adultery Bathsheba and a man who was guilty of adultery and murder David. All of them in the family tree of Christ.
How did they get up in that tree? Well the way it happened was they acknowledged their sin and God redeemed their lives and even redeemed their past. Did you know God can do that for you? You've made these mistakes and you think it's too late for me. No it's never too late.
If you come and say now Lord I've made a mess of my life but I need your help I need your forgiveness I've made wrong choices and now those choices have made me is there any hope? The answer is there is.
You know my own mom I've told you before rebelled against the Lord. She was raised in a Christian home. She went to church Sunday morning Sunday night Wednesday night she didn't want to go. And as soon as she could she ran off with some guy and married him and that was the first of many marriages to follow and in between her marriages she was in Long Beach and she had a fling with some guy and it resulted in her becoming pregnant but thankfully she made a good choice after a bad choice.
She got pregnant but she didn't abort that child and he was carried to term and I'm glad because that's moi. Okay. So bad choice good choice. Then as I grew up as a young man I chose to follow Christ because he chose me first just like he chose you and then I chose to walk with the Lord I married a godly woman. We've raised our children in the way of the Lord one of my sons is in heaven one is still here on earth as I've told you we have five wonderful grandchildren so good choices were made and then I was able to go back to my mom who chose to not follow Christ and she recommitted her life to the Lord so bad choice now a good choice.
So you see just because you've made bad choices up to this point doesn't mean you have to keep making them. You can make the right choice right now. And you can say, "Alright, Lord, I've made a mess of my life and I need your help."
You know, you might be like one of these people we've been talking about. I mean, you know the right things. You've got the cliches down. But you don't really know God. You know about God, but you don't know God. You can't live off your parents' faith. You can't live off your husband's faith or your wife's faith. You can't live off your friend's faith. You need your own relationship with the Lord.
Maybe you are like these people. You think you are a believer but you really aren't. Will you come to Christ today? Or maybe you are a person who has made some bad choices and you face the consequences of those choices but you want God to forgive you and give you a second chance.
I am going to give you an opportunity to get right with God right now as we close in prayer. So let's all bow our heads. And everyone praying please.
Father, we've heard your word. You offer your forgiveness to each and every one of us if we will turn to you. Now I pray for these that have joined us who don't know you yet. Help them to see their need for Jesus and help them to come to you right now. We would ask in your name.
Now while our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, maybe you would say, "I'm not really sure if I'm a Christian. I mean, I've known about Jesus for years but I can't really say, I know Him but I want to know Him today. I want Jesus to forgive me of my sin. Pray for me."
If that's your desire, if you want Jesus Christ to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, if you want to know a certainty that you will go to heaven when you die, would you lift your hand up wherever you're sitting? Let me just pray for you. Lift your hand up where I can see it. God bless you. God bless you. Wherever you are, you're watching the screen, raise your hand up. It doesn't matter if I can see you. This is between you and the Lord. Say, I need Christ. Just raise your hand up and I'll pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? I want His forgiveness. I want to know Him. Raise your hand up. God bless you. Raise it up where I can see it, please. God bless. Anybody else? Raise your hand now. God bless each one of you. God bless you.
While our heads are still bowed, maybe some of you would say, "Man, I've made a mess of my life. I know it's right, but I've made all these bad choices. But I need help. I need forgiveness. I need a second chance on life. Pray for me. I need to recommit my life to Jesus Christ."
If that's your desire, would you lift your hand up right now? Let me pray for you. You've made a mess of your life, but you need to recommit your life to Christ. Raise your hand up. I'll pray for you. God bless you. Anybody else? Raise your hand now. God bless each one.
Now I'm going to ask every one of you that has raised their hand. If you would, please, I want you to stand to your feet. And I'm going to lead you in a prayer of commitment. Just stand up. Every one of you that raised your hand, even if you did not, but you want to make this commitment or recommitment to Jesus Christ, stand to your feet. I'm going to lead you in prayer. God bless you that are standing. Others are standing. You are not the only one. Just stand up, wherever you are. Wherever you are hearing this, wherever you are watching this, stand to your feet right now and we are going to pray.
One final moment. Anybody else? Stand now. And we will pray together. God bless you that are standing. Anybody else? God bless all of you.
Now you that are standing, I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me. This is where you are asking Christ to come into your life. Again, as I pray, pray this out loud after me. Pray it right now.
Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. But I know you are a Savior. Who was born in that manger. And died on that cross. And paid for my sin. And rose again from the dead. Now Jesus, I choose to follow you. From this moment forward. As Savior and Lord. As God and friend. Thank you for calling me. And forgiving me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Amen. God bless each one of you. God bless you. Listen, you that just prayed that prayer, we want to give you a Bible that looks like the one I'm holding here. This is called the Start Bible. We want to put one of these in your hands. It's the New Testament along with some notes that I wrote that will encourage you. And this commitment or recommitment you've made to Christ.
So I would like all of you that just stood and prayed that prayer with me to get up out of your seat and go to this room over here in the corner. If you look here at Harvest Riverside, there's a red box with a white arrow. I want you guys here at Harvest Riverside to go back there right now. You that just prayed that prayer with me, get up out of your seat. If you're a counselor, you can go back. Wherever you are, go on over there and we'll give you this Bible. And God bless each one of you as you make your way over there to that room.
You at Harvest Orange County, you go to the room on your right. The room on your right, there's that same red box with a white arrow. We'll give you this Bible. You at the satellite site, you just go forward to where the screen is and we'll give you this Bible as well. And God bless all of you.
All right. Well, we're going to continue our worship right now. The ushers come forward and we're going to receive our morning tithes and offerings. Let's pray.
Father, we thank you for your faithfulness to us. We thank you for choosing us before the foundation of the world. And then we chose you. Now help us to continue to make right choices. Help us to build our lives on you and you alone. Lord, one of the ways we do this is through our giving. Because we recognize that all of our finances come from you. And thus we want to invest back into the work of your kingdom. So bless every gift that is given now for your glory. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.