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MATTHEW 16

"THE CHRISTIAN RATIONALE"

I. THE TERMS OF DISCIPLESHIP.
        A. Deny himself.
                1. What? Those things that if you continued in them would by their very nature
                   destroy you.
                        a. He does not wish to take from you any good or helpful activity.
                        b. "I have come that they might have life."
                2. Those things that stand in the way of your coming.
                        a. What is keeping you from submitting your life to Christ today.
        B. "Take up His cross."
                1. What is meant by this?
                        a. What did it mean in His life?
                        b. The full surrender of His will to the Father.
                                1. "Let this cup pass, nevertheless not what.."
                        c. The full surrender of your will to God.
        C. "Follow Me."
                1. To follow Him you must keep your eyes on Him.
                2. To follow Him you must stay close to Him.
                        a. Leading German pastors to restaurant in Huntington Beach.
                        b. Peter followed a far off, the next thing He did was to deny Him.

II. "FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?"
        A. What is the greatest desire of your life? What are you striving to achieve?
                1. Wealth?
                2. Fame?
                3. Power?
        B. Your soul is spirit is the most valuable part of you.
                1. It used to be that the body was worth 96 cents reduced to its chemical
                   components. Now it is more, inflation.
                2. Still not worth much once you're soul and spirit departs.
                3. It's a liability to your family and friends.
                                a. They must pay to dispose of it.

III. WHAT WILL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?
        A. We see what he has given.
                1. A few moments of pleasure.
                2. His foolish pride.
                3. The approval of the worldly crowd.
        B. What would you sell your soul for?
        C. What God gave in exchange for your soul.
                1. "For God so loved the world..."