05 Confronting Culture - No Selfishness - a podcast by Lewis Marsh

Confronting Culture #5

No Selfishness (Crucifixion)

By Louie Marsh, 4-2-2023

Intro - slides

 

1) Jesus calls me to live an UNSELFISH life.

 

“²⁴Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. ²⁶For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24–26, ESV)

2) Our culture demands I put myself FIRST.

 

“⁶In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6, ESV)

²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools,” (Romans 1:21–22, ESV)

 

• The huge modern Christian

 

3) Selfishness is worshipping MYSELF.

 

“²³Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! ²⁴And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23–24, ESV)

 

TO UNSELFISHLY FOLLOW JESUS…

 

4) I must be ruthlessly HONEST with myself.

 

“³⁹And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”” (Matthew 26:39, ESV)

 

5) I must cultivate true HUMILITY in my heart.

 

“¹So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ²complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. ³Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:1–4, ESV)

 

6) I don’t put myself up or down, rather I FOCUS on Jesus.

 

“²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)

 

“⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)

 

7) I must live a life of service to OTHERS.

 

“²⁸But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Luke 23:28, ESV)

 

“²⁶When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” (John 19:26–27, ESV)

 

“³⁴And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.” (Luke 23:34, ESV)

 

“⁴³And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Luke 23:43, ESV)

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