counting the cost

COUNTING THE COST

EXODUS 4                                          

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. DOING THE WILL OF GOD MAY SEEM TO BE A HIGH COST

 

1. Except for God’s Preparation [v. 18-19]

2. Except for God’s Power [v. 20, 1-9]

3. Except for God’s Plan [v. 21-22]

 

II. NOT DOING THE WILL OF GOD CARRIES THE HIGHEST COST

One of Brother Henry’s sayings that I like is “The high cost of low living.”

 

1. What is Your Life Worth? [v. 24, Luke 9:24]

- For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

2. What is your Life’s Work? [v. 25-26, Mt. 21:27-32, Lk. 19:17, 1 Corinthians 15:58]

- And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

- And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

- Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

3. What is your Life’s Word [v. 27-28, Heb. 11:4, Acts 5:20]

- By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

-Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

 

III. THE HIGH COST OF FAITH

 

1. Have Faith to Obey [v. 29-30]

2. Have Faith to Believe [v. 31a, Rm. 10:17, Mark 11:22, Jn. 14:1]

- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God

- And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

- [Jesus said] LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

3. Have Faith to Respond [v. 31b]