TITLE: Individualism: Christianities Hardest

Challenges• TEXT: Luke 15:11-32

• THEME: The believer should turn to God when his course of life has failed.

Frank Sinatra “I Did It My Way”

I've lived a life that's full - I've traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

… Regrets? I've had a few, But then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption.

Frank Sinatra “I Did It My Way”

I planned each charted course - Each careful step along the byway, And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Frank Sinatra “I Did It My Way”

Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew, When I bit off more than I could chew, But through it all, when there was doubt, I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall And did it my way.

Frank Sinatra “I Did It My Way”

I've loved, I've laughed and cried, I've had my fill - my share of losing. But now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing.

Frank Sinatra “I Did It My Way”

…For what is a man? What has he got? If not himself - Then he has naught. To say the things he truly feels And not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows And did it my way.

Luke 15:11-32

 11Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

 13"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

Luke 15:11-32

14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

Luke 15:11-32

17"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.'

Luke 15:11-32

20So he got up and went to his father.       "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

Luke 15:11-32

22"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

What should a person do when the result of rejecting

Gods path has lead to destruction?

I. Recognize the thinking that leads to leaving God’s path

(11-12)

I. Recognize the thinking that leads to leaving God’s path

(11-12)A. I resent the restrictions on my life and

want to do things my own way.

I. Recognize the thinking that leads to leaving God’s path

(11-12)A. I resent the restrictions on my life and

want to do things my own way.

B. I am willing to sacrifice all my relationships and responsibilities to pursue my desires.

I. Recognize the thinking that leads to leaving God’s path

(11-12)A. I resent the restrictions on my life and

want to do things my own way.

B. I am willing to sacrifice all my relationships and responsibilities to pursue my desires.

C. I want control over the direction and purpose of my life- no one, even God, has the right to tell me how to live.

Individualism

Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology, or social outlook that stresses "the moral worth of the individual". Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and so independence and self-reliance while opposing most external interference upon one's own interests, whether by society, family or any other group or institution. Individualism makes the individual its focus and so it starts "with the fundamental premise that the human individual is of primary importance.”

Joseph Stowell

“One of the radical paradigm shifts that Jesus introduced into His world was the notion that true family was no longer based on ancestry but being born into his family. The radical nature of this shift was scandalous in His day…For the followers of Jesus, the concept of family would never be the same again… They immediately picked up family nomenclature and consistently called each other, “brother” and “sister.”

What should a person do when the result of rejecting

Gods path has lead to destruction?

Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-

20)

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

– Like the HS student listening to his stereo when the parents are gone.

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

– Like the HS student listening to his stereo when the parents are gone.

– It is the student with his dads Olds

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

– Like the HS student listening to his stereo when the parents are gone.

– It is the student with his dads Olds.

– It is the man with his first pay check

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

– Like the HS student listening to his stereo when the parents are gone.

– It is the student with his dads Olds.

– It is the man with his first pay check

– It is the man who is in Houston away from home and his wife and the bar has some women who are available.

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13):

Proverbs 14:12 "A way that seems right a man but the end is the way to destruction.” This brings up the next phase.

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13)

B. The Complication Phase (14-15)

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13)

B. The Complication Phase (14-15)

C. The Loneliness Phase (16)

II. Identify what phase of Individualism you are in (13-20)

A. The Optimism Phase (13)

B. The Complication Phase (14-15)

C. The Loneliness Phase (16)

D. The Decision Phase (17-20)

Consequences of Individualism

Consequences of Individualism

• Financial consequences:

Consequences of Individualism

• Financial consequences:

• Physical consequences:

Consequences of Individualism

• Financial consequences. .

• Physical consequences:

• Emotional consequences

Consequences of Individualism

• Financial consequences:

• Physical consequences:

• Emotional consequences:

• Spiritual Consequences:

Consequences of Individualism

• Financial consequences:

• Physical consequences:

• Emotional consequences:

• Spiritual Consequences:

"Desperado's why don't you come to your senses." Have one last talk at the full length mirror and say you have no right to be master of your universe.

What should a person do when the result of rejecting

Gods path has lead to destruction?

III. Turn to God for Deliverance (20-32)

III. Turn to God for Deliverance (20-32)

• Write a book titled, "Why I am Glad I am Not God."

III. Turn to God for Deliverance (20-32)

• Write a book titled, "Why I am Glad I am Not God."

• Christianity is not Gods attempt to eradicate you, your personhood or your style, but to eradicate your sinful, self filled ways and to replace it with a new life and relationship of trust and joy.

Joseph Stowell, “The Trouble With Jesus”

“ If our true identify is that we are first and foremost followers of Jesus Christ, shouldn’t it be the first thing on your mind, the first thing on our list? ...A prevalent obstruction to the centrality and supremacy of Jesus is our preoccupation with ourselves. If we are followers of Jesus it is supposed to be about him.” And if we are about him we will care for those He cares for.

Application

• You are not God. You may think you have life all figured out and you can do it your way, but your way will lead to hopelessness.

Application

• You are not God. You may think you have life all figured out and you can do it your way, but your way will lead to hopelessness.

• If you find yourself on a dead-end path you can turn to God. Like the waiting Father he wants to welcome you into His family.

Application

• You are not God. You may think you have life all figured out and you can do it your way, but your way will lead to hopelessness.

• If you find yourself on a dead-end path you can turn to God. Like the waiting Father he wants to welcome you into His family.

• You were not created for isolation- but for community, you were not created for yourself- but for God, you were not created to do it your way but to do it God’s way.