Pitfalls - Potholes - Obstacles

Self-Reliance/Pride
Sunday, July 17, 2011

Matt Naismith

Pitfalls - Potholes - Obstacles

Self-Reliance/Pride
Sunday, July 17, 2011

Matt Naismith

Big Idea:
Potentially the greatest obstacle you will ever have to
overcome is YOURSELF.

Big Idea:
Potentially the greatest obstacle you will ever have to
overcome is YOURSELF.

Self-Reliance Defined: reliance on ones own powers and

resources rather than those of others.

Self-Reliance Defined: reliance on ones own powers and

resources rather than those of others.

Passage - Mark 10:17-22 (ESV) The Rich Young Man

Passage - Mark 10:17-22 (ESV) The Rich Young Man

Application from Passage

1. Often we put things in our lives that will unintentionally
but automatically come before God.

Application from Passage

1. Often we put things in our lives that will unintentionally
but automatically come before God.

2. Good works or deeds will not save you.

Anyone who counts on what they are doing to get
eternal life will find that, in spite of everything theyve
accomplished, theres an emptiness, an insecurity, a
doubt.
-Tim Keller, Kings Cross, pg. 129

2. Good works or deeds will not save you.

Anyone who counts on what they are doing to get
eternal life will find that, in spite of everything theyve
accomplished, theres an emptiness, an insecurity, a
doubt.
-Tim Keller, Kings Cross, pg. 129

3. Jesus must be at the center.

If you want God to be your Saviour, you have to
replace what youre already looking to as a saviour...
If you want to be a Christian, of course youll repent
of your sins. But after youve repented of your sins
youll have to repent of how you used the good things
in your life to fill the place where God should
be...Christians, you see, are people who know that
their Christianity is impossible, a miracle... Everybody
has to recognize that we have been resting our
hopes on some form of personal merit. And its our
personal merit, our moral worth, that keeps us from
understanding the cross.
-Tim Keller, Kings Cross, pg. 132, 133

3. Jesus must be at the center.

If you want God to be your Saviour, you have to
replace what youre already looking to as a saviour...
If you want to be a Christian, of course youll repent
of your sins. But after youve repented of your sins
youll have to repent of how you used the good things
in your life to fill the place where God should
be...Christians, you see, are people who know that
their Christianity is impossible, a miracle... Everybody
has to recognize that we have been resting our
hopes on some form of personal merit. And its our
personal merit, our moral worth, that keeps us from
understanding the cross.
-Tim Keller, Kings Cross, pg. 132, 133

To Do:
1. Talk to God. (Philippians 4:6)
2. Surrender your today and your future to God.
(Jeremiah 29:11-14)
3. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4. Let go of whatever it is that is giving you your identity
if it is something other than God.
5. Step out in faith for once.
6. Get into an accountability group that will hold you to
the above.

To Do:
1. Talk to God. (Philippians 4:6)
2. Surrender your today and your future to God.
(Jeremiah 29:11-14)
3. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
4. Let go of whatever it is that is giving you your identity
if it is something other than God.
5. Step out in faith for once.
6. Get into an accountability group that will hold you to
the above.

Questions
1. What thoughts or questions did this teaching raise for
you?
2. If you were to tear away all your stuff - what would be
left? Would God even be found?
3. Is your theology based on Gods blessing as a
reward for moral behaviour?
4. Where do you find your identity? What if this thing
was gone?
5. How can you begin relying on God and less on
yourself?
6. What is one take-away from todays message that
you can go home and apply?

Questions
1. What thoughts or questions did this teaching raise for
you?
2. If you were to tear away all your stuff - what would be
left? Would God even be found?
3. Is your theology based on Gods blessing as a
reward for moral behaviour?
4. Where do you find your identity? What if this thing
was gone?
5. How can you begin relying on God and less on
yourself?
6. What is one take-away from todays message that
you can go home and apply?

Benediction
The gospel isnt advice. Its the good news that you
dont need to earn your way to God; Jesus has
already done that for you.

Benediction
The gospel isnt advice. Its the good news that you
dont need to earn your way to God; Jesus has
already done that for you.