BRAD BUSER - CHAPEL SPEAKER
YUGO MISSION TRIP - JUNE 2008

Part 2 - Conclusion

Before we name the name of Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we ought to realize that Jesus wants EVERYTHING!
--Luke 14:28-30 - “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’”
There is no salvation without being completely taken over by Jesus. He is to be our sole affection. Heaven is where we will stop the battle. Jesus comes into our lives here on earth only to come in and take over, completely.
--Luke 14:31-32 - “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace."
The only reasonable decision is to realize it costs us everything to come to Jesus. What choice do we have? Because Jesus IS the only One who completely satisfies in the long run! Everything else is really just a mirage.
--Luke 14:33 - “In the same way, any of you who does not give up EVERYTHING he has cannot be my disciple.”
There you have it! There are only disciples--and those going to hell! There is nothing in between. The future is ours to choose. Will we lay it all down at the feet of Jesus, or walk away from Him? Continuing to play games and making excuses, compromises, and rationales in defense of the way we want to follow Jesus? Jesus’ command is clear. We must come empty handed, on our knees, to Him.

The great thing is that what God then gives back to us is sweeter and more satisfying than ANYTHING we would cling or hang on to! We’re all going to die doing something--so why not “go for it?” We get so busy and forget that our life is His when we go home from a place like YUGO. We get back to everything familiar and just live nice, easy, mundane, dull lives in the old routines and activities. But only His life will truly satisfy.

It is OBEDIENCE that should motivate us. But this is also difficult:
--I Samuel 15:3 - “Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.”
Everything dies! This was a command of God to King Saul. It was doing something that doesn’t come naturally. Yes, obedience is difficult. And Saul wasn’t obedient. The evidence of his disobedience is in Scripture:
--I Samuel 15:13-14 - “When Samuel reached him, Saul said, ‘The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.’ But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?’”
Saul tried to be obedient half way! And He tried to justify himself:
--I Samuel 15:15, 20-21 - “Saul answered, ‘The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.’ ‘But I did obey the Lord,’ Saul said. ‘I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.’”
Saul could not see his own disobedience. Self deception is so easy! However, there is only obedience or disobedience. No in-between! And Samuel put it this way to Saul:
--I Samuel 15:22 - “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
Do we really want to try and live halfway obedient to God? Live a secondary, compromised life with God, just giving back to the Lord a few moments of our time every now and then? When we obey God, what we give up in total obedience to Him always pales in comparison to what we gain in eternity. Do not live a life of disobedience! The trinkets of life--momentary pleasures, status, youth, money, activities, homes, RV’s--never satisfy, and they will all pass away.

--Hebrews 11:1-2 - “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”
We need eyes to see the unseeable, as the ancients did. These people were commended for this--for their faith--and they were people who wanted to hear God’s word.
--Hebrews 11:6 - “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Noah heard God’s voice and obeyed, building an ark to save his family--but the flood didn’t happen till many years later! Abraham heard God’s voice calling him to leave home, but not knowing where to go. What’s important here is don’t wait till you have all the answers before obeying; before going. God will show you as you go.
--Hebrews 11:13 - "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth."
These people did not have all the answers--but it’s not about the “now!” It’s about something bigger; better. Faith is about living where you don’t see it all right now.
--Genesis 22:2 - “God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’”
This is God talking to Abraham again, challenging him to do something that he cannot see and understand right now. This is the first time that the word “love” is used in Scripture, in connection with sacrificing his only son. And Abraham goes.
--Genesis 22:5 - “We will worship...”
This is the first time the word “worship” is used in Scripture. It involves a sacrifice--a deep sacrifice--much more than just a song to sing! Is this how our worship is today? Does our worship really involve a sacrifice on our part? Too often our focus is on trivial matters (style, hour, length, songs, getting “fed,” etc.)
--Hebrews 11:24 - “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”
Moses was the second most powerful man in the world, and he said “NO” to riches.
--Hebrews 11:27 - “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.”
Moses persevered with God, and finally saw the Lord--forty years later in the burning bush! With the Lord, we must be still, develop our relationship Him, be quiet and listen.

From Hebrews 11:1 through verse 35a, the results of faith--of following the Lord--are positive for everyone mentioned. But it wasn’t always a happy ending for those who followed God! Hebrews 11:35b-38 lists the many terrible endings that were in store for God’s people: torture, prison, flogging, stoned, sawed in two, death by the sword; destitute and persecuted and mistreated. Still, they persevered. God said “the world was not worthy of them.” We need to develop a right and true perspective that is not dependent on the world. We need to develop an “eye” in our chests that sees things properly, not from the world’s perspective. In Matthew 25, there is a big party for all who belong to the Lord; who live in such a way as to be ready for the Lord’s appearing. We must ask ourselves: “What do I want most?” Is it God’s affirmation? His “well done, good and faithful servant?” Spending time and basing your life on His word? Then the world will not be worthy of you either. You will be stepping out for the Lord and stepping away from the world. You will develop that “eye” in your chest that sees the Lord’s way.

May nothing deter us from following and living for Him!
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You can get an experience of hearing Brad preach by clicking on this link:

ForGodSoLoved

This takes you to the website of Cornerstone Church, where he preached a year ago. Click on "quicklink - get a sermon" and scroll down to "3/18/07 - Brad Buser - For God So Loved." Click on "Watch." It is a 45 minute presentation--and well worth taking in!