LIVING BY THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST, PROSPERING THROUGH THE PRINCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST

A Christ-Centred Sermon on Salvation, Discipleship, Obedience, Stewardship and Kingdom Fruitfulness

Prepared for: LATTER DAY GLORY EVANGELICAL MINISTRY
Minister: Pastor Israel Oluwafemi Abiodun
Scripture Version: King James Version (KJV)
Estimated Preaching Duration: 60–75 minutes, depending on delivery and congregational response.

John 14:6

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

John 15:5

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

Luke 6:46

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Matthew 7:24–25

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."

Matthew 6:33

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

3 John 2

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

John 1:12–13; John 3:16; John 5:39–40; John 14:15; John 15:1–8; Luke 5:1–11; Luke 16:10–13; Matthew 25:14–30; Matthew 7:21–27; Mark 8:34–37; Mark 10:17–27; Luke 19:1–10; Romans 5:1–2; Ephesians 2:8–10; Titus 2:11–14; Philippians 3:7–11; Philippians 4:10–13; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; James 1:22–25; Genesis 39–41; Proverbs 22:29.

CENTRAL THEME

The person of Jesus Christ gives us eternal life through His saving grace, while His teachings instruct us in the wisdom, obedience, character and responsibility through which our lives become fruitful and pleasing to God.

Christianity is neither a religion of mere spiritual profession nor a system of worldly success principles.

It is a living relationship with Jesus Christ that produces a transformed life.

We are saved by grace through faith, not by our works. Yet the grace that saves us also teaches us how to live.

CENTRAL DECLARATION

You cannot substitute the principles of Jesus Christ for the person of Jesus Christ, and you cannot genuinely submit to the person of Jesus Christ while deliberately rejecting His principles.

His person is the foundation of our salvation.

His Word governs our discipleship.

His Spirit empowers our transformation.

His glory is the ultimate purpose of our fruitfulness.

THE TRAGEDY OF HAVING THE KEY BUT REFUSING TO OPEN THE DOOR

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, there is something I want us to consider very carefully today.

It is possible to possess something extremely valuable and yet fail to benefit from it because we do not understand its purpose.

A man may possess an excellent agricultural seed, but if he refuses to plant it, cultivate the ground, remove the weeds and provide the necessary care, he should not expect a harvest merely because the seed is good.

The quality of the seed does not eliminate the responsibility of cultivation.

Similarly, a man may possess the architectural drawing of a magnificent building. He may admire the drawing, frame it, display it in his sitting room and tell everybody about the beauty of the proposed structure.

But if he never lays the foundation, never engages the builders and never follows the specifications, the building will remain a beautiful imagination.

Admiring an architectural drawing is not the same as constructing the building.

Now, consider this.

There are people who admire Jesus Christ but do not obey Him.

There are people who celebrate His miracles but neglect His instructions.

There are people who proclaim His promises but disregard His commandments.

There are people who pray passionately for divine intervention while continually refusing to practise the wisdom God has already revealed.

And there are others who practise honesty, diligence, discipline, generosity and effective planning, yet have never surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.

The first group may possess religious language without practical discipleship.

The second group may experience temporal advantages without possessing eternal life.

Both conditions deserve serious examination.

Because there is a difference between knowing what Jesus taught and knowing Jesus Himself.

And there is also a difference between claiming to know Jesus and actually living according to His teachings.

Today, I want to bring before us a message that has the potential to challenge our understanding of Christianity, our attitudes towards prosperity, our approach to prayer, and our responsibility for the lives God has entrusted to us.

The message is entitled: