Promise Land Week 2: God Will Help Message Summary: It is soul-crushing to reach out for help and be rejected, especially when we are running out of options. This is what makes the throne of God’s grace such a thrilling place, since he always is ready to help us in our time of need. He gives mercy, grace, and power to us when we needed them the most. ✦ Truth #1 — Christianity is easy. ✦ 2 Timothy 1:9 — He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. ✦ Truth #2 — Being a Christian is hard. ✦ Mark 12:30-31 — “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ✦ Mark 8:34-35 — Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” ✦ Matthew 26:41 — “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ✦ Romans 7:18-21 — For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ✦ Hebrews 4:14 — Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ✦ Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet he did not sin. ✦ Hebrews 4:16 — Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. ✦ Christianity can be hard, but Christ promises to help. ✦ Psalm 121:1-2 — I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Planting Jesus Roots GATHER — Read Hebrews 10:19-25. What connections do you see between these words and today’s message? GROUP — Share with your Life Group (or a Christian friend) about what you currently find hardest about following Jesus. GROW — Reflect on Jesus’ words in Mark 8:34-38. Where do you see the hard part of Christianity? Where do you see the easy/wonderful part? GIVE — If you struggle to be a generous giver, approach God’s throne with boldness and ask him for help. He is more than able and more than willing! GO — Do you know someone who gets discouraged easily? Next week’s sermon will remind us of the empowering promises that God makes to his people. Homework: Romans 8:28-38