Message Title: Short Cuts and Ladders
Message Truth: Sin leads to short cuts; Grace leads to ladders.
Message Text: Genesis 28:12-19
Short Cuts- at its root is the sin of distrust in God. We cannot trust or wait for God’s good plan. We must take matters into our own hands. We look for solutions outside of God’s principles.
- Abraham and Sarah – Genesis 16:1-4
- Esau – Genesis 25:34
- Jacob- Genesis 27:19
- Adam and Eve – Genesis 3:6-7
- Book of Judges
- King Saul – 1 Samuel
- Simon- Acts 8:9-24
- Judas- Matthew 26:15
When We take Short Cuts
1.There is an Initial Comfort – (short term)
2.There are Inevitable Consequences – (long term)
3.There is an Indisputable Cure- Run to Grace
1.Trust in God’s timing: Avoid rushing ahead of God’s plan or seeking immediate gratification.
2.Be patient and persistent: Endure trials and learn from them, rather than seeking shortcuts that bypass the process.
3.Follow God’s path: Seek His guidance and direction, rather than forging one’s own way.
4.Recognize the dangers of shortcuts: Understand that shortcuts can lead to negative consequences and hinder spiritual growth
Ladders- God’s Grace reaching down giving us what we do not deserve because God is good and gracious
- Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.” John 1:50-51
- Our ladder to heaven is not a vision, Its Jesus.
- When we are at our lowest, God is watching from his highest. Between us stretches a conduit of Grace if you will surrender to Him.
