Introduction:

I.                   The word “paradox” is defined as “A seemingly contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true.”

II.                A paradox involves that which appears to be contradictory.

Discussion:

I.                   WE MUST DIE IN ORDER TO LIVE!  

Matt. 16:24-26, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall love it:  and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  For what is a man profited, If he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Rom. 6:3-6, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:  that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” 

II Cor. 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

II.                WE MUST MOURN TO BE HAPPY!  

Matt. 5:4, “Blessed are they that mourn:  for they shall inherit the earth.”

James 4:7-10, “Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep:  let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Phil. 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always:  and again I say, Rejoice.”

Rev. 21:4, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:  for the former things are passed away.” 

III.           WE MUST SURRENDER TO BE VICTORIOUS! 

Matt. 19:16-22 (Read!)

Rom. 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” 

IV.            WE MUST HATE IN ORDER TO LOVE!

             I John 2:15-17, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:  but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

             Matt. 6:24, “No man can serve two masters:  for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

             Luke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” 

             Matt. 10:37, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:  and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

 V.       WE MUST BE FOLLOWERS IN ORDER TO BECOME LEADERS!  

            Matt. 4:18-19, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea:  for they were fishers.  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you      fishers of men.”

            John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”  

            I Cor. 11:1, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

VI.      WE MUST BECOME POOR IN ORDER TO BECOME RICH!

            Matt. 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit:  for their’s is the kingdom of     heaven.”

            2 Cor. 8:9, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”

       VII.      WE MUST BECOME THE LEAST IN ORDER TO BECOME THE

                    GREATEST.

              Matt. 20:25-28 (Read!) 

            Matt. 18:1-4, “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

            Luke 9:48, “And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me:  and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me:  for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.”

VIII.        WE MUST BE SIGHTLESS IN ORDER TO SEE!

2 Cor. 5:7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight)

Rom. 8:24-25, “For we are saved by hope:  but hope that is seen is not hope:  for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

IX.              WE MUST WORK IN ORDER TO REST!

I Cor. 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Matt. 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Rev. 14:13, “…Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth:  Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

X.                 WE MUST BE HOMELESS TO HAVE A HOME.

2 Cor. 5:1-2, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:”

Phil. 3:20-21, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

               Heb. 11:13-16 (Read or refer to!)

Conclusion:

I.                   YOU MUST BE OBEDIENT TO ENJOY THE BLESSING FOUND IN CHRIST!

--Dub Mowery