The Two Secrets to Life
Part 1
1. Don’t think too much of yourself.
2. Don’t think too little of yourself.
Part 1 – Unbelievers who do
Part 2 – Christians who do
Unbelievers
It could be you.
It could be someone you know who
doesn’t know Christ.
Some who have not accepted Christ have not
done so because they think so much of
themselves they see no need to have Jesus
Christ as any part of their life – they,
themselves are the answer.
Some reasons that un-believers can think too
much of themselves and see no need for Jesus
Christ .
• Our culture of “rugged individualism.”
• The view that relying on Jesus is a sign of
weakness.
• Our culture of relative affluence.
• The “I’m a good person” mentality.
Matthew 19:16-26
I’m a good person compared to what?
Others or God’s standard?
Some reasons that un-believers can think too
much of themselves and see no need for Jesus
Christ .
• Our culture of “rugged individualism.”
• The view that relying on Jesus is a sign of
weakness.
• Our culture of relative affluence.
• The “I’m a good person” mentality.
• Ignorance
Some who have not accepted Christ have not
done so because they think so much of
themselves that they see no need to have Jesus
Christ as any part of their lives – they, or other
things in their lives, are the answer.
For other non-believers the exact opposite is
true. They have not accepted Jesus Christ
because they actually think too little of
themselves. This manifests itself in two sad and
harmful false beliefs.
The first is, “I have to clean myself
up before I can come to God and
be accepted by Him”.
Remember: God’s standard is perfection.
We are unworthy because of sin.
• Everyone is unworthy.
• Jesus is worthy, and he makes us
worthy.
Revelations 5:12
And they sang in a mighty chorus: "The Lamb is
worthy-- the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy
to receive power and riches and wisdom and
strength and honor and glory and blessing."
Luke 5:27-31
Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax
collector named Levi [Matthew] sitting at his
tax-collection booth. "Come, be my disciple!"
Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything,
and followed him. Soon Levi held a banquet in
his home with Jesus as the guest of honor.
Luke 5:27-31 (cont.)
Many of Levi's fellow tax collectors and other
guests were there. But the Pharisees and their
teachers of religious law complained bitterly to
Jesus' disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with
such scum?"
Luke 5:27-31 (cont.)
Jesus answered them, "Healthy people don't
need a doctor-- sick people do. I have come to
call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend
my time with those who think they are already
good enough."
The second reason that some
unbelievers feel they are unworthy of
receiving Christ and His love is
because they fully believe that they
have done, or are doing, such a
terrible thing(s) in their life that God
really has no use for them.
Moses
King David
Noah
Paul
People who feel unworthy of
receiving God’s love and acceptance
may know that God forgives; they
may know that God has forgiven their
friends, co-workers or relatives and
the preacher at church, but they just
can’t accept the fact that God would
forgive them.
We don’t need a smaller sin;
we need a bigger God.
What do we do with all of this?
1. Pray to receive Christ (you don’t have
all the answers).
2. Pray to receive Christ (you are
worthy).
3. Pray for God to show you the heart
of people you know who don’t know
Christ.