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Give Online: https://pushpay.com/pay/gatecitychristian Website: https://www.gatecitychristian.com/ Decision Card: https://gatecity.churchcenter.com/people/forms/371658 DTR: Define the Relationship with Jesus Joshua Robinson 11/30/25 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:21–27 Biblical Context/Understanding Lord, Lord - κύριος (kurios) - supreme in authority, Lord, Master, God; often used as a substitute for the name above all names YHWH Doing - ποιέω (poieó) - To make, to act, to cause, to work; to create the action Will - θέλημα (theléma) - has determined what shall be done; all-encompassing purpose of God that governs creation, redemption, and consummation. Knew - γινώσκω (ginóskó) - covenant idea that genuine knowing binds together; heart level that leads to willing participation, submission, and obedience. Doing God's Will More than WORDS Lord, Lord - Claiming Jesus is God, is Master is NOT ENOUGH Confession without OBEDIENCE is empty words More Than WORKS Prophesy, Casting out Demons, Miracles - Empty works are NOT ENOUGH You can be busy and not act from your HEART You can succeed and never SUBMIT More than SHOWING UP Familiarity/Proximity to God -Being in the right place is NOT ENOUGH Proximity is not INTIMACY Attendance is not TRANSFORMATION Simply being present does not equal OBEDIENCE “You can be in God’s house and still not be with the Father” MOST TERRIFYING PHRASE: “I never knew you; depart from me” Knowing God and Being Known by Him Matter MOST 1) My HEART must CHANGE God helps in this process, but we have to SURRENDER our life, our WILL It is an intimate seeking after Him - open, broken, and ready to CHANGE “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” 2) My OBEDIENCE must be WILLFUL Is evidence of a changed life (Salvation has happened) “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” “We have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments” 3) My LIFE is no longer MINE - His WILL Matters MOST Setting aside personal desires, hopes, and wants No longer about me “No longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” God’s WILL: “Love the Lord your God . . . Love your neighbor” “Whatever is good, pure . . . think on these things” “Live in such a way that people see your good deeds and give glory to God” “Consider others as more important than yourself” “Go unto all nations baptizing men in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Teaching them to obey all I have commanded you.” Made clear in His Word Revealed further through prayer Application: The life I build MATTERS What FOUNDATION am I building my life on? Christ Truth Obedience Surrender The outcome is clear: choose which words you want to hear: “I never knew you; depart from me” or “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Give Online: https://pushpay.com/pay/gatecitychristian Website: https://www.gatecitychristian.com/ Decision Card: https://gatecity.churchcenter.com/people/forms/371658 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23–26 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Matt 16:24–27 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:34–38 Biblical Context/Understanding Would - θέλω (theló) - is resolved and determined Deny - ἀρνέομαι (arneomai) - to disavow, reject, renounce, reject, or disown Take Up - αἴρω (airó) - To put upon oneself, to bear Cross - σταυρός (stauros) - Crosspiece; figuratively, exposure to death, self-denial Follow - ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheó)- to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in dying also; to become a disciple: to live in obedience to your Master and imitation of His example Soul - ψυχή (psuché) - soul, inner being or life, eternal in nature God created the soul, Christ redeemed it, and the Spirit sanctifies it. The believer’s calling is to guard, nurture, and offer that soul wholly to the Lord until the day He completes the good work within. DTR: Defining the Relationship with Jesus - Daily Come after me . . . We must SEEK daily This begins in God’s Word and always involves Prayer Deny yourself . . . Exact opposite of Confess - We confess Christ while Denying self To break association with Self Practically looks like: Saying no to my desires first Saying no to my plans Saying no to being the boss All so you can say Yes to Jesus Take up your cross . . . To Bear/Carry the Status of one whose life is forfeit To willing walk the path to death - both to self and literally Practically looks like: Confessing Christ publicly and standing for His Word Not avoiding difficulty but rather walking through it Moving in a singular direction - Eyes fixed on Jesus Bearing hard moments . . . Follow Me To live in submission, imitation, and obedience to God Practically looks like: Seeking daily where God is working and joining Him Obeying the Fathers commands Dying to Sin Living in Humility Serving Others Sharing the Good News Walking with Holy Spirit - Listening - Responding Growing as a Disciple - Through Action Our very soul is at stake We must choose to live unashamed and unapologetically

NO TURNING BACK — COUNTING THE COST OF FOLLOWING CHRIST Define The Relationship – Part 3 11/16/2025 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57–62 ESV “No Comfort. No Delay. No Looking Back.” These aren’t just principles — they are decisions. CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS OVER COMFORT … I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. Luke 9:57–58 ESV Jesus is telling him — and us: If comfort is your god, you cannot follow Me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 2 Timothy 3:12 ESV “A disciple says, ‘No Comfort.’” PUT JESUS FIRST WITHOUT DELAY To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:59-60 ESV Jesus exposes the truth: Delayed obedience is disobedience. “…whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:37–39 ESV “A disciple says, ‘No Delay.’” FIX YOUR EYES FORWARD AND DON’T LOOK BACK Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:61–62 ESV Jesus identifies the problem: A divided heart cannot fully follow Me. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13–14 ESV “A disciple says, ‘No Looking Back.’” EMBRACE HARDSHIP AS PART OF FOLLOWING JESUS For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18 ESV For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV You cannot follow Jesus faithfully unless you decide ahead of time that He is worth the struggle. Jesus is calling not for casual followers but committed disciples — those who have already made up their minds. No Comfort. No Delay. No Looking Back. Reflection Questions 1. Which comfort is hardest for you to surrender to follow Jesus? 2. Where are you delaying obedience with “Lord… but first…”? 3. What keeps pulling your eyes back instead of forward? 4. How can you pre-decide today to endure hardship and follow Jesus fully?

How Do You Serve One Master? DTR: Part 2 Joshua Robinson 11/09/25 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:44-46 The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” Mark 4:14–20 Kingdom of Heaven βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν (basileia tōn ouranōn) - not a realm or place but a rule and reign, God’s saving and redeeming reign now in part and in completion at the second coming. Synonymous with kingdom of god. Cares μέριμνα (merimna) - worries, anxieties, that which consumes your thoughts Deceit ἀπάτη (apaté) - Deception, deceit, delusion Desires ἐπιθυμία (epithumia)- Desire, lust, longing, impulses, coveting DTR: Defining the Relationship with Jesus - How do you serve one Master? Parable of Hidden Treasure/Parable of Fine Pearl In coming to faith and recognizing all that God offers is like . . . What are you willing to give up, sacrifice to live in His kingdom Is it the consuming mission in your life to dwell with God? It begins with DESIRE (A right heart serving the right Master) Colossians 3:2-3 “Set your mind on the things above, not on things on earth” Philippians 2:13 God gives desire and ability I want to live this way and yet I don’t Why is it that desire is not enough? Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13; Mark 4) Seed is the word of God taking hold and transforming a life Four Soils: First two are not followers Road - reject immediately the truth Rocky Ground - hear get excited but no “root” - never took hold Next two are followers (people desiring to buy the field, buy the pearl) Thorns - Hear the Word, even begin to grow and pursue Christ Thorns can be subtle and grow over time Three thorns that keep us from growing, from desire fulfilled Cares of the World Deceitfulness of Riches Desire for other things Good Soil - Hear the word and accept it, bear fruit Good soil needs its weeds/thorns pulled frequently Good soil is a right heart in the right place creates a generous spirit How to have God as Master? Trust God to Meet our Needs Cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7) Our Treasure/Abundance is not our Own Use what we have for God’s purposes (Matthew 6:19-24) Desire the Things of God Invest in people, do good with what you have (1 Timothy 6:17-19) A heart with a single minded focus on God will be excited about God’s desires and invest generously in His Kingdom

Give Online: https://pushpay.com/pay/gatecitychristian Website: https://www.gatecitychristian.com/ Decision Card: https://gatecity.churchcenter.com/people/forms/371658 DTR: Define the Relationship with Jesus Joshua Robinson 11/02/25 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. (ESV) Matthew 6:19–24 Treasure θησαυρός (thésauros) - properly, stored-up treasure; collected treasure Heart καρδία (kardia) - the heart, thoughts, feelings; the effective center of our being Eye ὀφθαλμός (ophthalmos) - The condition of one’s inner “eye” determines the influx of light or darkness, linking perception to moral orientation. Singleness of eye—undivided loyalty to God—results in an illuminated life. Serve δουλεύω (douleuó) - be in bondage, do service, to be slave, to willingly give over the prerogative to be self-governing Master κύριος (kurios) - Lord, master, supreme in authority; absolute ownership rights DTR: Defining the Relationship with Jesus - Who do you serve? Treasures on Earth vs. Treasure in Heaven Materialism called out Innate to our “self” is a desire to own Jesus challenges that urge by reminding the futility of such a pursuit Your choice dictates where your heart lives Healthy Eye vs. Diseased Eye Controls the amount of light that come in to the body What you allow in matters and effects the entire body Eye focused on Christ is full of light - eye focused on world is darkness What you focus on matters Two Masters Impossible to give yourself fully to two masters They will always be in completion with each other Examples of Masters people serve: Materialism Money Status/Prestige Success Sin (Pride, Lust) You must choose! (Joshua 24:14-15) What does it look like to choose Christ? Pre-Requistes for being a Follower of Christ Must first decide is God (Father, Son, and Spirit) really my Master Cannot be a disciple of Christ without absolute submission to Christ This is settled in your heart between you and God - its a choice You must renounce the other Master’s in your life Telling your previous Masters and pursuits “NO” Taking actions that back up this change Closing Thought Your heart resides with what you love most, love is a choice, what/who will you choose to love

Ephesians 6 Blueprint Part 10 10/26/25 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10–20 (ESV) Strong ἐνδυναμόω (endunamoó) - strengthened, strong, grew strong, increasing in strength, to make strong, to receive strength, to empower Stand ἵστημι (histémi) - To stand, to set, to establish in a prolonged form Struggle πάλη (palé) - Struggle, wrestling, conflict, an attempt to throw/overthrow another Ephesians 6 Grow in Strength from the Source of Strength We are made strong through God’s power at work in us Be prepared so you may stand firm Spiritual mindset and actions prepare us for battle Our Struggle is not against PEOPLE There is another dimension where your real battle lies Look past the person or situation and address the spiritual Don’t be drawn into the wrong battle Focus on the real enemy Get Prepared to the Real Battle Truth - we must know it, embrace it, allow it to hold us together Righteousness - Choose to act on truth and in obedience live right Gospel of Peace - Wherever we go we bring Christ and peace Faith - No matter what comes our way we hold tight to FAITH Salvation - Protecting our mind with the reality of our new condition Word of God - Internalized, lived out, memorized and used against Satans lies Prayer - Always alert and ever vigilant in seeking God, His Will and plan for us For Gate City Today Especially within the church, fight the real Battle Brothers and Sisters are not enemies Be there to encourage, challenge, and sharpen not to demean and gossip A church that is prepared for Battle wins Battles Satan’s enemy is God’s people - He attacks the church United against the right enemy the church always overcomes We must always be on guard and ready to step up and fight for each other Closing Thought Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. Ephesians 6:24(ESV)