Sermon Central
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The Power Of Ambition Series
Contributed by Stephen Schwambach on Jun 18, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Ambition is bad, right?...not necessarily.
The Power of Ambition
“Uncharted” Week 2
September 19, 2004
Drama: “Make it Happen”
You could sum up every over-the-top success seminar you’ve ever attended in a single word:
• “AMBITION”
We’re not exactly lacking for social icons who EMBODY that word, are we?
IMAG 01 – Donald Trump
There’s…
• “The Donald”
o Ambition to be rich and famous
IMAG 02 – Paris Hilton
There’s Paris –
• Not the city, the WOMAN – Paris Hilton
o Heiress to the Hilton hotel fortune
• Ambition to be a famous model, movie star
Word “ambition” so common in our society that we often couple it with adjectives to tell what KIND of ambition we mean…
• There’s NAKED ambition
• No attempt to sugar coat it or disguise it
There’s DRIVING ambition
• First thing you think of in morning…
• Last thing you think of at night
Of course DRIVING ambition…is also –
IMAG 03 – Jeff Gordon
What consumed Nascar driver Jeff Gordon this year
• After 5 years of coming up short at Daytona
IMAG 04 – Vijay Singh
“DRIVING ambition” could refer to the feeling in a GOLFER’S heart when he tees it up
• Or what Vijay Singh felt heading into this season
• After having a bellyful of TIGER WOODS year after year after year
IMAG 05 – Jason Kidd
“DRIVING ambition is what NBA star Jason Kidd has in his heart…
• When he drives for the bucket
Then there’s BURNING ambition
• A desire to succeed at something that is all-consuming
IMAG 06 – Firefighter
Of course, “BURNING ambition” can ALSO be
• Firefighter’s goal as he approaches a building that’s ablaze
Then there’s BLIND ambition
• Somebody who’s so ambitious they can’t see anything else
o Destroy others and themselves, in the process
But you wouldn’t BELIEVE what I ran across when I researched “Blind ambition” for this message!
IMAG 07 – Window Blinds
“Blind Ambition is ALSO the official name of –
• A WINDOW treatment organization
IMAG 08 – Blind Manager
“Blind Ambition” is the official name…
• Of an organization dedicated to helping blind people reach MANAGEMENT positions
IMAG 09 – Duck Blind
“Blind Ambition” is even the official name…
• Of a DUCK hunting organization
IMAG 10 – Madonna
Finally, there’s BLONDE ambition –
• So named for Madonna’s “Blond Ambition” tour
But that was several personas ago…
• As we speak, Madonna is actually in the HOLY Land –
o She was in the news yesterday because a couple of her bodyguards were arrested for roughing up several members of the press
• At least for THIS trip she’s actually using her JEWISH name, which is “Esther”
The “Material Girl” says she’s no longer CONTENT with riches, stardom and fame…
• It hasn’t brought her the FULFILLMENT and HAPPINESS she always thought it would
o Now, she’s on a search for SPIRITUAL meaning
George Bernard Shaw
• “There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it.”
Understandably…
• The PRESS has been more than a little SKEPTICAL of the new Madonna
o As far as THEY’RE concerned, it’s just another promotional reinvention intended to advance the next phase of her career
Well, I, for one APPLAUD Madonna’s search
• I hope it’s sincere…
o I hope it’s NOT just another phase
God has a PROMISE for Madonna – and for every man, woman and young person in the WORLD –
• Who is willing to fix your ambition on HIM:
o Found in the BIBLE – in Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Notes:
#1 – AMBITION PRODUCES INCREDIBLE POWER
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.”
William Adams
• “You can have anything you want – if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with singleness of purpose.”
IMAG 11 – The Columbia Seven
It takes INCREDIBLE ambition to become an astronaut…
• The Columbia Seven
o Especially knowing it can cost you your LIFE
Notes:
#2 – AMBITION HAS A PURPOSE
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Why did God GIVE us the gift of ambition?
• To empower us to achieve great exploits!
Mark Twain
• Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
