Aiming For More!

Aiming for More

TEXT: Hebrews 11:1-16

FOCAL VERSE: 11:13

HOOK: I want to build on 2 concepts from this morning. “God has a plan” and “the determination to participate.” These are important because they define our view of the Christian life – what we believe God has called us to live. Too many Christians sit around lamenting life thinking - “Does any of this mean anything?” “ I want to do more than this with my life.”

Maybe you get frustrated when you hear someone give a testimony about some great act of God in their lives and you wonder to yourself, “why doesn’t my life have power like that?” Tonight I want to talk about “Aiming for More.”

THEME: Aiming for Greatness

God desires for us and demands of us so much more than we actually accomplish. Many of us never reach the plateaus of greatness God plans for us because we are consumed with the ordinary or ruled by the tyranny of the seemingly urgent. These struggles distract us from God’s plan for our lives.

Beer commercials often capture more of a passion for living than we do as Christians. “Go for the gusto” “It doesn’t get any better than this” “Those who want more out of life”

We must learn to acquire from God a vision for our lives. When we focus our lives on accomplishing tasks that He sets before us then, and only then, will we reach greatness. What is the aim of your life, is it aimed at a target established by God?

Too many people just wander through life or exist. Too many people are simply against this and that instead of being FOR SOMETHING. Let me ask you tonight , “What are you for?”

Let’s turn to Hebrews 11 and see the method God’s word shows us for aiming our lives for More.

Read Text: Hebrews 11: 1-6; 13-15

Focal Verse: Hebrews 11:13.

This verse gives 4 principles for aiming for greatness.

I. The first is Commission. This means we seek a commission from God. We are to seek His vision for what He wants us to accomplish. Recite Jer. 33:3.

Why? God is in the glory business - His glory. When we plan our lives and events, we do those things which we can accomplish or which we think are necessary. God has His own agenda for our lives. We aim for greatness when we line up our agenda with His.

We define great in many ways…building a career, God defines great in terms of how much glory He receives. Greatness is not defined in terms of wealth, accomplishment, position, etc

HEBREWS 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE is, and that HE rewards those who diligently seek Him. Thus, greatness requires an act of faith.

An act of faith is one which demands complete reliance by you and develops a complete recognition of God.

Examine examples:

• Abel - 1 choice, form of worship, result - his death.

• Enoch - lifestyle, integrity.

• Noah - builder.

• Abraham - leader.

• Sarah - family decision.

Chapter 11 describes young and old, Hebrew and Gentile, men and women, rich and poor.

Why are these great in God’s economy? These were actions which were pleasing to God, because they required dependence on Him and He received the glory from them. Whether they were well-known or happened in the silent moments of their lives, God knew their faith. God viewed them as great – that is why He made them teaching examples which will last forever (Quote:my words will last forever).

The acts of faith listed were listed as examples of greatness because they permitted no other explanation than God is and He rewards.

If we seek God, He will give us a vision for our lives:

Jeremiah 33:3 ’Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ (NKJV)

Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me. (NKJV)

Luke 11:9-10 9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (NKJV)

We need fathers today who are aiming their marriages and children at a vision from God. Men who have a sense of divine commission. We need deacons and Sunday school teachers who serve with a sense of commission.

Make a commitment to set aside time to get alone with God and ask Him for a commission. How can you live the Christian life without such a basic discipline. Evaluate your schedule every week. Make a commitment to set aside time to seek the Lord. Use this time specifically. Begin asking Him specifically for a vision/commission. One way to start is to ask Him to point out an area where you should start. If you already know where He wants you to start then start there.