Contribution Series

Contribution

Sunday Sermon / Getting Ahead Sermon Series

May 13th, 2007

Intro:

Dr. James Dobson tells about a time he came home when his son, Ryan was a small baby. It had been a terrible day for his wife. Ryan had been sick, and had cried all day long. Once, as Shirley was changing his diapers, the telephone rang and she reached over to answer it before fastening up his diapers. Just then Ryan had an attack of diarrhea. She cleaned up that mess and put him in clean, sweet-smelling clothes. Then she took him into the living room and fed him. As she was burping him he threw up all over himself, and her and the couch too. Dobson said, “When I came home I could smell the aroma of motherhood everywhere.” Shirley cried out to him, “Was all of this in my contract?”

Happy Mother’s Day to all our moms.

Milton Berle, “If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?

We have been talking about “Getting Ahead” in life. Considering what is most important in life. We have been considering those fundamental, base line attributes that will cause you to get ahead in life. So far we have covered, Satisfaction, Control, Expectation, and this week we will focus on Contribution.

If we are to truly “get ahead” in life we must learn we have a contribution to be made.

The opposite of “contribution” is selfishness (Greed; hording, the lust of the eye)

Greed and selfishness are two of the most effective joy killers.

The only cure for greed is to give; to contribute from your heart; to make sacrifices.

Contribute:

“To give or supply in common with others; give to a common fund or for a common purpose.”

“To help bring about a result” and “bestow a quality on.”

Our contribution always involves a conscious decision, and it often requires huge personal sacrifice

No other group of people understands this principle better than Mothers towards their children.

Text:

Isaiah 55:10-11

10"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

I. God Supplies it all.

Doesn’t it seem just a little audacious of God to take all the credit here?

He doesn’t even acknowledge the farmers hard labor.

We understand it takes a person’s labor to sow and reap; it takes a person’s labor to turn raw grain into bread. But who makes the greatest contribution here? Isn’t it God? He creates and gives the rain; He creates and gives the seed; He creates and gives the miracle of life and causes everything to Grow.

a. All good things come from God

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

i. Whatever blessings we have, comes from God.

ii. All good and perfect gifts come from God.

iii. Do you have any good things in your life?

1. Job?

2. Friends?

3. Family?

4. Then praise God for those.

iv. This world trains us to think about what we do not have.

Worldwide advertisement spending this year is expected to grow to $451 billion. Companies don’t spend that kind of money if it doesn’t work. We are saturated with advertisements. TV, Radio, Billboard, Newspapers, magazines, internet, spam email, direct mailing just to name a few. 451 billion dollars spent to make us feel completely unhappy, unfulfilled and ugly without their specific product.

And we all know, that once you have that “Special” thing, your life really takes off! Right? Not really. They really need repeat customers to sustain growth and grab their share of the market.

And we also know that in order to be really happy, we need more stuff and if we are going to get more stuff we need more money…or credit, which ever comes first.

Did you know Jesus talked about money more than he talked about heaven? In Matthew, Mark, and Luke: 1 out of every 6 verses deals with money. Of the 29 parables Christ told, 16 deal with a person and his money.

It makes sense that Jesus would teach extensively about money, because he knows human nature. It’s greeds and passions are the most powerful detractors from accepting His Salvation. Why? I think it’s because we are near sighted. Out of sight; out of mind.

b. Selfishness is deceitful

One of the most important victories on the road to “Getting Ahead” is eliminating greed and selfishness.