Is There Life Out There?

Is There Life Out There?

Selected Passages

July 1999

I. Reba MacIntyre Song

A. Song about a mother’s sacrifice

This is a typical song about the sacrifices that a mother has made by sacrificing her dreams and plans for the well being of her family. This mother longs for something more out of life and a fundamental life question is offered through the song: “Is there more to life or is this it?”

B. Chorus

Is there life out there So much she hasn’t done Is there life beyond Her family and her home She’s done what she should Should she do what she dares She doesn’t want to leave She’s just wonderin Is there life out there

Key Question: Is there life out there?

II. William Shakespeare Quote

Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more. It is a tale

Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing.

What a completely dismal view of life!

Key Question: Is there life out there?

III. The lack of meaning and purpose in life

A. There is more to life than merely being alive

Life should be more than just a pulse and steady breathing but unfortunately that is all that life means to some people. Why? For the majority of these people they have no real meaning or purpose in their lives and they merely drift from one thing to another without any direction or drive to life. They are alive physically but dead on the inside

B. The church needs to be a place of help

1. Gallop Poll

Gallop did a research poll about churches and the results seem to be amazing. “70% of Americans believe that churches today are not effective in helping people find meaning in life.”

2. The search for “life”

Far too many people are filling their lives with stuff and that stuff brings nothing but fleeting joy and little hope. People are longing to fill their lives with something even if it is the wrong thing.

People are filling their lives with pleasure. Most try to live a life of pleasure through the means of sex, drugs or alcohol.

People are trying to fill their lives with relationships. They go to one of two extremes, either they have a large number of temporary relationships or they focus on a few that become the entire focus of their life.

People try to fill their lives with material things. They are constantly in search of the bigger house, the faster car and the better things of life.

People try to fill their lives with religion. They are constantly trying to live by a set code of rules or regulations without a true relationship with God. They are merely searching for the “god” feeling in their lives.

We search for meaning and purpose in so many places, in so many things and in so many ways.

Key Question: Is there life out there?

IV. The Nature of Human Life

A. Life is a gift

1. God has given us this life

Life is a gift from the creator of all of the universe and we needs to view life as a gift. Every single moment of life is precious and every new day that we are given is a blessing from God

2. We take life for granted

We far too often take life for granted. Life needs to be well spent and most of us would agree with that statement but few of us believe that this could be our last day on earth. We need to start living like there is no tomorrow and re-evaluate the priorities we have set for life.

B. We all have the same problem

1. We are all sinners

We all have a common problem, death. We are fallen humanity and God did not create us to die but death entered the world as a result of sin. Sin is the ultimate leveler of life. It results in a destruction of life and it can, if you allow it, to steal the meaning and purpose from your life.

2. We are all dying

Every person is in the process of cellular decay which will eventually lead to death. This was not God’s plan for life! The grim reality of this is that we are living to die while we are dying to live.

Key Question: Is there life out there?

V. There is new life out there

“I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11:25-26

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16