Our Very Best

Ephesians 5:1-2

“Our Very Best”

“We look like God the most when we give to him our very best.”

February 4, 2007

Sunday Morning Sermon

Introduction:

Video – “Wholehearted” – Clip from facing the giants – 5minute clip.

Discussion: (Start with Title and Text)

Someone once described a football game as twenty-two men on the field badly in need of rest being watched by seventy-two thousand people in the stands badly in need of exercise.

What I want to do this morning is encourage you to be more like God than you have ever been before in your life. I think we often see being like God as impossible, so we just give up. It doesn’t make us bad people – we just want reachable goals, reachable objectives and if we can’t do something – honestly, why try? Being like God is reachable, it is possible, not because you are so good but because He is so good.

Listen, Being like God is not about our own righteousness, our own goodness, our own wisdom. If we desire to be like God, we have to take “The Me” out of it, and be dependent on His strength, his mercy, his guidance, and his wisdom. It is then and only then that we are able to offer to God our very best – and it’s at that point that we look most like him. It is also at that point that we are able to bring those around us, with us, as we grow in who Christ wants us to be. As we give him our delight – and that’s a growing process the Bible says that he will put in us, a desire that is completely His – He gives us our passion, He gives us our life’s work, our meaningful purpose. (Advance)

Psalm 37:4 (NIV) Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Turn with me if you have your Bible (Advance) Ephesians 5:1-2 (read)

If you and I would bring ourselves to desire to give God our very best we will do two things --

(Advance)

I. Imitate God (1)

How do we – how could we possibly imitate the God of the universe? Surely Paul means something else – surely He’s not serious – this idea that we could be even close to our heavenly father – is a little overwhelming – if you think about it.

a. We are called to be different

i. In the world not of it

ii. Narrow Gates

iii. Narrow Roads

iv. Lamps on a stand

v. Salty tasting salt

I think sometimes we look at what God desires in our life and go – ok, I gotta get rid of this and I have to get rid of that, and remove myself from this relationship – and Last night I did things I shouldn’t have done, I’m feeling guilty, better ask for forgiveness in front of church Sunday morning.

Everything becomes so calculated, so anticipated, so… void of true life that is in Christ Jesus. Here’s the truth – there probably are things that you will have to deal with– that’s just being honest. I love you, so I can be honest. If you really want to give God your very best --

b. Trust God

No, seriously trust that God can and will do what he says in his word. Give your cares to him, Ask him for wisdom, Ask him for forgiveness, Ask him for healing. Some of you are walking around this morning with this huge burden on your shoulders, You’ve read this verse a million times (so one more time won’t hurt, maybe something will click and you will actually do it) (Advance) 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. – you have worries and doubts and fears, but instead of dealing with those things and giving them to someone who cares for you, you put this load right on your back. God promises that he will not mock you, he won’t laugh at you, he won’t gossip about you, he won’t dismiss your feelings, he won’t tell you stories of when he was younger and went through the same thing, without offering real advice – HE CARES FOR YOU! You can’t give God your best, if you don’t remove and give to him, what he asks for. Ask him to come into your life completely – so completely that there isn’t room for the other junk.

c. This Calling to be different

i. Takes on a new purpose

God does eye surgery on you – he allows you to see people for what they can be, and not what they are. He allows you to approach people, not as the self-righteous church attender, but as a friend, neighbor, and servant. Here’s what happened for me – I became so aware of my sin, I don’t think I’m better than you. I became so aware of my short-comings; I don’t see myself as holier than you. Instead, I see all of us – at whatever level you are in your Christian walk on this same journey – sinners in need of a savior. Church, we have a blessed Savior who loves sinners.