Make It Count
GNLCC 1/28/2002 2 Chronicles 21:8-19 Philippians 7:7:15 Text Mark 10:17-27
Let’s suppose for a moment you’ve just reached your thirty second birthday. You are called to the royal palace, and the people announce that you have been appointed king over the nation. All of a sudden you have unlimited wealth and power at your disposal. Almost anything you wanted you could have. People would live or die based on your word. You have the power to lead your people into a greatness they had not known before. Unknown to you, however, you only have eight years to live. How many of you would make it count it during those eight years.
In our Old Testament reading, that same opportunity was given to King Jerhoram at the age of 32. He started his kingdom with unlimited possibilities and yet at the age of 40 when he died, the scriptures tell us, he passed away to no one’s regret. Is there anyone here who want it said at his or her funeral, “Thank God he’s dead or she’s dead because their life was nothing but wasted energy.” How do we get to the place of living a wasted life. A life that does not count.
Recently I heard a man share his testimony of one of his classes in college that he never forgot. He went to the class the first day, and when he saw that only a final paper would determine his grade, he decided not to go back to class. He would simply do the paper and turn it in. When it came time to do the paper, he read diligently. He did his research with great care. He organized the paper well. He handed it in on time. When he got back his paper he was amazed at the grade. The professor wrote on the paper: Good organization, Good content, Great writing style. Grade F. The student was amazed, until he turned the paper over and read the final comment on the other side. It said, “this was not the assignment which was to have been done.”
One of the real tragedies among people who claim to know Christ as their Lord and Savior, is that like this college student, they have looked for an easier way out and expect to come through big time at the end. It’s like the rap star or the movie star whose life is filled with open sin, standing up on the platform of the Oscars saying , “first I want to give all credit to God who is the head of my life for making my success possible.” God is not interested in us doing our own things, and then trying to draw Him in it at the end to give Him the credit. Our little success is not some trophy for God to put on a wall.
The only people God claims are successful are those who day after day allow him to make them look more and more like Jesus Christ. God is not impressed with our success or our accomplishment. Have great dreams, but have God in them from the beginning to the enc. God is not trying to get credit for our degrees, our positions, our promotions, our athletic abilities even though he may have made them possible. God wants the credit for lives that have been changed by the power of Jesus Christ in the way we relate to other people with our actions and our attitudes. That’s how we make a life count in the eyes of God.
Let me introduce you to Barry. Everything that could go right for Barry had gone right. As a young person he had decided to try and do the right thing for other people. People could see that he had leadership potential and was an honest man. When it came time for choosing a political candidate, Barry seemed to be everything they needed. As a young man, Barry was holding a political office. But Barry also had an eye for business. He developed his business plan and put it into motion. Things happened far quicker than he thought it would.
Before he knew it, he was a millionaire. Barry had the fine home, the designer clothes, the popularity, the position, and the money to get whatever he wanted. With all this money at such a young age, he did far better than most. He enjoyed himself and kept his head on his shoulders. He didn’t turn to drugs or sexual immorality as so many do. But even with all that he had, he knew something was missing. He wanted to make his life count.
Even though the world thought he was a great success and had it altogether, there was an empty feeling inside of him. You see success brings a kind of bondage all of its own. Once you have it, the great fear becomes “what if you lose it?. You’re tempted to do all kinds of things to keep it. The younger you are when success comes, the more difficult it is to keep from feeling empty. After a while you can say, been there, done that now what.
Barry wanted more out of life than what he had. Somewhere Barry heard about Jesus Christ. He saw that Jesus was making an impact on thousands of people. He saw people being changed on the inside by Jesus. He saw people coming to Jesus in despair and leaving with a new determination in their lives as though all of a sudden their lives had meaning. They were a part of God’s plan in changing the world. There was a part of spirituality in their lives that was missing from his own. He knew that he needed something of this life that Jesus had to offer.
Let’s pick up the story in Mark 10:17 it says Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" I want you to notice three things about this man. First, he took the initiative in going out to find Jesus Christ. We have to decide, if we’re going to get close enough to God to make our lives count for something. I here all the time about people looking for a church, but never going inside of one. This man not only went to the meeting, he went expecting to encounter Jesus. When coming to church, do you pray expecting to get something form God.
The second thing he did was that he came with a sense of urgency. He ran to chase Jesus down. Rich people and rulers did not humble themselves in such a manner. But if you want to get to know Jesus, you have to get rid of your reputation of who you are, and come just like everybody else.
The third thing he did was fall on his knees before God. He knew that he needed a change in his life. Again he did not mind publicly humbling himself. You know it’s so easy to get religious and forget the call to be humble before God. Sometimes pride creeps in and we don’t know it. I don’t need to get on my knees and pray. I don’t need to go forward and ask for prayer. I don’t need to express any kind of emotion. I don’t need to show any outward sign of religion. The good thing about being around people hungry for God is that it shows us just how far we have drifted away.
I remember one day during my first year of marriage, I told my dad, you know you ought to try holding mom’s hand once in a while in public and opening the door for her. He sort of laughed and said, you just wait. After about three or four years you won’t be doing it either. Well its 21 years later and I still am holding her hand, and opening her door. Why because I want to keep my relationship with her alive. I’m just as happy to be with her in public now as the day I met her. I want to make my marriage count. We are called to feel the same way about Jesus Christ. We ought to love him today like we did when we first came to know Him.
The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life.” Now Barry knew something most of us do not think about. Even having the best of what the world has to offer, does not stop the fact that we are heading toward death. He was looking beyond the wealth of this life and wondering how can I be a winner on the other side. You see there is a heaven and there is a hell, and he knew he would end up in one or the other. No matter what you accomplish, or what you gain, or how beautiful you look, or who you are, how can you life have been worth it if you lived it only to spend eternity in hell.
Like the college student, we too often forget what the assignment was. We’re doing some great things, but that’s not the assignment we received when we came to know Jesus Christ. We were not born to accomplish something great. We were born to enter into a great relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, so that He can do some great things through us.
Barry had a shallow view of how it is you receive eternal life. He thought if he did more good things than bad things then he would be guaranteed heaven. He was hoping Jesus was going to give him one big thing he could do and from then on just coast to eternal life.
Jesus, had to set the record straight to let Barry know who He was talking to. He said, Why do you call me good, no-one is good except God alone. Now if Jesus was not accepting of the title, he would not have continued on with the discussion. But since he was God, and therefore He was the Good teacher, He gave it to him straight. He says look, you know the commandments, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.
I want you to notice that Jesus did not come to throw away the commandments for us to live as we pleased. Now these things would get Jesus crucified all over again today. Look at them- do not murder. We are society gone mad with murder. Every year we murder millions of unborn children and call it the right to choose. We’ve gone beyond killing children in the womb to killing them as they come out of the womb and call it partial birth. Now on a regular basis we here of some toddler being killed by their moms, dads, or mom’s boyfriend. Once we start killing one group, it becomes more difficult to justify not killing another.
Jesus would be laughed silly at the idea of saying sex with anyone but your husband or wife is wrong in the eyes of God. Every week, people who claim to be followers of Christ get involved sexually with boyfriends, girlfriends and other peoples spouses and claim they have a peace about the relationship. How many people would have to go up if God said today, all of you involved in a sexual relationship contrary to my word, come forward for payer. TV, Movies, And The Internet have allowed us to carry sexual sin to new levels with pornography of all kinds.
Sex does not begin in a bed. It begins in a mind. That’s why Jesus offers us the chance to have our minds renewed in a daily relationship with Him. The word of God always tell us to run from sexual temptation. Therefore how is it possible to pray about it and get God’s blessings on it. This is not the way to make your relationship worth it, or to have it count in the eyes of God. The sooner you choose to honor God in the relationship, the greater your chance for God’s blessings.
Jesus would be unwelcome in the business world with the old fashioned support for not stealing. This week’s headlines had articles of a person stealing 100 million dollars from people. Now if they find him, he might get 2 years in jail and 5 years probation. Now if he had robbed a store, been the right color and got $5000 he might be spending 15 to 20 years in jail.
Jesus would not be that welcomed in the court room with his notion of not giving false testimony. Why it is quite alright and darn right acceptable to give misstatements, misspeaks, and misleading comments without giving false testimony. People simply redefine the words with their own meanings.
Jesus would not be greeted with open arms in the banking and credit card industry with his statement do not defraud. These people sit back and think of ways to steal your money. Banks have the right to start spending your money if you leave it in the account too long without spending it yourself. Credit card companies can charge you more even if you pay your bill on time, but didn’t pay somebody else. One bank agreement I had to sign to open an account said, “the bank has the right to change this agreement at any time.” What kind of contract is that.
Jesus goes against the grain, with his statement we are to honor our mother and father. Even if they were not be best parents, we owe them respect and honor because God chose them to bring us into this world. When we can do something good for them, we do it because its right, not necessarily because it is deserved.
Now Barry, the rich young ruler listened very carefully to what Jesus had said. He knew that if this was the case, he qualified as a candidate for eternal life. With joy in his eyes, I can see him saying “Yes.” He told Jesus, “I have kept all these commandments since I was a boy.” He was probably thinking, not only will I have all this world has to offer, I’ll get heavens rewards as well.
The Scriptures tell us that Jesus looked at him and loved him. Here was a fine outstanding young man. The dream of every single woman who’s looking for a husband. A one woman man, with a lot of money, and committed to telling the truth. Jesus says, “You’re almost there Barry, but not quite. One thing you lack. Go sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, Then come follow me.”
Jesus wanted Barry to put his treasure in the right place and come follow Him. The problem was not that Barry had too much money. Money can be a wonderful servant in your life. Barry’s real problem was that he was lacking a living faith in God. He looked to his money to satisfy his deepest needs. He did not need God as long as he had his money. How do we know when there is some other God on the throne of our lives? It’s very easy, we will not give it up no matter what the word of God says.
We see this sin in Barry so easily. But what about ourselves. What means more to us than obeying God? We act the way we do, because God is not sitting on the throne of our lives. We can’t be in love with God and willfully choose to sin and claim its okay with God. Nothing means more to God than people. All of Christianity is about saving people’s souls and teaching them how to live for Christ. The only way to have your life truly count in eternity’s view, is to be a part of this great plan of God. God’s plan for the salvation of the world costs money.
How can anyone be committed to this plan and not give a tithe as ordered by the word of God. How can you wear designer anything, have cell phones, cable tv, jewelry galore and not be able to tithe? People are dying and going to hell because God’s people are more interested in personal pleasure and comfort, than making their lives count for Jesus Christ. God never asks us for what we do not have. The problem is when He gives it to us, we use it first for ourselves and then send him a scrap or two. You throw scraps to a dog. You give the best of what you have to God.
Now Jesus loved this young man, so He told him the truth. Are you brave enough to ask God right now, God what is it that I’m not doing that I should be doing and pledge to it today. Or what is it that I need to stop doing so that I can enter into a living faith in you.
When Barry heard what Jesus had to say, one of the darkest moments in the New Testament took place. His face fell, and he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Barry represents all those who come to Jesus with great potential to be used by God, but who leave Jesus in a worse state than when they came. Barry had decided he could not do what Jesus was asking Him to do even before he tried it. He would not trade what he had to enter into a relationship with God, even though he knew what he had would not take him into the life which is to come.
The word that’s translated his face fell, gives the imagery of storm clouds gathering. Barry knew, that things were not looking that good. He had come to Jesus hoping to find salvation on terms that were acceptable to him. Salvation is not something we can get, by telling God here is what I’m willing to do.
We have to understand, God knew that everybody would be born with a nature that rebelled against him. All of us have told God, I’m going to do what I want to, and you can’t stop me from doing it. We pretty much spit it in His face, and told him to accept whatever scraps we throw to him. But God loved us anyways and saw that through His Son Jesus Christ we could be something completely different. Our lives were worthless, but he could make them count.
You see when Jesus paid the penalty for our wrong doing, the beating that he took that ripped open his back was real. The nails they hammered in his hands and feet caused pain with every stroke. The tearing of his flesh as he hung upon the cross was painful. The death he experienced, the abandonment by God, and the descent into hell all took place because He loved us and wanted our lives to count. He is not interested in a renegotiated deal for our salvation. We either come to him on his terms, or we can be in church all our lives die and instead of hearing him say well done, He will say, this was not the assignment I had for your life.
Are you living God’s assignment today? Have you made him first in every area of your life? Are you holding back somewhere.? Today is the day to make your life count. Don’t walk away like Barry. Choose to have a living faith today.
5. Jesus Wants Barry To Put Things In The Right Place
6. Barry’s Problem—Not Too Much—Too Dependent
7. Lacking A Living Faith In God Because Of Money
8. Who Or What Is Sitting On Our Throne
9. We Act Like We Do Because Of The God We Serve
J. The Real Assignment Is God-s Heart—Saving People
1. This Is The Way To Make Lives Count
2. God’s Plan Of Salvation Costs Money
3. How Can We Be Designers & Not Tithers
4. People In Hell—We’re Enjoying Personal Comforts
5. God Never Asks More Than We Have
6. Scraps Are Thrown To Dogs—Why Do We To God
7. God Deserves The First Of What We Have
K. Jesus Love Him Enough To Tell Him The Truth
1. Are We Bold Enough To Ask The Same Question
2. Dark Moments Mark 10:22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
3. Left Worse Than He Came—Didn’t Even Try
4. Honest About Not Making The Trade
5. Face Fell—Imagery Of A Storm On The Horizon
6. Salvation Never On Our Terms—It Cost God
L. We Were The Ones In Need Of Salvation Not God
1. Spit In His Face, Throw Him Some Scraps But Love
2. Crucifixion Process, Going Into Hell, Abandonment
3. He Wanted Our Lives To Count—Not Open To
Negotiation--- His Terms Alone
4. Busy Life, Successful Life—But Not The Assigned
Life.
5. What About You And Me
6. Are We Choosing To Have A Living Faith.
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick GNLCC 1/27/2002
2 Chronicles 21:8-19 Philippians 7:7-15 Mark 10:17-27
A. You’re About To Become The King
1. 32nd Birthday, Royal Announcement
2. Unlimited Wealth, Power, Death Life At Word
3. Potential To Lead—But Only 8 years Will It Count
4. King Jehoram—At 32 --What Potential
5. At 40—Famous Words—To No One’s Regret
6. Who Looks Forward To Those Words At Funeral
7. Wasted Lives—Lives That Do Not Count
B. Testimony Of An Eager But Lazy College Student
1. First Day, Paper Due For Final Grade
2. Waited, Studied, Prepared, Best Shot, Amazed
3. Good Paper, Good Organization, Good Content Grade
4. This Was Not The Assignment
C. What Impresses The Lord
1. The Rap Star & The Actor—Life Filled With Sin
2. Giving Credit To God For Our Success—No Thanks
3. Can’t Do Our Own Thing & Draw In At End
4. God –Success---Day After Day Becoming Like Jesus
5. Great Dreams-But God Front, Middle, In Between
6. No Need For Positions, Promotions, Athletics
7. Credit For Lives Changed By Power Of Christ
8. New Attitudes & New Actions—That Counts.
D. Meet Barry –The Boy With Golden Touch
1. Everything Went Right—Leadership Potential
2. Honest, Great Candidate, Office, Business, $$$$$$
3. The Home, The Clothes, The Position, The Money
4. Did Better Than Most At His Age—No Drugs Or Sex
5. With It All—Something Still Missing
6. Having Success---Great Fear Of Losing It
7. Willing To Do What’ s Necessary To Keep It.
8. Younger You Get It, Harder Not To Feel Empty
9. Been There, Done That, How What
E. Somebody Told Barry About Jesus Christ
1. He Saw Jesus’ Life Counted—Impacted Others
2. People Came In Despair—Left With Purpose
3. Part Of God’s Plan For Changing The World
4. Needed What Jesus Had To Offer
Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
F. Three Choices He Made
1. Took The Initiative---To Find-- Looking For Church
2. Ran With Urgency—Forget About Reputation
3. Fell On His Knees—Public Humiliation To Honor
4. Let Go Of False Pride & Emotionless Religion
5. Need To Be Around People Hungry For God
6. Newlywed Hands & Doors 21 Years Later
7. Make It Count—Just As Happy—For Jesus
G. The Question—Good Teacher—What Must I Do
1. Barry Remembered Where We Are All Headed
2. Looked Beyond Present To Be A Winner
3. There Is A Heaven & Hell—No Matter What We Do
4. Accomplishments, Gains, Beauty,--How Count If
5. Doing Great Things But That’s Not The Assignment
We Received—Born Not Accomplish Great Things
6. Chosen To Enter A Great Relationship So That
Great Things Can Happen Through Us
H. Barry Had The Wrong View Of Salvation & Jesus
1. Does My Good Outweigh The Bad---What 1 Thing
2. Jesus Sets The Record Straight On Whose Good
3. Jesus Gives It To Him Straight.
Mark 10:19 You know the commandments: ’Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’"
I. Jesus Did Not Come To Throw Away The Law
1. Jesus Would Be Recrucified With These Teachings
2. Society Gone Mad With Murder
3. Unborn Children, Partially Born Children, Children
Born—Where Will The Line Be Drawn
4. Jesus Views Of Sexual Purity & Faithfulness—Silly
5. Followers Involved In Sex—With A Peace From God
6. If God Said Come Forward –Sexual Sins
7. Sex Begins In The Mind—RENEW, RENEW, RUN
8. Choose To Make It Count—Get God’s Blessings
9. Not Welcome In The Business World With Stealing
10. Headlines Of Stealing Millions—How Long In Jail
11. Not Welcome In The Court Room –False Testimony
12. Misspoke, Mistatements, Misleading Comment –
13. New Definitions
14. Not Welcome In Banks & Credit Cards
15. Spend Your Money If You Don’t—Charge You For
Not Paying Someone Else.
16. Honor Father & Mother—May Not Deserve It
17. Do Good Because God Says So, Not Deserved
I. Barry Gets Excited Because He’s Done These Things
1. I Qualify, Light In Eyes, I Kept This From A Boy
2. . Jesus Looked And He Loved
3. Fine Young Man, Envy Of Single Women
4. Barry You’re Almost There, Just one Thing
"One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Luke 10:21
