MEET JOE FAMILYMAN
“IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE”
PROVERBS 14:8 - ©LARRY L. THOMPSON (2003)
“The wise look ahead to see what is coming, but fools deceive themselves.” (NLT)
This morning, we begin the series “Meet Joe Familyman” and we began with a reality check! We’re traveled with Joe to see what his funeral might be like if he died today and if everyone told the truth. We did that to help Joe Familyman understand the reality of LIFE; to help him come to grips with a major decision in life. The decision is simple: If I died today would I have regrets?
What if you occupied Joe’s pew this morning? As you slip in the back door and take your seat, you see that the altar is covered with flowers, the organ is playing softly, and the church is full of people who have come to bid you farewell.
Different people have been asked to make a few remarks about you. Who do you imagine they would be? More importantly, if they really told the truth…what would they say about your life…if it were to end today? Have you lived a life without regrets?
Now, think for a minute. What would each speaker to be able to say about you? What kind of person would they say that you were? What kind of husband, wife, father, or mother? What kind of friend or fellow worker? What would they say about your character? What life achievements would you want them to mention? As you look around at the people who are there, what difference have made in their lives? What phrases would you like to hear?
Solomon: In order to live a life without regrets you must first consider your life.
Proverbs 14:8
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.”
Think through this question: “Am I living a life without regrets.” Your answer will help you make plans for today as well for the future so that you don’t find yourself some day looking back on your life and regretting those things you did or didn’t do.
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled, “Meet Joe Familyman.” The truth of the matter this series could be JOE EVERYMAN or JOAN EVERYWOMAN. It is a series that follows a man and watches how he manages the responsibilities he has in life. This is actually a series about the stewardship of your life. During the next six weeks we will be on an excursion to examine what the Bible says about making the basic decisions that lead to a life of no regrets. In this journey together it will be amazing what Joe Familyman will find…and just possibly what we may discover as well.
• June 8th - Finding a Life without Regrets
• June 15th - Finding Balance in Brokenness
• June 22nd - Finding Fruit in Your Family Tree
• June 29th - Patriotic Celebration
• July 6th - Finding Freedom in Your Boundaries
• July 13th - Finding Significance when Looking for Success
• July 20th - Finding a Legacy for Those You Love
In planning your life there are two mistakes to avoid.
1. Spending your life focused on the future while totally disregarding today.
2. Spending your life focused only on today while totally disregarding the future.
The Bible warns against both extremes and either extreme leads to a life full of regrets. There is, however, a happy medium--a balance that can be achieved. This is how it is accomplished; “Live Every Day with an Eternal Perspective.” Each day of our lives has eternal significance. What you do today will make a difference in how you perceive the value of your life when your time on earth is through. What’s more, what you do today can continue to be significant even thousands of years from now.
The Bible instructs us...
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways…” (Proverbs 14:8a)
We’re going to look at some ways to manage your life today in a way that will help you reach your goals and accomplishments that last far beyond your lifetime. Maybe you wasted yesterday—maybe you’ve wasted every one of your yesterdays. However today is a new day and today it is your choice! Today is the only time to take charge of today! If you begin living by these biblical principles to ensure that you get the most out of today, you will find in the process your future will begin to be what you want it to be. Here are three biblical principles you can begin to practice in your life for the purpose living a life without regrets, your opportunity to say: “It’s a Wonderful Life!” First of all...
I. PREPARE TODAY FOR TOMORROW’S TESTIMONY (Ps. 118:24)
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
What kind of person are you, or what kind of person do you want to be? If someone were to speak at your funeral, what would you want them to be able to say truthfully about you excluding the fact that you are a Christian and love Jesus Christ? Most Christians don’t understand this truth: Living a life without regrets means preparing today if you want a testimony tomorrow!
I asked this question to our staff this week and received some interesting answers. Two in particular are worth mentioning. One person said, “He lived each day with the excitement that there we one more day to live for Christ.” Another person said, “I want to be remembered as someone who was consistent and faithful.” Still another said, “I would want them to say, she was an overcomer.” All of these people were committed Christians; each one had a different idea about what was most important to them in character development and honestly I see that character displayed in their lives EVERYDAY I have the privilege of serving with them. One answer isn’t better than the other, but each one gives a clear indication of what is important to that person.
Think today about what you would like people to be able to say at your funeral. What values are most important to you?
As we read the writings of Paul, obviously placed a great deal of importance on consistency and faithfulness.
Earlier in his ministry Paul said...
Acts 20:24
“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
Near the end of his ministry he wrote...
2 Tim. 4:7
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
If you were to ask Paul the question "What do you want said that would be true about you?" he would most likely say, "I want to be faithful to the very end." How did he make sure that it happened? He knew what kind of person he wanted to be, and everyday he lived in light of that truth and did something to make it true.
The point Paul makes is in order to be found faithful at the end of his race, he had to be practicing faithfulness today and every other day of the race. He lived everyday with an eternal perspective.
Illustration: The giving pattern of Bill Gates:
You are probably aware that Bill Gates is the richest man in America. He is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 billion dollars. Gates has been criticized by a few well-known philanthropists for not being more generous. His response, "In the future I plan to make very significant contributions." I am not criticizing or passing judgment on Bill Gates. But the fact is if Bill Gates, is serious about becoming a generous person someday, then they should start by practicing generosity today!
Do you want to live a life without regrets? Then do something significant today. Do you want to be generous? Give today. Do you want to be known as a kind person? Be kind today. Whatever you want to be true about you, do something today to start making it true. In fact, I would like to give you a little homework assignment this week.
Today, think of: The three most important character qualities I would like to develop. Now write them down:
1. ________________________
2. ________________________
3. ________________________
For the next week, commit to the Lord to practice daily one principle from your first character quality that will move you in the direction of making that character trait a reality in your life. WE ARE KNOWN BY WHAT WE DO CONSISTENTLY.
For example, if you want to be a considerate person, then each day, for the next seven days go out of your way to be considerate AT LEAST ONCE daily. If you do this with each quality, at the end of the third week you will have taken 21 steps in preparation toward becoming the kind of the person you want to be. This seems simple, but it works. People who live a life without regrets don’t get there by accident, they get there by effort. The Bible says...
Proverbs 14:15
“A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.”
Secondly, in planning a life without regrets, you must....
II. FOCUS ON GIVING …NOT GETTING
Luke 6:38
Prior to being called into the ministry I was in sales with American Fidelity Assurance Company and we were required to attend several goal-setting seminars. They would nearly always encourage us to set our goals and make a wish-list of things we wanted to acquire. They would say "State your goal in the present positive like you have already accomplished it." Such as, "I will reach my quota this month and earn $10,000 so I can drive my new Mercedes and live in a 5,000 square foot apartment." (It was when we were first married, just me, Cyn and the dog, Tinker)
The main problem with this kind of goal setting (aside from the fact that it is so ridiculous) is that the entire focus is on what you GET! There is a big difference between GETTING more things and living a life of no regrets.
Through “Forward by Faith” many of us have taken an entirely different approach. Instead of setting a goal for how much money you want to get in the course of the next three years, we have set a goal for how much money you will give to the Lord for His work in our Fellowship.
Cynthia and I have joined almost 500 other families in our church in making our Forward by Faith Pledge…we sought the Lord and made a faith commitment to give over and above our tithe a certain amount over the next three years so that we can invest in the future of this ministry. When we made that pledge we realized that it wouldn’t be easy---we sat down together and prayed and prepared how we could work to give rather than get. Our focus is totally on doing what God has called us to do in order that we may honor Him with giving…not getting.
Or consider another goal, instead of striving for certain promotion, set a goal for what you could GIVE to your work to make yourself more valuable as an employee. The difference is more than just a matter of semantics; it’s a matter of focus.
Try the same within your own family unit. Instead of Focusing on what we can get out of our family relationships put your energy into what you can give to those within your family. You will be astonished at the difference it makes in attitude and actions.
However, I will remind you that I have walked with the Lord long enough to know that no matter how hard we try, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO OUTGIVE THE LORD.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
Some people spend their entire lives working jobs they despise because it offers security--it enables them to acquire more stuff. Take my word for it: Stuff ain’t worth it. Stuff won’t make your life significant. The significance you have in life is determined by who you are, by what you do and by what you give...not how much stuff you get. The Bible says...
Proverbs 11:4
“Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
What is Solomon saying? He’s reminding us that what you do is more important than what you have. It is your ACCOMPLISHMENTS, not your ACQUISITIONS, that give your life significance. Think about what you want to accomplish--what you want to do with your life. Choose to invest your life in an area in which you are passionate.
Shane: A young man in our church is pursing his medical degree but he has chosen a field of medicine that will enable him to pursue an area of his life for which he has great passion…his music. Could he make more in another specialty? Possibly, but would that guarantee he would live his life without regrets; absolutely not!
I believe with all my heart that if you are committed to doing God’s will in your life, God will give you a vision of what you can accomplish, and He will give you the ability to do it--if your focus is on giving and investing in others, rather than merely accumulating and getting more and more possessions. The Bible says...
Proverbs 11:23
“The desire of the righteous ends only in good, but the hope of the wicked only in wrath.”
If you’re committed to GIVING your life to Christ and doing God’s will, He will give you a vision of what you can accomplish in life, following His plan.
John Tomlinson Illustration:
John Tomlinson is a man in our fellowship that most people don’t know even though he has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated often. He has been called “The Michael Jackson of Professional Powerboat Racing and John has won 7 world championships. Do you know why John is the best in the world? Because John is doing what he loves and in the process he and Donna are making a huge impact for the Kingdom of God sharing Christ EVERYWHERE THEY GO. Here is a man who is doing what he loves to do, and using it to help others make a connection with Christ. He could have made more money as an accountant or a stock-broker; instead he is investing his life doing what he loves and using it to help others. His life is having impact on others because he is living every day like it has eternal significance. This is what makes life meaningful and that is what it takes to live a life without regrets.
The third principle that will help you to live a life without regrets is…
III. STRIVE FOR SIGNIFICANCE BEFORE SUCCESS
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil. 1:21
Three brick-workers, all working on the same project, were asked what they were doing. One said, "I’m laying bricks." Another said, "I’m making $17.50 an hour." The third said, "I’m building a cathedral for the glory of God." All three were doing the same job, yet all three had a different perspective about it.
The key to living a satisfying life without regrets--is in recognizing the significance of the eternal value in everything you do.
Every day matters. The details of our lives may seem mundane, but EVERY DAY IS FILLED WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE. We may think we’re just killing time when we sit and visit for a moment with a child, a friend, a co-worker, or a spouse, but we could be strengthening the bond of a relationship. It may just seem like small talk to us, but we could be saying something that will change someone’s life eternally. We may think we’re just laying bricks, but we could be building a cathedral for the glory of God. Look for significance in the little things in life rather the success of the major accomplishments.
We see this principle in the life of Christ again and again. Jesus did not struggle to find significance in everyday life. He would be having a meal with a friend and turn it into a life-changing experience. He would be walking along the road with his disciples and see a tree, and teach his disciples a lesson in faith.
Do you want to live a life without regrets? Remember this: IN LIFE THERE ARE NO MULLIGANS. Golfers know you can hit a bad shot and immediately you hear these words, (well, not exactly these words…) “I’m gonna take a mulligan on this one.” It means I get to do that shot over again without penalty. There are no mulligans in life. Every shot counts. Every day matters. Every minute is important. Every decision should be viewed in light of eternal significance. If you make a conscious effort to allow Christ to build these three biblical principles into your life then I assure you will have a great opportunity of living a life without regrets…and…It’s a wonderful life!
CONCLUSION
Each year there is a "Sand-Sculpting Contest" on Miami Beach. Artists create incredible works of art: castles, faces, dragons, cars and so on—all built with sand. It obviously takes incredible talent to be able to do this, and thousands of visitors come to ooh and aah over these masterpieces.
However, if you go visit that same stretch of beach a few days after the competition you’ll see that all these magnificent works of art are gone. The beach looks like it did before the contest. Those incredible works of art have all been washed away by the tide. It is one thing to have a sand castle washed away with the tide, it’s another to have a life that is quickly gone and forgotten.
Your life doesn’t have to be that way. It doesn’t have to be washed away. You can live a life without regrets. The key is to live today like it matters for all eternity--because in truth…it does.
