“The Game Of Life”
Intro
Every one of us, who are here today, are obviously alive. And although that’s true, each one of us are living our lives in very different ways. Some of us are simply going along with whatever comes our way & we call that “life.” But on the other hand, some of us are taking things much more seriously & we’re making things happen rather than waiting for things to happen to us!
Lewis Grizzard once said, “Life is like a dog-sled team. If you ain’t the lead dog, the scenery never changes.”
John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens while you’re making other plans.”
A husband & wife were celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary & their sixtieth birthdays at the same time. After all of the guests left & they were cleaning the kitchen a genie suddenly appeared. He told them that they both had one wish & the wife quickly spoke up & said, “I want to travel the world!” Immediately she was holding plane tickets, boat tickets, taxi transfers & a fistful of cash. Her husband then said, “I wish I was married to a woman thirty years younger than me!” And immediately he was ninety years old!
1. The Myth of Life
In the game of LIFE, that many of us have played, the rules imply that life is all about the accumulation of money, possessions & stuff. In fact, the rules actually say that the object of the game is to “collect money & LIFE tiles & have the highest dollar amount at the end of game.”
Money can buy a house, but it can’t buy a home. Money can buy a bed, but it can’t buy you any sleep. Money can buy a clock, but it can’t buy you more time. Money can buy food, but it can’t buy you an appetite. Money isn’t everything! Therefore, if you have too much money, please send it to me!
Luke 12:15 NKJV says, “Jesus said to them, ‘Beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’”
Luke 12:15 Good News Bible says, “Jesus said, ‘Watch out and guard yourselves from every kind of greed; because a person’s true life is not made up of the things he owns, no matter how rich he may be.’”
Luke 12:15 The Living Bible says, “Jesus said, ‘Beware! Don’t always be wishing for what you don’t have. For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are.’”
Jesus made it clear when He said that true life, real life does not depend on the amount of stuff you have!
Most of us learn how to handle our finances from our parents, by reading books, by attending financial seminars or from a financial advisor that a friend recommended. Unfortunately, the last place some of us would ever think to look for wisdom in handling our finances is the Bible. But, the reality is that the Bible has over 2,350 verses that deal with money, possessions & stewardship.
Luke 16:8 Speaking about money, Jesus said, “The children of this world are wiser than the children of light.”
Jesus taught more about money, possessions & stewardship than He taught about heaven, hell, faith, grace or any other subject other than love. In fact, 2/3 of His parables addressed the subjects of money, possessions & stewardship.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 The Living Bible says, 10“He who loves money will never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness! 11The more you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income. So what is the advantage of wealth except perhaps to watch it as it runs through your fingers!”
Bob & Frank crashed their private plane on a deserted island & both survived. Bob ran all over the island to see if they had any chance of survival. When he returned, he rushed up to Frank & screamed, “This island is uninhabited, there’s no food & there’s no water! We’re going to die!” Frank leaned back against the plane, folded his arms, & said, “We’re not going to die. I make $250,000 a week.” Bob grabbed him & said, “There’s no food, no water & we’re going to die!” Frank said, “We’re not going to do! I make $250,000 every week!” Bob said, “I’m telling you we’re doomed! There’s no one else on this island, there’s no food & there’s no water! We’re going to die!” Frank calmly said, “Don’t make me say this again. I make $250,000 a week & I tithe. I promise you, my pastor will find us before Sunday!”
Matthew 6:21 Contemporary English Version says, “Your heart will always be where your treasure is.”
God moves things to us so He can move things through us. He wants us to be a river of His blessings & not a reservoir.
Here’s what I know: 50% of marriages end in divorce & 90% of divorced couples said that money problems were the major issue that contributed to their divorce.
1 Timothy 6:6-7 NKJV says, 6“Godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”
Godliness with contentment is better than a new car, a new job, a new house or a new spouse!
Sometimes we spend money we don’t have to buy things we don’t need to impress people who aren’t impressed!
Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Your job is your resource but God is your Source!
If money is so important, how much more of it would you need in order to stop worrying or to be happy?
Here’s what I know: The average household in America has 6 bank credit cards & 7 store credit cards. The average bank credit card interest rate is 19% & the average store credit card interest rate is 22% with some as high as 30%.
Everything you own today will belong to someone else one day. Five minutes after you die you’ll know exactly how you should have lived & what you should have done with your money. Eternity will do that to you.
1 Chronicles 29:11,12 The Living Bible says, 11“Everything in the heavens and earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as being in control of everything. 12Riches and honor come from You alone and You are the ruler of all mankind. Your hand controls power and might and it is at Your discretion that men are made great and given strength.”
A rich farmer walks into the local church & tells the secretary, “I want to see the Head Hog!” She says, “If you’re referring to our pastor, we refer to him as Rev. Dr. Thomas J. Smith. I would appreciate it if you would not refer to him as ‘the head hog!’” The farmer says, “Lady, I don’t care what you call him. I want to give $10 million to this church.” The secretary says, “Excuse me but I believe I hear the Big Pig coming down the hall right now!”
The road of life often takes you through some crazy turns that you never expected. Sometimes it seems like you even meet yourself coming & going!
Sometimes life seems to leave you spinning around in circles, praying that you’ll end up in the right place at the right time so that something good will happen to you!
Psalm 37:23,24 NKJV says, 23“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delights in his way. 24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
Psalm 37:23,24 Contemporary English Version says, 23“If you do what the Lord wants, He will make certain each step you take is sure.24 The Lord will hold your hand, and if you stumble, you still won’t fall.”
The good news is that you don’t have to “play the game” in order to know where you’re supposed to go. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you can live knowing that God will direct your steps & even pick you up if you fall!
2. The Meaning Of Life
I’ve spent quite a bit of time elaborating on “The Myth Of Life” which says that life is defined by money, wealth, possessions & stuff. But for the next few minutes, let me tell you what the Bible says is “The Meaning Of Life.”
John 10:10 NKJV says, “The thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 Message Bible says, “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so that they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”
“The Meaning Of Life” can only be understood through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
John 3:36 The Message Bible says, “Whoever accepts and trusts the Son gets in on everything, life complete and forever!”
John 5:24 Contemporary English Version, Jesus says, “I tell you for certain that everyone who hears my message and has faith in the One who sent Me has eternal life and will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life.”
Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
John 6:48 Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.”
John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by Me.”
The only way to have the abundant life that Jesus speaks about is by coming to the Father through Him.
Conclusion
The good news is that you can have the abundant life that is available through Jesus Christ!
John 3:16,17 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.”
The game of LIFE focuses on things that you can enjoy while you’re on this earth. But Jesus focuses on things that you can enjoy throughout all of eternity!
John 11:25,26 says, 25“Jesus said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he will live. 26And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.’”
