Live It Up! 2006 Theme 1-29-06
John 10:10
Intro. If you got the news that you only had 6 months to live…what would you do? Well, after the initial shock wore off you’d probably do what most of us would do. You’d start looking at life from a whole different perspective. You’d start asking questions that sound a lot like this one, “What makes my life really worth living?” Now that’s a great question. In fact it’s really 2 great questions put into one. Is what I’m doing with my life worth all the time and effort I’m putting into it? And if it’s not then what in the world can I do about it? What I want you to hear this morning is that you don’t have to wait until you get bad news before you start asking these kinds of questions. The truth is, you’d better ask these questions on a regular basis if you’re serious about living life to the fullest. You may not know it but Jesus wants your life to count for something; he wants your life to be worth living. Jesus is so serious about your life being worth the effort that in Jn.10:10 he said, “My purpose, the very reason I left heaven and came to earth is to give you life in all its fullness.” Let me rephrase that verse for you - Jesus wants you and me to Live It Up!
Each year in January I preach a sermon that sets up the theme for the New Year. This year it’s all about learning how to Live It Up! We’ve already seen that living life to the fullest is at the heart of God’s purpose for you and me; He truly wants us to live a life that’s worth the effort. So the big question for us this year is how do we do it? How do we really Live It Up? I’ve thought about that question a lot lately. And I believe there are at least 4 things we need to do THIS YEAR if we want to live life to the fullest. Now you may not be aware of it but the bible teaches us that you live BEST when you give MOST. So if we really want to live it up then the first thing we’ve got to learn is how to give it up. I know that the world says you’re really living it up when you’re getting instead of giving. But in the spiritual realm that simply isn’t the truth. That’s why Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Since Jesus said we ought to be givers instead of receivers don’t you think it makes good sense to ask ourselves, what kinds of things should we be giving? This year I want to suggest that you give these 4 things.
I. Give yourself as a volunteer. Key word: Service
Did you know that God created you with the capacity and the innate desire to be a volunteer? Deep down inside every one of us there’s a desire to be a world-changer, a difference maker, a player on the field of eternity. Paul says it this way in Eph. 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them My purpose, the very reason I left heaven and came to earth is to give you life in all its fullness.”.” Now you can certainly suffocate that desire with selfishness or stifle it with the demands of your job or even ignore it and simply play dumb. But deep down inside where it really counts…you want to make a difference in this world and you want people to know that your life was worth something. One of the best ways of doing that is to volunteer your services for ministry. Every person who attends this church has a choice to make. You can continue to be a taker, always wanting something more from the church or you can choose to join the adventure of ministry and start giving yourself to God. W/o volunteers here at The Mount the praise music you here every Sunday wouldn’t be the same, the loving faces that greet your children wouldn’t be there, the countless sweaters and coats passed out through our clothes closet would simply gather dust, the international students who need to learn conversational English wouldn’t stand a chance, the Kidstuf ministry would literally collapse and the seekers that need someone to invite them to church would never hear about the love of Christ. Some of you maybe thinking, “well if church already has so many volunteers then why should I bother?” Let me give you a few reasons why it’s so important for you to volunteer. 1). Serving others is the foundation of our faith. Jesus said, “And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” John 13:14-15 (NLT) One of the most important things you can do as a xian is to serve others – and it doesn’t matter whether it’s sweeping floors, changing diapers, mowing grass, working computers or singing a solo. God looks at your heart, not your ability. 2). Volunteering for ministry counters the culture of consumerism that’s destroying the church from the inside out. I know the church is designed to meet needs. But after you’ve been part of the church for a while its time to stop clamoring for the church to feed me, teach me, pray for me, heal me, fix my kids, mend my marriage and make me happy. Some of you need to step up to the plate and start giving yourself to the Kingdom. 3). Volunteering adds value to your life. God didn’t create the church to be a spectator sport. He wants you to participate, to throw yourself into the ring and get busy. I’m convinced that you will always feel like an outsider in the church until you decide to volunteer for service. That’s where the adventure really begins. So if you want to live it up this year, let me suggest that the first thing you should do is find a ministry you want to try and go for it – volunteer your services.
II. Give your faith to others. Key word: Evangelism
What do you think was one of the most exciting things for Jesus while he was on earth? Was it walking on water? Feeding the 5,000? Preaching to huge crowds or raising the dead? Do you know what I think it was? I think Jesus got the most excited when he saw people’s lives changed by the gospel. Remember the story of Zacchaeus? He was a tax collector, a traitor to his people. He made his living by gauging his neighbors. The crowds called him that “notorious sinner.” And yet when Jesus met him, his life was changed. Here’s what Jesus had to say to this so-called notorious sinner – “My mission in life is to seek and save the lost.”
On the night that Jesus was betrayed he prayed for his disciples and for all of us who would believe in the coming years. Part of that prayer says, “Father, as you have sent me, so I am sending them into the world.” What that means is this, we’ve been commissioned with the same marching orders that Jesus had – to seek and save the lost. I’ve got to tell you, there’s nothing more exciting than when you give your faith to your family, friends and business associates and you get to watch them embrace Jesus. Now that’s what it means to LIVE IT UP!
The sad truth is that the great majority of you sitting here will never get to experience that part of living life to the fullest. Do you know why? It’s because statistically 95% of you will never even attempt to give your faith away. You’ve believed the lie that says evangelism is better left up to the professionals. But where do we find that nonsense in the bible? Nowhere. Evangelism is simply learning how to live your Christian life out loud…so that others might see and hear and understand.
Let’s say you got excited about evangelism and you wanted to live it up this year – how would you do it? You could go to the Clemson ball games with an orange wig and a tee shirt that said John 3:16 and hope that people would get the message. Or you could walk the streets with a sandwich sign that read turn or burn. But instead of doing those things, why don’t you try a different approach this year? Let me give you 3 suggestions that will help you LIVE IT UP as you give away your faith.
1). Start with building some relationships with spiritual seekers. There are 2 words I want to emphasize in this statement. The first one is “start”. Did you know that if you’ve been a xian for more than 2 yrs then the chances are great that you don’t a single non-xian friend that you can influence? It’s easy to get so caught up in church stuff that we forget our marching orders – to seek and save the lost. So if you don’t have any unchurched friends right now – go make some! Have a BBQ and invite your neighbors over, go out to lunch with somebody from your office that uses language you’re not comfortable with or look for opportunities where you hang out. You’ve got to START somewhere. The other word I want to point out is “relationships”. Evangelism in the 21st century isn’t about knocking on doors cold turkey or using a bullhorn on a street corner. It’s about having a personal relationship with someone so that you win the right to share your faith. There’s something else you need to remember about relationships – they take time and lots of effort. So get busy!
2). Live an authentic life. Effective evangelism is not just about what we say, but in our present culture it’s probably more about who we are. You’ve got to deal with the fact that if you claim to be a xian, then your life is going to be scrutinized by the very ones you’re trying to influence. Your non-believing friends will be more likely to listen to what you have to say if they can see that what you believe really makes a difference in the way you live. So live carefully.
3). Take a risk. Here’s the point of risk I’m talking about. When you finally build that friendship with someone who doesn’t yet have a relationship with God, that’s only half the battle won. God doesn’t call us to simply to build friendships, but to build those friendship bridges so that we can ultimately share the truth. Mark Mittelburg says, “Your friends will never GET it until you actually go and say it.” Now I know what some of you are thinking…I don’t know what to say or what if they ask me a question I can’t answer? I’ve got some good news for you – this year we’re going to offer some evangelism training for those who are serious about LIVING IT UP in 2006. If you really want to know how to share your faith, then don’t miss these opportunities.
III. Give your resources to the Kingdom. Key word: Generosity
There’s probably nothing that sounds more convoluted to the 21st century mind than the fact that you really start to live when you learn how to give. We live in a culture that’s constantly screaming one single-minded message – life is all about what you have, how much you can acquire and how to hold on to your stuff. But the bible says something very different. In fact, for most of us the bible seemed to be filled with paradoxes. Think about it, Jesus says if you want to find your life, you must first lose it. If you want to be first then you’ve got to be last. If you want to be honored you must be humbled. And of course the one statement that seems most revolutionary is when Jesus said if you truly want to have, then you’ve got to learn how to give.
One of the most astounding illustrations of generous giving is found in 2 Cor. 8:2-3 where Paul tells us about the Macedonian church. “Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. 3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will.” Listen to that again – their deep poverty overflowed in rich generosity. Here’s what we need to remember – generosity is never measured by the size of the gift, but by the spirit of the giver. That’s why Jesus looked at the woman who gave the widow’s mite and said she gave more than anyone else. Her heart was right, which made her gift great in God’s eyes.
On Sunday March 5th our church will begin a Stewardship Campaign called “Mount Up With Wings.” For 5 Sundays we’ll look at the possibilities that God has laid before our church and we’ll see how our gifts can make those dreams become a reality. I firmly believe that this Stewardship Campaign is going to change our church forever. It’s going to determine where we go, what we build and who we reach with the gospel. Over those 5 weeks we’ll be talking about buildings and land, but only in the sense that those things are tools to be used to reach people with the gospel. So over the next 3 yrs you’re going to be asked to give like you’ve never given before. It’s going to stretch you and challenge your faith and it’s going to demand things from you that you never dreamed possible. But on top of all that – it’s going to be the best and most exciting time in your life. You will forever remember the days when you sacrificed to help this church take the next step towards becoming a place where lives are changed and destinies are determined.
Here’s what I’m going to call you to do in order to LIVE IT UP this year. I’m going to ask you to give to God’s vision for this church. We’re not giving to build buildings or to increase our budget or to acquire new land. We’re giving so that we can reach more people with the gospel than you’ve ever imagined possible. And what I want you to hear is that this dream will never become a reality until YOU decide to give. The second thing I want you to do is learn how to be a river instead of a reservoir. Most of us live as if that old adage is true – the one with the most toys when he dies wins! That’s a reservoir mentality…let’s gather our stuff and see how long we can keep it. The truth is God doesn’t give you HIS STUFF so you can keep it. He gives you everything you have so that you can use it to fulfill your mission. A river mentality says – these things aren’t mine in the first place, so I’d better pass them on down the line. This year by participating in our Stewardship Campaign you’re going to get a chance to really LIVE IT UP.
IV. Give your life to God. Key word: Sacrifice
The most valuable thing you possess is your life. Everything else pales in comparison. And yet that’s exactly what Jesus says he wants from you…your life. Why do you suppose Jesus wants your life? Listen to how He explains it in Lk. 9:24 “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life.” It’s all about living life to the fullest. Jesus knows that the only way you’ll truly experience the abundant life He promises is by giving your life to God. That means you’ve got to trust what
God says about you – that you are a sinner, w/o hope and desperately in need of what only God can offer. You’ve got to trust what He says about Himself – that he loves you and has prepared a way for you to know him and experience this fullness of life. Finally you’ve got to trust what he says about eternity – that this life is not the end, but simply a doorway into eternity. And what you do here determines where you’ll spend eternity.
The best way to LIVE IT UP this year is by giving yourself to God. Some of you need to do this for the first time this morning. There are others here who need to re-up your commitment. I want to give you a chance to think about giving yourself as a volunteer, giving your faith away, giving your resources to the Kingdom and finally giving yourself to God. What do you need to do to show God that you’re serious about LIVING IT UP this year?
