Significant Insignificance

Significant Insignificance

Psalm 8. 3-5

October 28, 1997

Meigs Area Holiness Rally

I. The Canadian Star scape

A. The rugged beauty of the Canadian landscape: Annual fishing trip, little piece of heaven, cabin view of Candy Cane Ridge, Canadian National post card

B. The majestic beauty of the Canadian night sky: Real beauty came out at night, stars were brightest I had ever seen, view of the Milky Way, spectacular display of God’s creation, I thought about the massiveness of creation and how small I was in comparison

Q: Have you ever felt small?

II. Junior High Math Class

A. Mr. York’s warped joy in humiliation: Never liked to do math, hated it even more after Mr. York, sick joy in humiliation of students, daily part of class, picked on several people each day

B. The story of Kristi: Kristi was quiet, shy, reserved but well liked, near Valentine’s Day caught pasing notes in class, note contained information about how Kristi wanted to dance with some boy, the boy was in our class, Mr. York read the note, asked the boy if he would dance, response was no, wouldn’t be that bad, Kristi started to cry

Q: Have you ever felt insignificant?

III. Significant Insignificance

A. Our society suffers from a significant insignificance: Make the trivial important & important trivial, measure people - intelligence, success, money, power, position, people who don’t measure up are thrown away, society presures people to fit the mold, people are made to feel insignificant

B. Statistics on society: 1960 - 1995, satisfaction with quality of life dropped 35%, sucide rate double, teen pregnancy has tripled, mental anxiety had quadrupled, Why the jump? people lack meaning and worth in life

Q: Where can we find worth? Worth is not found but rather is inside

IV. The Birth of Abigail

A. A day of great joy and expectation: December 6 & 7 two long days, I was preparing for finals and working on my internship, Elizabeth decided to have our baby, everything came to a grinding halt, this little baby stopped the world, she was small & helpless but far from insignificant, her value was God given

B. She was worth more than gold in her fathers arms: I got to carry her first, there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for her, I would sacrifice my life, why? - she is my child

Q: Do you want to know the secret of significance? Read Psalm 8.3-5

V. Significance comes from God

A. God created you: You have worth - We were created in the image of God, that makes you valuable to God, you are a masterpiece of God, the best of all creation, there is no reason to feel less than significant

B. God cares for you: You have love - God sacrificed His son for you to live, restore the broken human relationship,

C. God has a plan for your life: You have purpose - God created every person for a reason and we have to find that reason, reason brings to us a hope, Life without God is a hopeless end but life with God is an endless hope,

VI. The story of Rudy

A. Dreamed of playing football for Notre Dame

B. Made the prep team: Played an insignificant role and family did not believe him

C. Elevated to a place of significance

VII. God wants you to know that you have a place of significance

A. God can take from where you are and give you a place of significance: He wants to make you His child.

B. Abigail had significance in her fathers arms and so can you: There is no such thing as an insignificant child of God.