Jesus Wants to Ruin Your Weekend.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] I do want to announce one thing before we get started this morning and that is that on Tuesday night, October the 30th [0:07] we are going to be having a [0:10] Dedication service over at the new building to pray over the building and we are purposefully doing that before [0:16] All of the renovations are complete [0:20] We just want to spend some time together as a church praying over the building now that week [0:25] There will be no community groups because there’s two things going on that week

[0:29] The first thing is going to be on Tuesday night [0:31] we’re gathering as a church and I want all you guys to come out and pray over the building and [0:36] We’re just going to talk and catch a vision of what God is going to do there [0:39] And then secondly the following night is Halloween [0:42] Now we have this thing that we do every Halloween as a church and that is we encourage you to be involved in your neighborhood [0:50] During that evening if you’re in a neighborhood where trick-or-treating is just huge like mine is I live in smoke tree

[0:57] Then we encourage you to be involved in that we do not want you to miss out on being involved in the culture of your neighborhood [1:04] If your neighborhood is one of those neighborhoods where everybody turns the light off [1:08] Find somebody in your community group you can partner with to hand out candy and and to meet your neighbors [1:13] I know that where I live it’s a great opportunity for me to spend time in my community [1:17] And we do not want you to miss out on that [1:20] But this morning we’re going to be talking about the weekend

[1:24] There’s these two days that [1:26] Every one of us seem to live for no matter if you’re young no matter if you’re a little bit older [1:32] And you have a career or a job you cannot wait until Friday. I mean thank God [1:38] It’s Friday. We live on Monday the worst day of the week then Tuesday. We’re a little bit closer than Wednesday [1:44] We got to get over the hump then Thursday [1:46] It’s Friday Eve and then Friday is like the best day nobody gets anything accomplished on Friday

[1:52] No matter what you do [1:54] That’s your least productive day of the week because you just can’t wait until four or five o’clock if you can cut out [2:00] 15 minutes early [2:01] It’s even better so your boss can’t find you to tell you got to work the next day [2:05] And you just you get to the weekend, and it’s everything that you dreamed [2:10] It would be you can sleep till like noon your kids. Just leave me alone

[2:15] Let’s lock the bedroom door [2:17] So they don’t wake us up too early if anybody especially a pastor asks you to do something on Friday morning [2:23] Ha ha ha I got to guard my heart on Friday on Saturday morning excuse me [2:27] I got to guard that that’s my special time. That’s my time. That’s me time [2:33] I drink coffee and catch up on the DVR. It’s just I it’s it’s untouchable. It is a holy and sacred ground [2:41] Because it’s the weekend

[2:44] And it’s what we want and then sometimes on Saturday afternoon after we’ve watched seven football games [2:51] And we’ve eaten five hoagies we just sit back and we say oh [2:56] This is the Sabbath day. I kept it holy

[3:02] If you’re anything like me, maybe that’s what you spend your life pursuing

[3:08] Saturday and we you some of us pursue Sunday, but there’s a pesky little thing called a church service [3:14] It sometimes gets in the way, so let’s talk about Saturday all right. That’s the day [3:19] And kind of the question that I want to deal with this morning [3:23] Is there something greater that I exist for other than Saturday is? [3:30] There’s something greater that I have to look forward to [3:34] Because let’s be honest the weekend is where we can rest the weekend is where we can spend time with our family

[3:39] The weekend is where we can invest in our hobbies and just invest in leisure [3:44] But is there something else that’s going on in life is there a reason that [3:52] I look forward to the lack of activity [3:55] Rather than an abundance of activity [3:59] What’s going on with the way that I am planning my life? [4:05] To where I can’t take advantage of every single day to live life to the fullest

[4:13] Now frankly you may have come this morning expecting me to guilt you and to use an every Sunday or Saturday [4:19] To just work for the church, and it’s all about Sunday morning [4:23] Well, I’m not gonna do that to you this morning because that’s not really what I want to talk about [4:26] I don’t believe Jesus wants to ruin your weekend just for a church service [4:31] I believe that he does want you to be involved because this is a vital tool [4:34] But I think it’s about more than that I think Jesus wants to ruin our weekends so that we can experience

[4:41] His glory Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday and on Saturday and Sunday [4:48] I believe God wants us to build a vision for our lives that are far bigger than our [4:53] Weekends can ever satisfy our hearts with I believe that God has more than just a hobby [5:00] Here or there a football game or a race or something like that [5:04] I think he has more for us to look forward to than that [5:07] I think he has an abundant life and today I want to talk about that

[5:11] So go to James chapter 4 [5:14] in verse 13 [5:16] And let’s read this [5:18] Come now you who say [5:21] Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit [5:29] Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring

[5:34] What is your life? [5:36] For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes [5:42] Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we will live and do this or that [5:48] As it is you boast in your arrogance all such boasting is evil [5:53] So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it [5:58] To him it is a sin. I

[6:03] Think there’s something natural for us. I think it’s it’s really the default mode of how we live and that is why [6:11] We look forward to certain things more than others and I think that is just basically how we plan our lives in general. I [6:20] Think there’s a reality in all of our lives that we’re truly missing out on the fact that God [6:27] Created us for more than we’re living in [6:31] Face the fact God designed us in a specific way man is the only part of creation man and woman [6:38] That is that he actually gets down into the dirt and molds us and then breathes life into us

[6:45] He gives us his image [6:46] He designs us to reflect him to all of creation and then tells us things like be fruitful and multiply [6:54] Bring me glory with your life for you are to praise me with your lips

[7:01] and [7:02] He designs each and every one of us with a specific shape and with a specific intent and a purpose [7:09] To bring him glory not just with our Sunday mornings, but rather with every day [7:16] every moment and every breath [7:21] But the reality is that we are spending our life planning for other things [7:27] We’re spending our moments planning for careers planning for vacations

[7:33] planning for trips planning for leisure even planning for education and things of that nature [7:40] But we plan so far into the future with what will benefit us [7:46] That quite often this world can get us so busy into our plans that oftentimes we don’t slow down [7:53] To just simply ask the question are the plans that I am making what I was designed to do by the creator of the universe [8:03] Are the plans that I am making the goals that I am setting for my life are they what God would have me to do [8:12] And how does that factor into my relationship with him?

[8:18] It’s the reality this morning is this is about [8:20] Every decision that we make with our lives [8:25] This is really the nitty-gritty of what it means to follow Jesus. I’ll start this morning with the reality that following Jesus is [8:34] repenting of living however, I think is best

[8:39] There’s one thing I’ve learned and just knowing people for the past 32 years and especially [8:44] Being in churches and talking to a lot of Christians is that every one of us know what we think is best [8:50] I haven’t met a person yet with no opinion on this. I [8:55] Know what I think is best for my life and my assumption is so do you you know what you think is best for your life [9:02] But what about following Jesus?

[9:06] What if what I think is best for me isn’t [9:10] What he thinks is best for me. What if the plans that I have what if the things that I am pursuing? [9:16] What if that’s not what God would have me to do how is that going to affect my relationship with Jesus Christ [9:24] How are my plans and my purposes and my goals going to affect how I follow Jesus? [9:30] I think it’s going to have the greatest effect to how we follow Jesus [9:34] If you notice in verses 13 and 14, he talks about planning

[9:38] If any of you have any type of successful career or if you’re in any type of job in which you’re experiencing any type of success [9:44] You know that planning is a vital part of that. I mean when we were planting village [9:50] We had plans some of them were good some of them were awful [9:54] But we still had plans and my assumption is that you’ve come into scope of that too [10:00] So it was God saying that life is not something that we should plan. I don’t believe he’s saying that at all [10:07] But it’s God plans Jesus when he’s in the Garden of Gethsemane

[10:12] We realized that from texts in Isaiah from texts in Revelation [10:16] Romans and Ephesians and so on that God the Father [10:21] Planned the gospel before the foundations of the earth [10:24] So planning is actually an aspect of the image of God in us. If you want to have any success [10:30] Start a plan if you’re not experiencing any success [10:34] Do you have a plan?

[10:36] John Wooden the great coach from UCLA once said that if you fail to plan you plan to fail preparation precedes performance

[10:45] So I don’t think that this is a condemnation of me having plans [10:50] what I believe we’re talking about here is the author and [10:56] Controller and authority over which my plans have [11:00] That I if I’m a follower of Jesus [11:03] I do not have the authority [11:08] To make those plans for myself

[11:11] Me only but rather [11:14] God is the planner under whom I must submit to his authority [11:21] Notice what he says in verse 14

[11:25] Verse 14 he says yet. You do not know what tomorrow will bring [11:33] I think that’s a reality. I might think it’s gonna rain the meteorologist might tell me it’s gonna rain [11:38] And then it’s sunny all day [11:40] Does that irritate you as much as it does me or it’s gonna be sunny tomorrow and yet it rains all day [11:45] Tends to happen a lot in Richmond. I don’t know what’s going on these meteorologists, but I don’t trust them [11:50] And there may be a conspiracy against me

[11:54] But the reality is is that I can’t tell you with 100% certainty right now that I will be alive tomorrow morning I [12:03] Can’t promise you that [12:05] Any number of things could happen between right now and Monday morning in my life and in your life that could change [12:13] the direction of our lives [12:15] completely [12:17] There’s one person that won’t be surprised by what happens tomorrow. That’s God

[12:21] God knows exactly what will happen tomorrow as clearly as he knows what will happen a hundred years from now because he’s God [12:28] The book of Isaiah tells us that he knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning there is nothing that surprises him [12:35] Nothing that enters into the life of Steve Gentry is a shock to God and I find great comfort in that [12:42] But I also find great conviction in that [12:46] And the reality that sometimes I’m making plans for things that I’m not really certain are going to pan out for me

[12:55] the reality [12:56] That when I enter into this thought of I’m gonna go here [13:01] And I’m gonna go there and I’m going to invest in this or I’m gonna invest in that I’m gonna spend the next [13:05] year or two making this money and that money I [13:09] Really don’t know what’s going to happen [13:14] Proverbs chapter 19 says it this way

[13:17] Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but is the purpose of the Lord that will stand [13:25] There’s one way that I want life to go and then there’s the way that God knows it will go

[13:32] See sometimes when I’m making my plans I don’t take into account that God can change them completely I [13:40] Don’t take into account that God has proven his absolute authority in my life and that he’s done that through the resurrection of Jesus

[13:49] That there’s one thing that I know [13:52] Will last through an eternity and that is Jesus [13:57] His resurrection proves forever that he is God [14:03] His resurrection proves forever that he has authority [14:08] His resurrection proves forever as Paul writes in Corinthians [14:12] That his promises can be trusted

[14:16] So when I’m making plans for my life I [14:21] Have to take into account [14:23] What God says the future holds? [14:28] Before I take into account what I desire [14:31] For the future to hold because oftentimes my desires can conflict with God’s promises and God’s commands [14:40] What direction is my life going and is that a direction that God has given me?

[14:45] God has shown his glory will unfold [14:50] Look in Matthew chapter 16 verse 25 [14:54] There Jesus is saying he says for whoever would save his life will lose it [14:59] But whoever loses his life for my sake will find it [15:04] Let me ask you a question this morning

[15:09] In light of the fact that Jesus has proven that he is God and if you trust in that [15:16] How are your plans coming into submission with his authority and what he has stated you should live your life for

[15:26] Or has it factored into it at all

[15:30] If you’ve been planning a career if you’ve been planning to spend money this way or that way even if you’ve been planning a certain [15:37] Vacation have you prayed about it?

[15:41] Have you sought what God’s Word has to say about that thing [15:45] Have you thought about what God would have you do with it

[15:50] If not [15:52] Does that reveal a heart that trusts fully and submits fully to the absolute? [15:59] Authority of Jesus Christ is shown in the resurrection

[16:03] So reality this morning is that our plans must be subjected to God’s will look in verse 15

[16:16] Instead you ought to say I [16:20] Love we get into the scripture sometimes and we see these words like instead or but if or therefore [16:26] And understand that he is going from one thought process to another in [16:33] Verses 13 and 14 especially 13 what we see is the default mode of humanity [16:39] Believing that life is about me and I am the authority in my life [16:46] But then in verse 15 he says instead

[16:50] So what follows then is what it looks like to follow Jesus [16:56] What that repentance will turn you to because oftentimes what we do is we come under deep conviction [17:03] And we’re like [17:04] That’s true I haven’t been submitting to God my plans aren’t God’s way and we’ll get overcome with guilt [17:11] We’ll get overcome with baggage and we stay there for a little while and then just go back to our default mode [17:16] We do nothing with our guilt

[17:19] Well, the fact of the matter is is that the scripture has not left us there [17:23] The scripture number one has given us Jesus Christ who bears all of our sin [17:28] He bears all of our shame and secondly the scriptures clear as to what? [17:33] Changing our lives for the sake of God’s glory looks like and here’s what he’s gonna say [17:41] Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we will live and do this or that [17:48] So here’s what sometimes we do with this verse

[17:53] Sometimes we look at this verse and we make a plan and then at the end of the sentence [17:58] We just tack on if the Lord wills

[18:03] Had a pastor at one point I sat under his preaching for a while [18:07] Where at the end of every future event he would say if the Lord tarries [18:13] It’s the Lord tarries [18:15] That’s another way of doing that [18:18] But sometimes this is what we do we say well, I’m going to do this [18:22] well, if it’s the will of the Lord and

[18:25] We go ahead with our plan and if it pans out and makes us more comfortable in life makes us more successful in the world’s [18:32] System must have been the will of the Lord [18:36] If it doesn’t pan out I guess we need to repent in sackcloth and ashes, I don’t know [18:40] But we usually don’t get that far [18:43] But here’s what I want you to realize about this text in verse 15. It does not end with the will of the Lord

[18:52] It begins with the will of the Lord [18:56] Our plans must be subjected to God’s will in other words before [19:00] I’m making a plan [19:02] So let’s say I’m planning that future business where I’m gonna go here and I’m gonna invest I must first before my planning [19:10] say what is the will of God and

[19:16] Understand that it has been revealed in Scripture and through Jesus [19:22] He’s not made it a mystery

[19:27] There’s four places I want to look today [19:29] About where we’re planning the will of God where we’re planning our future where we’re planning our lives [19:36] And how we’re really investing our lives [19:39] I guess you could say so we can take advantage of everything the first place I want to look at this morning is what’s my purpose [19:47] God’s will have a purpose for me in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 11 [19:53] Here’s what we find the Apostle Paul says

[19:54] Paul writing about Jesus in him meaning Jesus. That’s not the right verse take that down immediately

[20:05] I [20:06] Think that was my fault. I’m not very good at typing in him [20:10] We have obtained an inheritance [20:14] Having been predestined according to look at this the purpose of him [20:21] Who works all things according to the council of his will it’s Ephesians 1 11

[20:31] Notice that God has said a few things here [20:34] Number one. He said that we do have a purpose and that purpose is found in God’s will [20:41] But who is that purpose for? [20:45] for his name [20:47] Jesus [20:48] So the purpose that God has created all of us for is for the purpose of furthering the name of Jesus

[20:55] Here’s how Rick Warren puts it [20:58] Rick Warren writes God was thinking of you long before you ever thought about him [21:04] His purpose for your life predates your conception [21:09] He planned it before you existed [21:13] without your [21:16] input

[21:18] Want you to focus in on those three words?

[21:24] without your [21:25] input [21:26] In other words God does not come to us and say what do you want your purpose to be? [21:31] God did not come to Steve Gentry and say Steve. What do you want your purpose to be for this life? [21:38] No [21:39] Before you were even conceived in your mother’s womb

[21:44] God had planned a purpose for your life for his glory [21:52] You may choose your career your spouse your hobbies and many other parts of your life [21:59] But you don’t get to choose your purpose [22:05] Here’s the reality. I want you to understand about those other choices that you make [22:10] spouse career [22:12] Hobbies children

[22:15] All of them fall under the umbrella of God’s purpose [22:22] So before we ever make any decision in our lives [22:26] We must take into account the purpose of God as revealed in Jesus [22:33] Second thing this morning is wisdom [22:36] Are the choices that I am making in the future that I am pursuing [22:40] Which ultimately is revealed in my actions more than it is in my words wise by God’s standards

[22:48] Am I being wise with my life? [22:54] Am I taking into consideration the wisdom that God has revealed in the Bible or does my life? [23:01] sync up more [23:03] with my unbelieving neighbors [23:07] Look at how you make choices look at what you’re pursuing [23:11] Look at the thought processes that go into your decision-making are they distinctly biblical?

[23:19] Do they take into consideration? [23:21] The purposes and plans that God has made clear [23:26] Thirdly this morning [23:29] your mission [23:32] Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost and then John chapter 20 [23:36] He looks at the disciples and he says as the father sent me

[23:39] So I am sending you [23:41] We are sent by God with a mission

[23:46] With the purpose of Jesus in mind that we are sent about to make disciples [23:53] Does the things that I am planning [23:56] Do the things that I am living for in my every day further the mission of Jesus [24:05] Are more people going to hear the gospel of Jesus and see the effects that it has on my life through the decisions that I [24:12] Am making and the plans that I am about to set forth

[24:16] Or am I committing to something that will prevent me from being used for the mission of Jesus [24:24] And finally [24:27] The commands of God

[24:31] If you’ve read the scripture [24:34] God is sometimes very clear [24:37] He makes very specific commands [24:40] He tells us things that we should do things that we shouldn’t do [24:45] Lifestyles that we should pursue lifestyles that we will not pursue am I basing my lifestyle on the [24:52] Experiences of this world or am I basing my lifestyle on the clear commands of scripture?

[25:00] What has God clearly commanded and how should that change the way that you were living?

[25:07] Have you thought about that recently [25:10] That God has made commands that sometimes I don’t bring into consideration when I’m making my plans [25:15] Or when I’m simply going through my every day [25:18] You ever thought that maybe Monday through Friday even Saturday and Sunday aren’t as fulfilling as they could be because I’m ignoring the [25:26] commands of God on my life [25:29] That maybe my life could find some fulfillment if I understood that God is the author of life

[25:36] And maybe he has said do this don’t do that because he alone knows [25:44] What life lived to the fullest looks like?

[25:49] You know sometimes I live in direct disobedience to that because I think I [25:54] Am a bit smarter than he is [25:58] And I [26:00] My experience is different God doesn’t understand can I tell you that no matter where you are in life? [26:05] No matter what you’re doing with your life. There is never a moment when you can say God doesn’t understand me

[26:13] God understands you fully [26:16] God knows the reasons that you have [26:19] God knows what you’re doing [26:21] And that’s why Hebrews chapter 4 tells us this great promise that we have a high priest who is tempted in every way [26:28] That we are he understands us fully [26:33] And he died for us

[26:38] Guys sometimes [26:40] We need to just understand [26:42] That God’s commands will rub up against us like sandpaper

[26:49] But that doesn’t change what’s right and what’s wrong [26:54] The problem is never God [26:57] The problem is always me

[27:05] Finally this morning [27:08] Once you to understand that unless my life agrees with the purposes of God

[27:17] That my plans will be worthless and unproductive

[27:23] Look in verse 16 [27:25] Excuse me join me again in verse 15

[27:30] Instead you ought to say if the Lord wills we will live and do this or that [27:36] But why is he saying that

[27:39] Why is he saying that why is the will of God so important back up a little bit

[27:47] First 14 says what is your life?

[27:51] For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes

[27:59] We understand that this is

[28:03] A [28:03] Tempted to quote Joe Biden is deadly earnest

[28:09] It’s the only political joke you’ll have for the next few weeks so hold on to it all right, but this is serious

[28:18] What the scriptures are telling us there with the half brother of Jesus who wrote this here the context of this whole book [28:26] Is faith that works? [28:29] The context I want you to understand this message under this morning is the reality that if my faith is going to work [28:36] That if my life is going to have any meaning if I’m going to be productive in any way [28:43] That I have got to realize that I am living a short life [28:50] With a world a universe and a great God who’s got a long history an eternal one

[28:57] And that my plans for my life to benefit me are revealed in my actions and [29:06] Those actions can amount to a great deal of foolishness that will bring me a life of pain [29:13] Unless I understand that the authority of God exists for my betterment not to make my life worse

[29:22] God is not seeking to bring you pain [29:26] God is seeking to bring you out of pain [29:30] And then when I am making my life count for God [29:36] It is not always going to be easy, but it is always going to be better [29:43] Do you realize that there is a great deal of self-denial when he says in Matthew chapter 16 verse 25 [29:50] When he says that whoever will save his life must lose it for my name

[29:59] Whoever keep his life

[30:04] It’s gonna be worthless [30:06] There’s the context of that text [30:09] That when I hold on to the way that I want things to be

[30:15] Because either I don’t want to be used to further the mission of Jesus [30:19] I don’t want to be used to make his name great in this world or because I think I’ve got a better idea [30:24] Or because I don’t think he can use me because I have a lack of ability or an abundance of sin [30:30] What I am doing is putting myself above and beyond God in authority and [30:37] That is what brought sin about in the first place [30:42] When Adam and Eve were in the garden and standing side by side men she wasn’t off by herself

[30:49] Adam was there and they chose to willfully disobey God by eating of the forbidden fruit [30:57] What they were truly saying is I’ve got this life God I can handle it

[31:07] I [31:07] Don’t need your authority. I [31:10] Don’t need you telling me I’ll give you this aspect of my life, but I want this part of my life [31:16] I’ll obey you here, and I’ll give you this little spot, but over here is mine. I’ll plan it [31:23] I’ll do what I want. I’ll submit where I want, but you can’t have this. That’s what original sin came from it’s called pride [31:31] And what James is doing here when he says my life is but a mist

[31:38] He’s actually saying is know your role

[31:46] Understand that you are created you are not creator and

[31:52] Often times when we’re going through our lives we function as [31:57] creators rather than created [32:00] Beings living in submission to God

[32:06] Finally this morning do not waste your life on things that are not building God’s kingdom [32:10] I just wanted to make that as blunt clear as possible

[32:15] There it is if you’re not building God’s kingdom you’re gonna waste your life

[32:22] When I asked you a couple questions this morning I just I really have a desire

[32:29] For us to really put in perspective [32:33] How we are going through our life and how we are making decisions because ultimately that’s what this is about. It’s about decision-making

[32:41] I’m talk to the married couples

[32:45] How many children are you gonna have

[32:50] How did you make that decision

[32:55] Did you make it with God [32:58] Or did you make it on your own

[33:02] Did you make it because that’s what’s gonna further your career or did you make it because that’s what’s gonna further the mission of Jesus

[33:13] I’m not telling you how many kids I have I [33:16] Was just want to know how you came about that decision [33:19] Was it the wisdom of this world? [33:21] Was the wisdom of the kingdom of God?

[33:28] High schoolers, what are you gonna study in college? Where are you gonna go to college?

[33:37] Are you gonna make that decision

[33:40] By yourself with God are you praying about it

[33:46] Are you seeking the wisdom of God’s Word with it for excuse me

[33:51] You say it’s not that easy [33:54] No [33:55] It’s that you don’t trust God that much

[34:01] Are you taking your plans before God or are you just planning?

[34:09] What about that house you want to buy

[34:12] Have prayed about it [34:15] Where you gonna live [34:17] How’s that gonna factor into the mission of Jesus? [34:20] Are you just trying to get away from it all you’re trying to live somewhere where you can be a missionary in a neighborhood

[34:25] See these are the types of questions you must ask yourself if you’re following Jesus the alternative is not following Jesus

[34:40] These are the questions we must ask ourselves when we think about taking a new job when we think about leaving one job [34:48] When we think about it when you think about who you’re gonna marry single people is [34:53] This person going to assist me and equip me to further the mission of Jesus [35:00] And the purposes of God in the wisdom of God under the commands of God or is this person going to detract from that?

[35:10] You have to ask yourself that question

[35:14] You have to be very concise very clear as to what you are following in this life [35:22] All the way down to how am I going to spend my weekend?

[35:33] The reality is I wanted to call it that because I want us to understand that there is no decision so [35:39] small and so [35:41] Insignificant that God does not want to be involved in [35:46] You know what I’m saying?

[35:50] Here’s what verse 16 and 17 say

[35:54] As it is [35:57] You boast in your arrogance that is is that pride

[36:03] I’ve got the authority. I’m good enough. God. You don’t know you just don’t know [36:08] Church you don’t know Bible you don’t know I don’t need to pray about it. I know what to do [36:13] I don’t need to take this before God I don’t need to submit under his authority [36:16] I don’t need to submit this decision to the mission of Jesus. This is about me

[36:23] That’s not kingdom minded friends

[36:27] This we says that all such boasting is evil [36:33] Very quickly I want to talk about that phrase

[36:39] There’s this mentality [36:42] It says okay [36:45] Maybe I’ll miss the will of God [36:47] I’ll miss it is when I when I was when I was in youth group [36:52] I’ll miss God’s best for my life [36:56] I’ll just settle for second best

[37:00] or third best and right on down the ladder

[37:06] James does not say you will miss God’s best [37:12] Here’s what he says

[37:16] All such boasting is evil [37:22] James in this book if you haven’t spent much time in the book of James, I I think you should [37:26] He draws very sharp contrasts. It doesn’t mince for words [37:33] He doesn’t say you’re gonna miss God’s best [37:35] He puts it bluntly and says you’re not following Jesus [37:40] All such boasting is anti-christian

[37:44] All such boasting is not a relationship with God [37:49] All such boasting is you as God of your kingdom not furthering [37:55] God’s kingdom and at that point take inventory as to who your God is [38:03] Because you’re not acting like a child of God

[38:07] We get very uncomfortable when scripture gets that specific [38:11] And we should [38:13] But here’s what we shouldn’t do we shouldn’t say well, I don’t know if it means all that [38:18] It means what it means guys. I know the Greek that’s what it means [38:21] There’s no other meaning I can give it if I could I would because it would make my life easier [38:27] You guys gotta understand I have to live under submission to this too, all right

[38:33] Here’s a reality

[38:36] Don’t go home and say well, I don’t know about it no go home and say that’s what God’s Word says

[38:46] You got to live with it [38:48] Then he finishes and he says so whoever knows the right thing to do fails to do it for him it is

[38:57] He doesn’t say that so we complete ignorance you realize that

[39:02] James gets snarky sometimes like Paul does so facetious

[39:09] He’s talking to a crew here in Jerusalem that knows I mean they were the first Christians they took discipleship 101

[39:19] They know what they’re supposed to do I [39:25] Think we know

[39:28] I [39:29] Don’t think there’s anything I could tell you this morning. You don’t already know

[39:34] You know what God wants you to do you know how God wants you to live your life [39:39] And sometimes you just say no and walk the other way

[39:45] So I’ll tell you this morning don’t waste your life because if you do that you’re wasting your life

[39:51] Quickly and then we’ll close second Timothy

[39:56] Chapter 2 [39:58] Paul writes to Timothy and he’s talking about how to disciple his church [40:05] He says share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus

[40:11] No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits [40:17] Since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him an [40:22] Envoy’s fleet is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules

[40:28] When I ask you two questions this morning from that text

[40:34] Do you have any civilian pursuits in your life

[40:39] And you say what does that look like

[40:44] God has been clear about what it looks like to follow Jesus

[40:49] Are you pursuing things with your life that are preventing you from doing that

[40:58] Are there commitments in your life that are preventing you from doing that

[41:07] Do you have to say no to things that would further the kingdom of God [41:12] Because you’re too busy following things that don’t further the kingdom of God and I don’t think we have to look very far

[41:23] And you can be as specific as you want to on that one

[41:28] Finally he says an athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules

[41:34] What Paul is saying there is it’s pretty clear because we all understand sports metaphors especially in this culture

[41:43] But there’s a certain way we’re supposed to do it in a certain way we’re not [41:46] There’s a certain way we’re supposed to live if we’re following Jesus in a certain way that we’re not supposed to follow Jesus

[41:54] The question this morning is is [41:56] Are you following Jesus according to how he wants to be followed or are you just saying I’ll follow him however I want to

[42:04] One reveals a life of redemption another reveals a life that needs to repent

[42:15] Guys don’t invest your life in things that God has no desire to reap

[42:23] God says he’s gonna reap a harvest

[42:28] Are you investing in that [42:30] Are you investing in things that he has no desire reaping at all [42:35] Let’s ask ourselves that question

[42:39] This is a warning passage of scripture

[42:44] What I want you to understand about that is that this is not about regret

[42:50] Because I think there’s one way of going through a passage like this where we’re filled with regret [42:57] We’re filled with guilt and we’re filled with baggage and I want you to understand that that is not

[43:03] James’s goal [43:05] James’s goal here is correction [43:08] My assumption here is that there are many of you that have done some things in your life that you regret [43:14] You’ve pursued some things that [43:16] You know, you shouldn’t have pursued. Maybe you shouldn’t be pursuing [43:21] And once you understand that what God’s doing here is he’s coming at us where we are

[43:26] To take us where we need to be in the first stop is the cross of Jesus Christ

[43:33] That life you’ve been wasting it’s behind you

[43:39] You can’t get it back

[43:43] Those days are over [43:46] But I know what you can do you can trust that Jesus died for that [43:52] You can trust that when he went to the cross he who knew no sin became sin so that you might become the righteousness of God [43:59] Do not walk away today with your regrets leave them here leave them at the cross of Jesus Christ who loved you and gave himself over for you [44:09] This is about the future this is about tomorrow [44:13] Tomorrow morning when you wake up this afternoon when you go home

[44:17] Follow Jesus with no regret no baggage and no guilt because he has taken it from you on to the cross and then he rose again [44:28] Winning victory over sin and death and stop wasting your life because you don’t have to waste it any longer [44:38] Begin to plan the future in light of God’s purposes his mission his wisdom and his commands [44:48] Begin living life to the fullest as God has designed you to [44:52] this week [44:55] Start with one thing

[44:57] Don’t be so overcome because there’s so much one thing [45:01] Look at your life and find that one thing that [45:04] God wants to redeem from you [45:06] Find that one plan find that one purpose [45:09] That’s just it’s wasteful and you know it and you shouldn’t be doing it and you shouldn’t be committed there [45:13] What’s one commitment you can drop so you can pick up something that’ll further the mission of Jesus?

[45:21] And then follow him and have life [45:25] As a band comes forward this morning, I want you to understand that

[45:33] We’re gonna reflect on communion

[45:38] This represents the broken body and shed blood of Jesus [45:43] As we do that I want you to understand [45:46] That all of us have wasted things

[45:51] You’re not out of that one just have

[45:56] a [45:57] Bread represents the broken body of Jesus the cup represents his shed blood

[46:03] and [46:04] What we do when we reflect on communion is is that we reflect on his death [46:09] But more than that when we take that bread when we take that cup into us

[46:16] It represents [46:18] The life of Christ coming into our lives [46:22] That’s what it’s an analogy of

[46:26] And so when we’re going about our days and our activities and our weeks and our weekends and our months and our years [46:32] And how we’re using our time [46:34] making our decisions [46:37] Understand that if you’re a follower of Jesus if you’ve trusted in him

[46:42] His life is in you

[46:47] Galatians 2 20 says I’m crucified with Christ [46:51] And I live [46:52] Yet not I but Christ lives in me and [46:59] The life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself [47:06] for me [47:10] As you reflect on communion this morning understand that he came to give you life and it is his life

[47:18] And that’s an eternal life. That’s an abundant life

[47:24] And if you’re in here this morning, and you say my whole life has been a waste

[47:30] This morning, I’m certain I’m not following him. I don’t know that I know him

[47:36] Want you to know this morning you can know him and you can follow him for the rest of your life

[47:46] He wants to give you his life [47:49] Because he gave it on the cross he’s died for your sin you don’t have to carry them you just need to trust in

[47:57] him [47:59] Come as you are because he loves you like you are [48:04] And you can follow him with the rest of your life

[48:08] Friends if you trust him this morning these tables are open for you

[48:12] If you’ve never trusted in Jesus or you’re coming to a place right now where you’re like, I don’t know if I know him

[48:19] Just come talk to me there will be those in the back [48:23] He wants you to worship him today guilt-free