This is the current
Sermon Series, starting with the most recent.
LEAVING A LEGACY
THE BUCKET LIST—PART 3 OF 4
SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 7: 24-29
OCTOBER 26 2008
GEORGE McHENDRY, PASTOR
GOOD MORNING! WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE
LIKE IF WE ONLY HAD SIX MONTHS OR LESS TO LIVE, AND WE’VE BEEN USING THE MOVIE
“THE BUCKET LIST” AS THE MODEL FOR THIS SERIES. SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD
SIX MONTHS OR LESS TO LIVE? HOW WOULD YOUR LIFE BE DIFFERENT? WHO WOULD YOU
SPEND TIME WITH? HOW WOULD YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY?
THERE IS A MAN NAMED RANDY POSH. HE WAS A COLLEGE PROFESSOR
AT CARNEGIE-MELLON UNIVERSITY. HE WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH A FATAL DISEASE
THAT I CANNOT PRONOUNCE. (IT WOULD MAKE ME SEEM EVEN DUMBER THAN I REALLY AM.)
BUT HE WAS GIVEN A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE.
FOLLOWING HIS PROGNOSIS WHAT HE DECIDED TO DO WAS GIVE ONE
LAST LECTURE TO HIS COLLEGE CLASS, AND IT WAS VIDEOTAPED. IT WENT ON UTUBE, AND
IT GOT MORE THAN A MILLION HITS. THEN WITH ALL THE
BUZZ OBVIOUSLY THE WOMAN WHO NEEDS NO LAST NAME WHO OWNS DAYTIME TELEVISION,
QUEEN OPRAH, HAD HIM ON THE SHOW. SHE GOT HIM TO JUMP UP AND DOWN ON THE COUCH
LIKE TOM CRUSE AND HE GAVE THE LAST LECTURE. ABC PICKED IT UP, AND IN PARADE
MAGAZINE, HE WAS THE COVER ARTICLE. IT HAS GOT ALL THIS ATTENTION.
I JUST CAN TELL IT HAS GRIPPED AMERICANS. I DON’T REALLY
THINK WHAT’S GRIPPED THEM IS HIS MESSAGE. I LISTENED TO HIS LECTURE, I READ THE
STUFF. IT’S GOOD BUT IT ISN’T ANYTHING YOU HAVEN’T HEARD BEFORE. I THINK WHAT’S
GRIPPING PEOPLE IS THE FASCINATION THAT THEY’RE LOOKING AT SOMEBODY AND THEY’RE
THINKING, “HE’S GOING TO BE DEAD SOON AND HE KNOWS IT.” IN A MORBID WAY, IT’S
KIND OF FASCINATING.
IRONICALLY, I WILL NOT GET THAT SAME NATIONAL ATTENTION.
BUT I TOO AM DYING. I’VE BEEN WAITING UNTIL THE THIRD WEEK TO TELL YOU BECAUSE
WE JUST GOT THE TEST RESULTS SO I KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT.
MY TESTS WERE TAKEN ON A LIFE EXPECTANCY WEBSITE. IT
ASKED ME ABOUT MY FAMILY HISTORY AND WHETHER I SMOKE OR DRINK OR EXERCISE. WHETHER I HAVE STRESS, WHETHER I WEAR A SEATBELT, WHETHER I USE
BUTTER OR MARGARINE.
(2)
DO I LIKE CATS OR DOGS? BIG MACS OR
WHOPPERS? I HAD TO ENTER IN MY WEIGHT, WHICH I DID (MY HIGH SCHOOL
WEIGHT) SURE ENOUGH I’M DYING. BASED ON VERY SCIENTIFIC DATA I WAS TOLD THE BAD
NEWS. THE DATE IS AUGUST 11, 2048. HONESTLY I’M A LITTLE RELIEVED THAT IT’S IN
AUGUST. I LIKE SUMMER. I THINK I LOOK BETTER WITH A TAN. AND SINCE IN THE YEAR
2048 I’LL BE 107 YEARS OLD, I WILL HAVE LIVED A PRETTY LONG LIFE, WOULDN’T YOU
AGREE?
I’M DYING, MY FRIENDS. YOU’RE DYING. THERE ARE TWO THINGS
WE CAN COUNT ON IN LIFE, RIGHT? THE BRONCOS NOT MAKING IT TO THE SUPER BOWL
AGAIN THIS YEAR AND BRITNEY SPEARS IN THE NEWS. NO, TWO THINGS WE CAN COUNT ON
ARE DEATH AND TAXES.
RANDY POSH HAS MADE NEWS BECAUSE HE’S USING HIS DYING
OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE HIS LEGACY.
THIS MORNING WE’RE GOING TO SEE HOW WE CAN USE OUR LIVING
OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE THE REST OF OUR LIFE. WE CAN USE THE TIME THAT WE’VE GOT
LEFT TO SHAPE OUR LEGACY. YOU AND I WILL LEAVE A LEGACY. THAT IS NOT THE
QUESTION. THE QUESTION IS WHAT TYPE OF LEGACY WILL WE LEAVE? WILL IT BE A
POSITIVE LEGACY? WILL IT BE A GOOD AND A GOD HONORING LEGACY?
WE’VE HAD A THEME VERSE FOR THIS ENTIRE SERIES, AND IT’S
PSALM 90:12 “TEACH US TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME, SO THAT WE MAY GROW IN
WISDOM.” WE’VE LEARNED THAT WHEN WE GROW IN WISDOM WE CAN…ONE, LIVE LIKE
WE’RE DYING, THAT WAS WEEK ONE, AND WE CAN TWO, LOVE LIKE WE’RE FORGIVEN. (THAT
WAS WEEK TWO)
SINCE YOU AND I WANT TO LEAVE A POSITIVE LEGACY, LET’S
LOOK AT GOD’S WORD AND SEE WHAT GOD VALUES.
I WANT US TO TRY TO GRASP A COUPLE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES
THAT WE CAN BUILD OUR LEGACY ON. YOU HAVE THEM IN YOUR OUTLINE.
AND IF
YOU’RE CONNECTED TO ME, THAT OBEDIENCE IS GOING
TO
PRODUCE FRUIT
(3)
THINK OF A FRUIT TREE. IF A FRUIT TREE IS HEALTHY, IT WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FRUIT. IF IT’S HEALTHY. THINK OF
THE SPIRITUAL PARALLEL TO YOUR LIFE. IF YOU’RE HEALTHY, IF YOU REMAIN IN HIM,
IF YOU WALK IN THE WAY OF OBEDIENCE, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE FRUIT.
THIS IS THE WINNING COMBINATION. THIS IS IT. IF YOU
CHOOSE OBEDIENCE GOD’S WAY, REMAIN IN HIM, CONNECTED TO JESUS, IF YOU CHOOSE
OBEDIENCE—KEY WORD “CHOOSE”—YOU WILL PRODUCE
FRUITFULNESS. AND THAT FRUITFULNESS WILL LEAVE A LEGACY. THAT FRUITFULNESS WILL
LAST.
BACK TO WHAT JESUS SAID IN JOHN 15. “I APPOINTED YOU
TO GO AND PRODUCE FRUIT THAT WILL LAST.” IF YOU’RE
FOLLOWING IN YOUR OUTLINES, UNDERLINE “FRUIT THAT WILL LAST.”
SO WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? OBEDIENCE IS THE ACTION,
FRUITFULNESS IS THE RESULT NOW—LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS,
GENTLENESS, FAITHFULNESS, SELF-CONTROL—THAT’S THE RESULT NOW, LEGACY IS WHAT
WILL LAST.
HERE’S THE SUMMARY: OBEDIENCE RESULTS IN FRUITFULNESS,
WHICH WILL RESULT IN LEGACY.
LET’S DO WHAT WE DID THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. LET’S GO
AFTER THE SAME THREE THINGS AS THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS. THE BIG PICTURE, THE BIG
PICTURE CONCEPT, THINGS FOR US TO THINK ABOUT. AND THEN A
PRACTICAL THING THAT YOU AND I CAN APPLY RIGHT AWAY. THEN LET’S LOOK AT
GOD’S POWER AND WRAP THIS WHOLE THING UP.
THE BIG PICTURE IS THIS: BELIEVE THAT I AM CAPABLE OF
LEAVING A LEGACY. I WANT YOU TO WALK OUT
OF HERE TODAY WITH THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU CAN LEAVE A LEGACY. SOMETIMES THE
WORD “LEGACY” IS PACKED WITH ALL THIS EXPECTATION. I’VE GOT TO HAVE FAME OR
FORTUNE, OR I’VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING POWERFUL OR SPECIAL.
IT’S NOT ABOUT THE FAME. IT’S ABOUT FRUITFULNESS. YOUR
NAME MAY NEVER BE IN PRINT. YOUR NAME MAY NEVER BE ON A MARQUEE. BUT IF YOU
LIVE A FRUITFUL LIFE IT WILL BE SHOUTED FROM THE MOUNTAINTOPS IN HEAVEN AND
IT’ILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY.
(4)
LET’S BE HONEST. YOU AND I HAVE BEEN AROUND LIFE LONG
ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT NAMES COME AND GO. NAME RECOGNITION IS HERE TODAY AND GONE
TOMORROW. IF YOU GO HOME AND TYPE INTO GOOGLE “HIS NAME WILL LIVE FOREVEER,”
YOU WILL GET A LIST OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF. I WROTE A COUPLE IN MY NOTES.
MARK ROBERTS. ANYBODY KNOW WHAT MARK ROBERTS IS FAMOUS
FOR? THE RUNNING OF THE BULLS IN SPAIN—NAKED
HOW ABOUT THIS NAME: LARRY LAPRIZE. ANYBODY?
HE WROTE THE HOKEY-POKEY. THAT’S WHAT HE’S FAMOUS FOR. HE DIED IN 1996.
APPARENTLY WHEN THEY BURIED HIM THEY HAD A HARD TIME GETTING HIM IN THE CASKET.
THEY PUT HIS LEFT ARM IN AND HIS RIGHT ARM CAME OUT. THAT MIGHT JUST BE THE
DUMBEST JOKE I’VE EVER TOLD. AMEN?
BELIEVE ME, I’M CAPABLE OF
LEAVING A LEGACY.
LET’S GO AFTER SOME QUESTIONS, SOME THINGS I WANT YOU TO
BE THINKING ABOUT IN THE COMING WEEK.
1) WHAT
TYPE OF LEGACY WILL I LEAVE?
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED BEFORE US THAT HAVE
DONE GREAT THINGS AND WE REMEMBER THEIR NAME AND NAME RECOGNITION IS EASY.
EARNEST HEMMINGWAY IS KNOWN FOR HIS WROTING. CARL
KARCHER. CARL’S JUNIOR. OR: MOTHER TERESA—COMPASSION,
MERCY, WORKING WITH THE DOWN AND OUT. NOT EVERY NAME IS GOING TO LEAVE A
POSITIVE LEGACY. JUDAS, HITLER.
LET’S BE HONEST. NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF US, WE’RE NEVER
GOING TO BE A MOTHER TERESA OR AN EARNEST HEMMINGWAY. WE’RE JUST ORDINARY
PEOPLE TRYING TO LIVE LIFE THE BEST THAT WE CAN, TO HONOR GOD AND LEAVE A
POSITIVE LEGACY.
2) ANOTHER
QUESTION I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT: ARE THE THINGS I’M SPENDING MY TIME ON
LEGACY WORTHY?
MY FRIENDS, WE NEED TO BE REMINDED OF THE BREVITY OF
LIFE. WE ARE NOT GOING TO LIVE FOREVER. MAKE YOUR LEGACY WORTHY!
(5)
3) THE
LAST QUESTION: WHEN WILL I GET SERIOUS ABOUT MY OWN LEGACY?
THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT. IT’S WAY TOO EASY TO COME TO
CHURCH AND TO SAY, “WAY TO GO, PASTOR GEORGE! I AGREE
WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.” THEN LEAVE AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
I REALLY WANT YOU TO GET THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT’S VERY
DANGEROUS. IT’S A DANGEROUS PATTERN TO GET INTO AS A FOLLOW OF JESUS CHRIST TO
JUST GIVE MENTAL ASSENT BUT NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THAT’S BUILDING YOUR
SPIRITUAL LIFE ON SAND.
BIG PICTURE: BELIEVE I’M CAPABLE OF LEAVING A LEGACY.
THINK THROUGH THE THREE QUESTIONS.
LET’S GO TO THE ME PART, THE YOU PART. WHAT DO WE NEED TO
DO?
BASED ON WHAT WE JUST SAID, LET’S TURN “SOMEDAY” INTO
TODAY. WE ARE ALL GREAT PROCRASTINATORS. EVERYBODY AGREE? SOMEDAY IS A
HAZARDOUR WORD IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE A POSITIVE LEGACY.
SOMEDAY, I’M GOING TO BE THE PARENT I ALWAYS WANTED TO
BE. SOMEDAY, I’M GOING TO SLOW DOWN AND BEGIN ENJOYING RELATIONSHIPS. SOMEDAY,
I’M GOING TO TAKE GOD SERIOUS. SOMEDAY, I’M GOING TO GET IN THAT SMALL GROUP.
SOMEDAY, I’M GOING TO BECOME INVOLVED IN A BIBLE STUDY. SOMEDAY, I’M GOING TO
SERVE.
START NOW. TURN SOMEDAY INTO TODAY. HOW DO I DO THIS? I’M
GOING TO GIVE YOU THREE THINGS, THREE ACTIONS TO THINK ABOUT. YOU CAN FILL IN
THE BLANKS IN YOUR OUTLINE.
THAT’S WHAT I’VE BEEN CHALLENGING YOU TO DO FOR THE LAST
THREE WEEKS. REALLY THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE. GRAB THE NOTES FROM WEEKS ONE AND
TWO, SIT DOWN NOT SOMEDAY BUT TODAY.
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT GIVING MONEY TO THE CHURCH. IT’S ABOUT
YOUR FAITH. IT’S ABOUT YOUR OBEDIENCE.
(6)
IT’S ABOUT BUILDING YOUR LIFE ON A SOLID FOUNDATION. IT’S
ABOUT YOU BEING OBEDIENT TO GOD’S FINANCIAL PLAN THAT IS IN THE SCRIPTURE.
YOU’RE EITHER GOING TO BE IN ETERNITY WITH GOD OR IN ETERNITY SEPARATED FROM
GOD. BUT EITHER WAY YOU’RE NOT TAKING ANYTHING WITH YOU. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE
BURIED IN YOUR MERCEDES. SO MAKE INVESTMENTS TODAY THAT ARE GOING TO LAST FOR
ETERNITY. USE YOUR MONEY TO HELP OTHERS AND TO SERVE.
WHAT I MEAN BY A LEGACY OF FAITH IS YOU HAVING A SMALL
PART OF THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOMEBODY ELSE’S LIFE. I CAN’T IMAGINE ANYTHING
MORE RADICAL THAN THAT. THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE A
FRIEND TO YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. THAT IS A LEGACY THAT WILL LAST INTO
ETERNITY. I WANT TO ENCOURAGEYOU TO HAVE THAT ON YOUR RADAR. THAT’S WHAT I MEAN
BY A LEGACY OF FAITH.
YOU DO ALL THIS—YOU CAST YOUR LEGACY VISION, YOU CREATE A
FINANCIAL LEGACY, YOU COMMIT TO A LEGACY OF FAITH. BUT IT’S ALL EMPTY, IT’S ALL MEANINGLESS IF YOU DO IT ON YOUR OWN POWER.
YOU’VE GOT TO DEPEND ON GOD’S POWER.
WHICH BRINGS US TO GOD’S POWER.
HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. I WANT YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD EVERY DAY. IF
YOU’RE GOING TO BE OBEDIENT, IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE FRUITFUL, IF YOU’RE GOING TO
LEAVE A POSITIVE LEGACY, YOU’VE GOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD EVERY DAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, I’VE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT
ACKNOWLEDGING GOD AT ALL.
DEUTERONOMY 4 “REMEMBER THIS AND KEEP IT FIRMLY IN
MIND: THE LORD IS GOD BOTH IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, AND THERE IS NO OTHER GOD.
WHO ARE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING DAILY? THINK ABOUT THAT. WHO ARE
YOU ACKNOWLEDGING DAILY? WHO ARE YOU BEING OBEDIENT TO? THE
GOD OF SELF, THE GOD OF POPULAR OPINION, THE GOD OF OPRAH. MAYBE FOR
YOU, TODAY’S THE DAY WHERE YOU LET GOD BE GOD IN YOUR LIFE. TODAY IS THE DAY
WHERE YOU PUT THE STAKE IN THE GROUND AND SAY, “I’M GOING TO BEGIN AN
INTENTIONAL LEGACY AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT GOD HAS GOT TO BE A PART OF THAT.
(7)
SO WHAT ARE WE SAYING IN THIS SERIES? I GOT YOU THE FIRST
THREE WEEKS. (BOOK PROMO) WHAT I’VE BEEN SAYING IS THIS: LIVE LIKE YOU’RE
DYING, LOVE LIKE I’M FORGIVEN, AND LEAVE A POSITIVE LEGACY.
MY PRAYER AS I’VE PUT THIS SERIES TOGETHER IS THAT GOD
WOULD USE SOMETHING. EVERY DAY THAT I’D BE WORKING ON THIS MESSAGE I WOULD SAY,
“GOD, WOULD YOU RING OUR BELL? WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING IN THIS SERIES, IN THIS
SIX WEEKS TO LIVE LANGUAGE THAT GRABS OUR ATTENTION AND FORCES US TO STOP
IGNORING WHAT MATTERS MOST.
I BEGAN TO HAVE A VISION. WHAT WOULD IT LOOK WITH
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLEL, IF THEY LIVED LIKE THEY WERE DYING, IF THEY LOVED LIKE
THEY WERE FORGIVEN, AND IF THEY LFFT A POSITIVE LEGACY?
THAT’S WHAT I WANT FOR ALL US US.
THAT’S MY VISION FOR OUR CHURCH. THAT’S WHAT I WANT FOR YOU. LET’S GO AFTER IT.
NOT SOMEDAY, BUT TODAY.
LET’S BOW OUR HEADS IN PRAYER:
GOD, IT’S A TREAT TO BE LIVE ANOTHER DAY. THANK YOU FOR
THAT PRIVILEGE AND THAT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU THAT YOUR FAITHFULNESS IS GREAT.
THANK YOU THAT WE CAN HAVE YOUR NEW MERCY AND FORGIVENESS
EACH DAY. LORD, I PRAY THAT WE WOULDN’T BE THE SSAME BECAUSE WE WERE
HERE TODAY. AND I PRAY FOR THOSE IN HERE THAT DON’T KNOW YOU. THAT THEY MIGHT
SENSE YOUR LOVE FOR THEM, THAT YOU SO BADLY WANT A
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
I PRAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE THAT
JOURNEY, THEIR SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE OF WHERE THEY ARE IN YOUR FAITH, TO KEEP
MOVING FORWARD. FOR THOSE OF US THAT DO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, LORD, WE
PAUSE TO SAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR FORGIVENESS. AND THANK YOU THAT YOU WANT US TO LEAVE A LASTING LEGACY. YOU
WANT TO WORK IN US AND THROUGH US. THAT YOU DON’T WANT US TO
WASTE OUR LIFE. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. WE HAND ON TO THESE PRINCIPLES
OF OBEDIENCE AND FRUITFULNESS. WE TRUST THEN THAT YOUR
WORD LAST FOREVER. WE BUY INTO THEM. IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
AND ALL GOD’S PEOPLE SAID, AMEN.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER MOST
THE BUCKET LIST—PART 2 OF 4
SCRIPTURE: JOHN 8:3-11
OCTOBER 12, 2008
GEORGE McHENDRY, PASTOR
GOOD MORNING! I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE MOVIE “THE BUCKET LIST” THIS PAST WEEK, AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. SOME OF YOU HAVE WORKED ON YOUR OWN BUCKET LIST, AND FROM WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD ME THIS PAST WEEK, THE MAJORITY OF YOU WOULD NOT SPEND YOUR LIMITED TIME SEEKING ADVENTURE OR GOING TO BEAUTIFUL PLACES. YOU’D SPEND YOUR REMAINING MONTHS HERE ON EARTH WITH PEOPLE, WITH LOVED ONES.
NOW DON’T GET ME WRONG. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH
SEEKING ADVENTURE, NOTHING WRONG WITH BEAUTIFUL PLACES. I LOVE BEAUTIFUL
PLACES. THE HOTEL THAT HELENE AND I STAYED AT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. WAS
INCREDIBLE. AND FOR FIVE DAYS, IT WAS
GREAT! BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT? IT’S NOT ME, AND I END UP LOOKING FORWARD TO
COMING HOME TO OUR APARTMENT AND TO SEEING BOGART. AND NO, WE DIDN’T LEAVE THE
TV ON SO HE COULD WATCH “THE PET CHANNEL” WHILE WE WERE GONE.
SO IF I HAD ONLY A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE, I WOULD BE
INVESTING MY TIME WITH THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER THE MOST. AND I HAVE A FEELING
THAT IS HOW YOU FEEL AS WELL.
LAST WEEK WE TALKED ABOUT “HOW DO YOU DETERMINE WHAT
MATTERS MOST?” THIS WEEK I WANT US TO LOOK AT “HOW DO WE DEEPEN THE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER MOST?” LET’S REVISIT OUR VERSE FROM LAST WEEK. WE’LL
MAKE IT OUR THEME VERSE. PSALM 90:12 “TEACH US TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME,
SO THAT WE MAY GROW IN WISDOM”. GOD, TEACH US TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME
SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE WISDOM TO PURSUE WHAT MATTERS MOST.
IN YOUR OUTLINE I PUT A LITTLE REVIEW OF LAST WEEK. BIG
PICTURE: DETERMINE TO LIVE WITH PASSION. THE PRACTICAL PART WAS TO DEFINE YOUR
SIX-MONTH VALUES. THE GOD PIECE WAS TO DEPEND ON GOD’S POWER RATHER THAN YOUR
OWN WILL POWER TO LIVE OUT THOSE VALUES.
AT THE END OF THE MESSAGE, I KIND OF SUMMARIZED IT INTO
ONE LITTLE SENTENCE, ONE LITTLE PHRASE. I SAID THE ONLY THING I WANT YOU TO
REMEMBER IS “TO LIVE LIKE YOU’RE DYING”.
(2)
I READ TO YOU FROM JOHN, CHAPTER 8, AND IT IS A FAMILIAR
STORY. AND TODAY, I WANT US TO LOOK AT THAT FAMILIAR STORY WITH FRESH EYES AND
I HOPE THAT GOD’S WORK WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN A FRESH WAY.
JESUS WAS WITH A GROUP OF PHARISEES, THE SPIRITUAL POLICE
OFFICERS OF THE DAY. THEIR JOB WAS TO ENFORCE THE RELIGIOUS LAW. AND ON THIS
DAY, THEY WERE TRYING TO LAY A TRAP FOR JESUS. IT’S INTERESTING THAT ONLY THE
WOMAN IN THE STORY WAS BROUGHT BEFORE JESUS. WHY NOT THE GUY? HE WAS COMMITTING
ADULTERY AS WELL, WASN’T HE? DID HE NOT GET CAUGHT? DID HE SLIP OUT THE BACK
DOOR WHEN HE HEARD THE ACCUSERS CAMELS COME UP.
THIS STORY WASN’T ABOUT THE MAN, AND IT WASN’T REALLY
ABOUT THE WOMAN. IT WAS ALL ABUT GETTING JESUS. THEY SAID TO JESUS “THIS
WOMAN WAS CAUGHT IN THE VERY ACT OF ADULTERY. THE LAW OF MOSES SAYS TO STONE
HER. WHAT DO YOU SAY? THEY WERE TRYING TO TRAP HIM INTO SAYING SOMETHING THEY
COULD USE AGAINST HIM.”
THE TRAP HERE IS THAT THEY’RE TRYING TO FORCE JESUS INTO ONE OF TWO ANSWERS. EITHER WAY HE ANSWERS THEY’RE GOING TO GET HIM. IF HE SAYS, “NO, DON’T STONE HER,” WHAT HE WOULD BE DOING IS HE’S BE GOING AGAINST THE LAW OF MOSES. AND THAT WOULD BE A LOSS. IF HE SAYS, “YES, STONE HER.” HE’D BE GOING AGAINST ROMAN LAW. LONG STORY SHORT, A JEW COULDN’T CARRY OUT A STONING IN ROMAN JURISDICTION PLUS JESUS’ CREDIBILITY OF BEING A PERSON WITH COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS WOULD GO WAY DOWN.
AND JESUS’ RESPONSE? “ALL
RIGHT, STONE HER. BUT LET THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SINNED THROW THE FIRST STONE.” SURPRISE!
THEY HADN’T THOUGHT OF THAT ANGLE. IT BROKE THE DILEMMA, YET IT UPHELD THE
MORALITY OF THE JEWISH LAW BECAUSE HE DIDN’T SAY WHAT SHE WAS DOING WAS RIGHT.
VERSE 9 “WHEN THE ACCUSERS HEARD THIS, THEY SLIPPED
AWAY ONE BY ONE BEGINNING WITH THE OLDEST UNTIL ONLY JESUS WAS LEFT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE CROWD WITH THE WOMAN.” THEY WALKED AWAY AND THEY WERE
ADMITTING THEIR SIN. THEY WERE ADMITTING THAT THEY WERE GUILTY. THEY WERE
PROBABLY GRUMBLING. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO DO WITH ALL THESE ROCKS? NOW IT’S JESUS AND THE WOMAN, AND IN THE
BACKGROUND THERE MUST HAVE BEEN PEOPLE JEERING AT HER: “TRAMP! SLUT! WHORE!
DESPERATE HOUSEWIFE!
(3)
AND JESUS SAID “WOMAN, WHERE ARE YOUR ACCUSEERS?
DIDN’T EVEN ONE OF THEM CONDEMN YOU? NO, LORD. NO ONE IS LEFT TO ACCUSE ME. AND
JESUS SAID, ‘NEITHER DO I’. GO AND SIN NO MORE.”
HERE’S WHAT I WANT YOU TO HEAR. IN THAT MOMENT JESUS
DIDN’T MENTION HER FAILURE. INSTEAD HE FOCUSED ON HER FUTURE. THAT’S BELIEF.
“I’M NOT GOING TO CONDEMN YOU EITHER. GO! GO AND LIVE A DIFFERENT LIFE. GO AND
MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. GO AND GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. I BELIEVE IN YOU. I
BELIEVE YOU CAN BE DIFFERENT.”
I GUESS THE REASON WHY I LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH IS
BECAUSE THE STORY OF THIS WOMAN IS REALLY A SUMMARY OF MY OWN STORY. MY GUESS
IS IT’S PROBABLY A SUMMARY OF YOUR STORY AS WELL. IT HAPPENED THEN AND IT
HAPPENS NOW.
GOD’S WORD IS ALIVE AND IT’S ACTIVE AND IT’S RELEVANT TO
US. IF YOU AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE DEEPER RELATIONSHIPS, THE ONES THAT MATTER
MOST, INSTEAD OF PICKING UP ROCKS, WE’VE GOT TO PICK UP FORGIVENESS AND BELIEF.
THAT’S THE FOUNDATION. A DEEP RELATIONSHIP HAS TO HAVE FORGIVENESS AND BELIEF.
HERE’S A QUICK SUMMARY OF ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
a) GUILTY
AND EXPOSED WAS THE WOMAN. “I’M WRONG.”
b) GUILTY
WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY WAS THE GUY WHO GOT AWAY WITH IT. THAT’S THE MAN WHO
SNUCK OUT, WHO WASN’T EVEN BROUGHT INTO THE SCENE.
c) THE
HOLIER THAN THOU. SAYING, “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING WRONG. IT’S NOT ABOUT ME. IT’S
ABOUT HER.”
d) THE
JUDGMENTAL PILE ON. THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WITH ROCKS IN THEIR HANDS. “I
CAN’T BELIEVE SHE…”
THESE ARE ALL REAL LIFE SITUATIONS. THESE ARE ALL THE
SAME DYNAMICS THAT COME INTO PLAY. YOU TAKE ANY CONFLICT USUALLY THERE’S SOMEBODY
THERE WITH THE STONE. RARELY EVER IS THERE AN INNOCENT PARTY. THAT’S THE POINT
I WANT YOU TO SEE. NOBODY WAS INNOCENT HERE. EVERYBODY WALKED AWAY BECAUSE THEY
WERE GUILTY.
WHAT AM I SAYING? IF RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT TO US,
IF WE’RE GING TO DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS, WHETHER YOU’VE GOT SIX MONTHS TO LIVE OR
50 YEARS TO LIVE WITH SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS, THEY’VE GOT TO HAVE
FORGIVENESS AND BELIEF.
(4)
FORGIVENESS IS EASY. YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY THAT. WHAT DO I MEAN BY BELIEF? BELIEF TAKES RELATIONSHIPS TO A DEEPER PLACE. BELIEF SAYS, “I BELIEVE IN YOU. I BELIEVE IN US. I BELIEVE THAT WE’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT CAN GO DEEPER, THAT CAN HAVE A STRONGER CONNECTION, THAT CAN BE MORE INTIMATE.” BELIEF, WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN A RELATIONSHIP, KEEPS YOU FREELY DISPENSING FORGIVENESS. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT.
SO LET’S GO AFTER, HOW YOU AND I CAN DELIVER BELIEF AND
FORGIVENESS ON A REEGULAR BASIS, AND WE’LL USE THE SAME FORMAT AS WE DID LAST
WEEK. WE’VE GOT A BIG PICTURE. WE’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU AND I NEED TO PUT
INTO PLAY. AND THEN WE HAVE A GOD PIECE HERE.
THE BIG PICTURE
HERE IS THIS: I NEED RELATIONSHIPS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE MESSY.
GOD WIRED US FOR RELATIONSHIPS. WE NEED OTHER PEOPLE. GOD CREATED HUMANITY AND SAID, IT’S NOT GOOD TO BE ALONE. THAT’S WHY IF WE HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE IT WOULDN’T BE SPENT COUNTING MONEY, POLISHING YOUR CAR, SPENDING MORE TIME AT THE OFFICE. IT WOULD BE WITH PEOPLE.
THAT’S THE BIG PICTURE. I’LL STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY, I
ADMIT IT. I NEED OTHER PEOPLE IN MY LIFE TO BE FULLY ALIVE. I NEED PEOPLE. MY
GUESS IS YOU’D ADMIT IT TOO. I NEED OTHERS. YOU DO! EVERYBODY NEEDS IT.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MESSY PART?
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH THAT?
HERE’S SOMETHING I’VE LEARNED BEING A PASTOR. NOBODY’S
NORMAL. EVERYBODY IS WHACKED OUT TO SOME DEGREE. FLAWED, WEIRD, ODD, STRANGE. SOME OF YOU ARE DOWN RIGHT CREEPY. THERE ARE NO
EXCEPTIONS TO THAT. NOBODY IS NORMAL. YOU MIGHT LOOK NORMAL ON THE OUTSIDE BUT
IN THE INSIDE YOU HAVE AN INNER WEIRDO.
SO SOMETIMES, WE’RE MESSY. BUT THERE ARE SOME PRACTICLE
THINGS WE CAN DO. THESE ARE THINGS I WANT YOU TO DO AND THERE’S SOME QUESTIONS
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT.
SO THE FIRST ONE I CAN DO IS ADMIT AND LIST MY OWN
FAULTS. YOU NEED TO DO THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN
BUILDING HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.
(5)
IT’S HAVING A REALISTIC AWARENESS OF YOUR OWN FAULTS. IF YOU DON’T DO THIS, HERE’S WHAT YOU GO THROUGH LIFE DOING. YOU GO AROUND PICKING ON OTHERS. YOU GO AROUND CRITICIZING AND NAGGING AND CRITIQUING AND ACCUSING AND PILING ON. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE AN AWARENESS OF YOUR OWN FAULTS, YOU TEND TO LOWER THE BAR AND BE MORE COMPASSIONATE AND FORGIVING TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHERE HEALTH BEGINS. RIGHT
HERE. MAKING THAT LIST OF YOUR FAULTS. COMING TO A VERY CLEAR AWARENESS THAT, I’M WHACKED. I’VE GOT
SOME THINGS BROKEN ABOUT ME. YOU DISPENSE BELIEF AND FORGIVENESS MORE WHEN YOU
UNDERSTAND THAT ABOUT YOURSELF. START THERE.
THE SECOND, WHO ARE THE SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN MY LIFE?
MAKE A LIST. LET’S GET THIS ONE CLEAR. I’M NOT TALKING ABOUT YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST. I’M TALKING ABOUT A SMALL LIST. WHO ARE THE SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE? THINK SHORT LIST. WHO ARE THE PEOPLE IF YOU HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, YOU WOULD WANT TO SPEND TIME WITH THOSE PEOPLE? THAT’S THE LIST I’M TALKING ABOUT.
AT YOUR FUNERAL, WHO DO YOU WANT SITTING IN THE FRONT
ROW? THAT’S THE LIST I’M TALKING ABOUT. WHO ARE THE SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE
IN YOUR LIFE? THEN I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO LET THESE PEOPLE KNOW THEIR SIGNIFICANCE.
LET THEM KNOW. THAT’S AN ACTION.
SO WHAT’S THE BIG PICTURE? WE’RE MESSY. WE NEED ONE
ANOTHER. LET THOSE PEOPLE KNOW.
LET’S GO TO ME. WHAT DO I NEED TO DISPENSE FORGIVENESS
AND BELIEF?
I THINK THAT ALL OF US WOULD WANT TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY
LOVE. WHAT I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR IS TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY LOVE DOESN’T
MEAN YOU JUST GO AROUND SAYING YOU LOVE PEOPLE. BECAUSE TALK
IS CHEAP. ABSOLUTELY. ANYBODY CAN SAY IT, BUT
TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY LOVE WE NEED TO PROVE IT. SO I WANT YOU TO MASTER THE SMALL ACTS.
MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS ARE BUILT ON A SERIES OF SMALL ACTS OVER A LONG PERIOD
OF TIME.
(6)
IF YOU HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE WITH PEOPLE, YOU WOULD WANT
THEM TO REMEMBER YOU BY SOMETHING YOU DID. BY A HUG.
BY TIME YOU SPENT TOGETHER. BY WORDS. BY GIFTS. WHATEVER. SMALL ACTS.
THERE ARE FOUR SMALL ACTS THAT CAN HAVE A GREAT
SIGNIFICANCE TO SOMEONE YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH.
a) ENCOURAGE
THOSE SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE
b) CALL
THEM OCCASSIONALLY, AND SEE HOW THEY ARE DOING
c) LISTEN
TO THEM. HEAR WHAT THEY ARE SAYING.
d) DON’T
FORGET TO SAY “I LOVE YOU!”
THAT LEADS US TO THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE OF LOVE. WHAT’S
YOUR PRIMARY LOVE LANGUAGE? HERE ARE SOME THAT COME TO MIND.
a) QUALITY
TIME
b) ACTS
OF SERVICE
c) WORDS
OF AFFIRMATION
d) PHYSICAL
TOUCH
e) RECEIVING
GIFTS
IF YOU HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, YOU WOULD MAKE AMENDS WITH
THE SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE. I WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU. DON’T WAIT UNTIL
YOU GET YOUR SIX-MONTHS TO LIVE NOTICE. DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE ON YOUR
DEATHBED. DO IT NOW. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. OFFER FORGIVENESS. CLEAN THINGS UP.
MAKE A LIST IF YOU NEED TO. I’M NOT PRETENDING THIS IS EASY. I JUST KNOW THAT
IF YOU HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE YOU WOULD DO IT.
FORGIVING OTHERS DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE UNLESS YOU’VE BEEN FORGIVEN. ONCE YOU EXPERIENCE GOD’S FORGIVENESS AND REALLY GET IT, THEN IT MAKES IT EASIER TO LOVE AND FORGIVE OTHER PEOPLE.
IF YOU AND I WANT TO BE CHARACTERIZED BY LOVE WE’VE GOT
TO LIVE LIKE WE’RE FORGIVEN. TAKE THAT A STEP FURTHER. NOT JUST LIVE LIKE WE’RE
FORGIVEN, BUT LOVE LIKE WE’RE FORGIVEN I CAN LOVE OTHERS WHEN I’M FORGIVEN.
WEEK ONE I SAID, LIVE LIKE I’M DYING. TODAY WHAT I WANT
YOU TO WRITE DOWN IS—LOVE LIKE I’M FORGIVEN.
(7)
IMAGINE WITH ME WHAT YOUR LIFE WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU PUT THIS INTO PLAY. JUST IMAGINE. IMAGINE WHAT YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU WOULD LOVE LIKE YOU’RE FORGIVEN. CAN YOU SEE HOW YOU WOULD BE DIFFERENT? CAN YOU SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE WOULD BE DIFFERENT?
THINK ABOUT THIS WITH ME. WHEN THOSE PEOPLE ARE AROUND
YOU, HOW SAFE THEY WOULD FEEL. THEY COULD BE THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY KNOW
YOU’RE GOING TO HAND OUT DOSES OF FORGIVENESS AND BELIEF. IT WOULD CHANGE
EVERYTHING.
THEY WOULD KNOW YOU’RE QUICK TO LOVE THEM. QUICK TO BELIEVE IN THEM. QUICK TO FORGIVE
THEM. YOU WOULD BECOME A GIFT TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOU WOULD BE
CHARACTERIZED BY LOVE. YOUR RELATIONSHIP WOULD BE MORE GENUINE, AUTHENTIC AND
DEEP. YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE WHAT YOUR SOUL LOOKS FOR—CONNECTED, DEEP, MEANINGFUL
RELATIONSHIPS.
AS JESUS SAID TO THAT WOMAN CAUGHT IN
ADULTER, “GO AND SIN NO MORE.” I CHALLENGE US TO GO
TODAY. GO AND LOVE LIKE YOU’RE FORGIVEN.
AMEN? AMEN.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DETERMINING WHAT
MATTERS MOST
THE BUCKET
LIST—PART 1 OF 4
OCTOBER 5, 2008
GEORGE McHENDRY,
PASTOR
GOOD MORNING! I’M CURIOUS. HOW MANY OF YOU WERE ABLE TO FIND A COPY OF THE MOVIE “THE BUCKET LIST” AND WATCH IT THIS PAST WEEK? (PAUSE). IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE A CHANCE, THEN I’M STILL RECOMMENDING THAT YOU SEE IT; IT’S ABOUT TWO MEN WHO FIND OUT THAT THEY HAVE LESS THAN SIX MONTHS TO LIVE.
THE TWO MEN ARE PLAYED BY JACK NICHOLSON AND MORGAN
FREEMAN, AND BY AN UNUSUAL SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY END UP AS ROOMATES IN THE
HOSPITAL THAT IS OWNED BY JACK NICHOLSON’S CHARACTER. NICHOLSON IS A
BILLIONAIRE AND NOT VERY HAPPY THAT HE HAS TO HAVE A ROOMATE, LET ALONE A BLACK
ROOMATE, BUT THEY END UP BECOMING VERY GOOD FRIENDS BECAUSE OF THEIR COMMON
PLIGHT-THEY’RE BOTH GOING TO DIE SOON.
FREEMAN’S CHARACTER BEGINS WORKING ON WHAT HE CALLS A
“BUCKET LIST”. IT’S A LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT HE’D LIKE TO DO BEFORE HE “KICKS
THE BUCKET”. NICHOLSON’S CHARACTER LIKES THE IDEA, AND HE CREATES HIS OWN
BUCKET LIST, AND SINCE HE IS A BILLIONAIRE, THEY PROCEED TO GO THROUGH THEIR
BUCKET LISTS.
THERE ARE SOME VERY FUNNY
MOMENTS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE LISTS. BUT EVENTUALLY, THEIR
TIME RUNS OUT AND THE MOVIE TURNS FROM A VERY FUNNY COMEDY TO A MOVIE WITH A
SERIOUS ENDING. AND AS I SAID IN MY EMAIL EARLIER THIS WEEK, IT’S OK FOR
YOU MEN TO CRY.
SO WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOU HAD ONLY A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE AND
YOU DECIDED TO MAKE UP YOUR OWN “BUCKET LIST”?
WHAT WOULD BE ON THAT LIST TELLS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT WHAT YOU VALUE IN LIFE. SO IF MONEY
WERE NO OBJECT, WHAT WOULD BE ON YOUR BUCKET LIST? WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO DO?
CLIMB MOUNT
EVEREST? VISIT THE EIFFEL TOWER IN PARIS? GO TO ISRAEL AND SEE WHERE JESUS
LIVED AND DIED? QUIT YOUR JOB? SPEND THE REST OF YOUR TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY?
MAYBE FIND FORGIVENESS IN YOUR HEART FOR ALL THOSE THAT HAVE WRONGED YOU OVER
THE YEARS! OR MAYBE ALL OF THE ABOVE. FOR ME
PERSONALLY, I THINK I’D SEARCH OUT MY SIX CHILDREN, TEN GRANDCHILDREN, AND SIX
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
(2)
WHEN I WAS IN CLEVELAND THREE WEEKS AGO I SPENT TIME WITH MY OLDEST DAUGHTER DEBBIE AND HER HUSBAND, WHO I HAD NEVER MET. SHE IS THE REASON I HAVE SIX GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. SHE HAD THREE CHILDREN, AND THEY ALL WENT FORTH AND MULTIPLIED. I’VE MET TWO OF HER THREE CHILDREN, AND I’VE NEVER MET ANY OF THE “GREATS”.
YES, I’D MAKE ONE MORE TRIP TO ISRAEL. I’D ALSO GO TO
BOSTON, A CITY WHERE I’VE NEVER BEEN, AND TAKE IN A GAME WITH THE BOSTON RED
SOCKS. I’D MAKE ONE MORE TRIP BACK TO NICARAGUA. HELENE CAN’T UNDERSTAND WHY,
BUT I WOULD. IT WAS A COUNTRY I FELL IN LOVE WITH DURING MY SEVEN VISITS THERE,
AND JUST THINKING ABOUT THOSE MISSION TRIPS BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORIES.
ESPECIALLY WHEN PERLA, MY NICARAGUAN DAUGHTER CALLS ME, AS SHE DID LAST WEEK.
AS WE GET OLDER, WE THINK MORE AND MORE ABOUT DEATH. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THOSE OF YOU UNDER FORTY
RAISE YOUR HAND. (THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE IN A ROW WITH SOMEBODY THAT JUST RAISED
THEIR HAND AND YOU KNOW THEY ARE LYING RAISE YOUR HAND. )
WHEN I WAS UNDER FORTY, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT I WAS
INVINCIBLE. I WOULD LOOK AT MY FATHER AS
HE GOT OLDER AND SAY TO MYSELF I’D NEVER GET OLD LIKE HE DID.
HE DIED AT 92, AND HERE AM I, AT 67, IN THE FINAL
TRIMESTER OF MY LIFE; AS ARE MANY OF YOU. TIME FLIES, WE SAY. THAT’S A CUTE
PHRASE…. IT’S NOT TRUE. TIME DOESN’T FLY. IT’S A FALLACY. TIME IS REALLY ONE OF
THE VERY FEW CONSTANTS THAT WE HAVE IN LIFE THAT WE CAN RELY ON—ON TIME.
INFLATION DOESN’T EFFECT TIME. FIVE MINUTES TODAY IS THE
SAME AS FIVE MINUTES TWENTY YEARS AGO IS THE SAME AS FIVE MINUTES TWENTY YEARS IN
THE FUTURE. TIME DOESN’T FLY. BUT IT DOES TICK AWAY. AND AS IT TICKS AWAY WE
CAN NEVER GET IT BACK.
JAMES 4:14 “HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL
HAPPEN TOMORROW? YOUR LIFE IS LIKE THE MORNING FOG, IT’S HERE A LITTLE WHILE,
AND THEN IT’S GONE.” THERE’S A NICE BRIGHT CHEERY VERSE, HUH? WHAT IS IT
SAYING? IT’S SAYING PAY ATTENTION TO HOW SHORT LIFE IS. INSTEAD OF BLAMING
TIME—TIME FLIES. TIME HAS A WILL OF ITS OWN AND TIME’S JOB IS TO TORTURE US. WE
NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TIME THAT GOD HAS GIVEN
US. IF YOU’RE ANYTHING LIKE ME, AND I KNOW YOU ARE, YOU NEED HELP WITH THIS.
(3)
PSALM 90 “TEACH US TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME, SO
THAT WE MAY GROW IN WISDOM.” REALLY, THAT’S WHAT THIS WHOLE SERIES IS
ABOUT. SIX MONTHS OR LESS TO LIVE IS “GOD, TEACH US TO MAKE THE MOST OF OUR
TIME SO WE DON’T WASTE OUR TIME, THIS LIMITED TIME THAT YOU’VE GIVEN US ON
EARTH.”
WE NEED THE HELP OF GOD TO IDENTIFY THE TRUE VALUES IN
LIFE, WHAT MATTERS MOST, AND THEN GIVE US THE POWER TO SPEND OUR TIME ON THOSE
VALUES.
WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE VALUES ARE, WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT
MATTERS MOST, MOST OF US IN HERE WILL DEFAULT TO LIVING BY THE WORLD’S VALUES.
REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE’S LIVES THEY EITHER LIVE THE WORLD’S VALUES OR
THEY LIVE GOD’S VALUES. THAT’S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE TO A CHURCH IN THESSALONICA. THESE
PEOPLE, SOME WERE LIVING THE WORLD’S VALUES AND SOME WERE LIVING GOD’S VALUES.
HE SAYS THIS IN 2 THESSALONIANS 3 WE HEAR THAT SOME OF YOU ARE LIVING IDLE
LIVES, REFUSING TO WORK AND WASTING TIME MIDDLING IN OTHER PEOPLE’S BUSINESS.
IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WE APPEAL TO SUCH PEOPLE. NO. WE COMMAND
THEM. SETTLE DOWN AND GET TO WORK. EARN YOUR OWN LIVING. I SAY TO THE REST OF
YOU, DEAR BROTHER AND SISTERS, NEVER GET TIRED OF
DOING GOOD.”
IF YOU WERE TO STUDY THIS PASSAGE WHAT YOU’D SEE IS THAT
HE GIVES A SLAP ON THE HAND TO ONE GROUP, AND AN
ENCOURAGING PAT ON THE BUTT TO ANOTHER GROUP. THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE WASTING
THEIR TIME AND THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE MAKING GOOD CHOICES WITH THEIR TIME.
I PICKED A COUPLE OF PHRASES FROM THAT VERSE THAT I WANT
TO LOOK AT A LITTLE CLOSER, AND I’VE WRITTEN THEM DOWN IN YOUR OUTLINE. “WE
HEAR THAT SOME OF YOU”. WHEN I READ THAT, I THINK ABOUT OUR CHURCH HERE AT
EASTLAKE. WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING ABOUT YOUR LIFE? WHAT ARE PEOPLE HEARING ABOUT
YOUR LIFE?
ARE YOU LIVING YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT IT ACTUALLY MIGHT
BE NEWSWORTHY OF SOME SORT? NOT THAT YOU GO ABOUT BRAGGING OR SELF-PROMOTING.
IM JUST SAYING THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS TO WRITE A LETTER ABOUT YOUR LIFE WHAT
WOULD THEY SAY? “WE HEAR THAT YOU ARE….”WASTING YOUR LIFE? “WE HEAR THAT YOU
ARE…” MAKING GREAT DECISION WITH YOUR TIME?
(4)
“WE HEAR THAT YOU…” KNOW WHAT MATTERS MOST AND YOU’RE PURSUING THAT WITH PASSION AS OPPOSED TO LIVING IDLE LIVES, WHICH HE TALKS ABOUT HERE.
LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS IDEA OF IDLE LIVES. AT FIRST
THOUGHT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT AN IDLE LIFE MOST OF US IN HERE WOULD SAY, “THAT
CERTAINLY DOESN’T APPLY TO ME! I’M BUSY ALL THE TIME!” BUT MY QUESTION IS: ARE
ALL OF YOUR MOVES THE IMPORTANT ONES? IN ALL OF YOUR BUSINESS, ARE YOU BUSY
JUST TO BE BUSY OR ARE YOU BUSY WITH WHAT MATTERS MOST?
ARE YOU REALLY PUTTING YOUR TIME INTO WHAT MATTERS MOST?
ARE YOU PURSUING THE VALUES YOU WOULD PURSUE IF YOU HAD LESS THAN SIX MONTHS TO
LIVE?
THE ENCOURAGING PAT ON THE BUTT IS WHEN HE SAYS, “NEVER
GET TIRED OF DOING GOOD.” THE APOSTLE PAUL IS WRITING TO PEOPLE WHO WERE
DOING GOOD, WHO WERE RIGHT WITH GOD, WHO WERE FOCUSING ON WHAT MATTERS MOST. HE
SAW DANGER THAT THEY WOULD GROW WEARY AND BECOME INDIFFERENT TO WHAT MATTERS
MOST.
HE SAYS “DON’T TIRE OF DOING GOOD. YOU’RE HEADED DOWN THE
RIGHT ROAD. YOU NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED. YOU ARE LIVING LIKE YOU ARE DYING.
THAT’S A GOOD THING. THEN YOU’RE REALLY LIVING.”
THINK ABOUT THAT. TO LIVE LIKE YOU’RE DYING. IF WE WERE
TO LIVE LIKE WE’RE DYING, THINK OF THE CRYSTAL CLARITY THAT WE WOULD GET. IF
YOU KNEW THAT YOU WERE DYING, YOU WOULD IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFY WHAT MATTERS MOST.
YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO PRIORITIZE YOUR TIME AND YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO SEIZE THE
DAY. IF YOU LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING, NO MATTER WHERE YOU WERE SPIRITUALLY YOU
WOULD GROW CLOSER TO GOD.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO YOU IS THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
SPIRITUALLY, STAY WITH US DURING THIS FOUR-PART SERIES. BECAUSE
AT THE END OF THE SERIES YOU’LL BE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
LET’S GO AFTER HOW TO GET THERE. LET’S TURN THIS INTO
BEING REAL PRACTICAL. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE, ABOUT ME, YOU AND
WHAT WE CAN DO PRACTICALLY AND THEN GOD’S ROLE IN THIS WHOLE SERIES ABOUT
HAVING LESS THAN SIX MONTHS LEFT.
(5)
UNDER “BIG PICTURE” IN YOUR OUTLINE I WROTE THE QUESTION
“AM I LIVING MY LIFE WITH PASSION? AND LET ME ASK YOU
THAT, BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT TO DECIDE THAT. START THERE. ARE YOU LIVING YOUR LIFE
WITH PASSION? YES OR NO.
WHAT IS PASSION? A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT IT SYNONYMOUS WITH
EXCITEMENT. IT’S NOT. EXCITEMENT COMES AND GOES. LAST WEEK I GOT A MEDIUM
CARAMEL SUNDAE WITH LOTS OF WHIPPED CREAM AT DAIRY QUEEN. HELENE HAS ALWAYS SAID DAIRY QUEEN ISN’T BAD
FOR ME. SHE HAS NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE CARAMEL AND WHIPPED CREAM, BUT
MOST OF THE SUNDAE WAS DQ, SO ON THE WHOLE IT MUST HAVB BEEN “HEART HEALTHY”. RIGHT?
I WAS REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT SUNDAE. BUT NOW IT’S GONE.
THAT’S NOT PASSION. PASSION IS DEEPER. PASSION BUBBLES UP IN
YOUR SOUL. IT’S WHAT YOU LIVE FOR. IT’S WHAT YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING
FOR. PASSION RECOGNIZES THAT LIFE IS SHORT. PASSION APPEARS WHEN ONE’S CLOSE TO
GOD.
SO I’LL ASK YOU AGAIN. ARE YOU LIVING YOUR LIFE WITH
PASSION? YES OR NO.
THEN LETS GO TO “ME”—THE PRACTICAL PART HERE.
THE PRACTICAL PART IS TO DEFINE MY SIX MONTH VALUES.
LET’S PUT THE BIG PICTURE OFF TO THE SIDE, WHETHER I’M GOING TO LIVE WITH
PASSION OR NOT. LET ME START HERE. I’M GOING TO DEFINE MY SIX MONTH VALUES. IF
YOU DO THIS, THIS IS GOING TO HELP YOU MOVE THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD SO CLEARLY.
THIS IS GOING TO HELP YOU NOT BE JUST A BUSYBODY AND HELP YOU GET THE WHEELS
SPINNING.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE?
FIRST OF ALL, YOU’D WANT TO MAKE SURE ONE OF THE MONTHS
WASN’T FEBRUARY. YOU’D WANT THOSE COUPLE EXTRA DAYS THERE, OK? IF YOU KNEW YOU
HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, YOU’D MAKE A LIST. A “BUCKET LIST”.
THIS IS THE PRACTICAL PART I WANT TO ASK YOU TO DO THIS WEEK. MAKE YOUR BUCKET
LIST. WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU WOULD DO. THE GOAL OF THIS LIST IS TO HELP YOU
DEFINE WHAT MATTERS MOST.
DON’T THINK OF THIS AS HOMEWORK. THINK OF IT AS LIFE’S
WORK, SO PUT SOME TIME INTO THIS.
(6)
WHEN I WROTE DOWN MY LIST I CAME UP WITH ABOUT FIFTY THINGS
I WOULD WANT TO DO IF I HAD SIX MONTHS TO LIVE. THEN I TOOK THAT LIST AND
REWROTE A SHORTER LIST. I ACTUALLY CIRCLED THE ONES THAT IF I AM GOING TO
CONTINUE TO LIVE WHICH IS MY GOAL, WHICH OF THESE COULD I PUT INTO PLAY EVERY
DAY OF MY LIFE. I LEFT SOME OF THE ONES ON THE LONGER LIST THAT WERE EITHER
FRIVOLOUS OR WOULD MAKE ME BANKRUPT OR KILL ME SOONER. THAT
MAKE SENSE?
ONE WAS “WRITE A GEORGE IS DYING” SERMON TO DELIVER HERE
AT EASTLAKE. AND I HOPE YOU WOULD BE THERE BUT I KEPT THAT ON THE LONGER LIST.
ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR SIX MONTH VALUES—IT’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A
SHORTER LIST—THOSE NOW BECOME THE OBJECT OF YOUR PASSION. THOSE BECOME CLEAR
AND CONCISE.
YOU NEED TO MAKE THE ITEMS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST SPECIFIC.
SO WITH EACH OF THESE THAT YOU WRITE DOWN, THEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT QUESTION:
HOW CAN I SPECIFICALLY PURSUE THESE VALUES WITH MY CURRENT LIFESTYLE? WE’RE ALL
IN DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE AGE. MY CURRENT LIFESTYLE—I’M A HUSBAND WITH A LOT OF
GROWN KIDS WITH A WIFE AND A CAT NAMED BOGART. SO I HAVE TO DETERMINE HOW I CAN
SPECIFICALLY PURSUE MY VALUES WITH MY CURRENT LIFESTYLE, AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE
THAT SAME DETERMINATION.
ONCE YOU IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT’S GOING TO
FULFILL THOSE SIX MONTH VALUES THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT QUESTION: WHAT
MIGHT I NEED TO CHANGE SO I CAN ACHIEVE THESE VALUES CONSISTENTLY?
NOW LET’S GO TO “GOD’S PIECE”. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT
HERE? FRIENDS, THIS WHOLE CONCEPT OF SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, THIS ISN’T NEW. YOU’VE
DONE THIS BEFORE. MAYBE YOU HAVEN’T DONE IT IN QUITE THIS FORMAT, BUT YOU’VE
DONE IT BEFORE WHEN YOU’VE SAT AT A FUNERAL.
THINK ABOUT THE LAST TIME YOU WERE SITTING AT A FUNERAL.
YOU GO QUIET. YOU GRIEVE. YOU CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF SOMEBODY WHO, HOPEFULLY,
LIVED A GOOD LIFE. BUT IN THE QUIETNESS OF THAT FUNERAL YOU RESOLVE TO BE
DIFFERENT. YOU MAKE SOME DECISIONS THERE. YOU MAKE SOME THINGS YOU WANT TO
CHANGE ABOUT YOURSELF. THEN YOU MIGHT EVEN LEAVE THE FUNERAL AND GRAB YOUR
PHONE AND CALL A LOVED ONE, A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND OR SOMEBODY LIKE THAT.
(7)
YOU MIGHT EVEN CHANGE FOR A DAY OR TWO. BUT THEN YOU GO
BACK TO THE WAY YOU’RE LIVING.
WHY IS IT THAT THE RESOLVE FADES? IT’S AN EASY ANSWER. IT
FADES BECAUSE YOU RELIED ON YOUR OWN WILLPOWER RATHER THAN ON GOD’S POWER. YOUR
WILL POWER IS NOT ENOUGH TO HELP YOU PURSUE WHAT MATTERS MOST.
LET’S SUMMARIZE HERE. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT IN WEEK
ONE? WEEK ONE, WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS I WANT YOU TO LIVE LIKE YOU’RE DYING.
THAT’S THE BIG IDEA OF THIS WHOLE MESSAGE.
IMAGINE WITH ME. IF YOU LIVE LIKE YOU’RE DYING, HOW LIFE
MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND AND THINK. IF YOU WERE TO LIVE LIKE
YOU’RE DYING AND YOU WERE TO IDENTIFY THOSE VALUES AND YOU WOULD MAKE THOSE
TIME DECISIONS BASED ON THOSE VALUES YOU WOULD LOOK AT EVERYONE DIFFERENTLY.
YOU WOULD GAIN A PASSION FOR LIVING. YOU WOULD APPROACH
GOD WITH TENDERNESS AND VULNERABILITY BECAUSE YOU’D BE IN ANTICIPATION TO SEE
HIM SOON. IF YOU WERE TO PUT THIS INTO PLAY YOUR CHARACTER WOULD CHANGE. YOUR
FOCUS WOULD CHANGE. YOUR WORDS WOULD CHANGE. YOUR LIFE WOULD CHANGE. THOSE
AROUND YOU, THEIR LIFE WOULD BE CHANGED BY YOUR LIFE.
DETERMINE TO LIVE WITH PASSION, DEFINE THE VALUES AND PUT
THEM ON YOUR BUCKET LIST, AND THEN DEPEND ON GOD’S POWER TO LIVE OUT THOSE
BUCKET LIST VALUES. LIVE LIKE YOU’RE DYING.
AMEN? AMEN.