"Building a Church Through Outreach"
Everyday Deserves a Chance
-Part 5-
ELCOG 8/5/07
Text: Psalms 33:15
This morning I want to conclude the series "Everyday Deserves a Chance" As you remember, I have taken this sermon series from Max Lucado’s latest book with the same title. (Let me remind you that we have a copy of this in our church library. I encourage you to check it out and read it.)
I want to start this morning by reminding you that you are important. Your name may have never appeared on the cover of People magazine as it top 100 citizens. Maybe your name hasn’t even been on the front page of your local news paper, but that doesn’t mean that your part in life isn’t important. Don’t ever think that you do not have a part in this play because you do. God shaped each person and each of us is an original. There is no part too small. He has a definite direction for your life; fulfill it and enjoy it. God has great days prepared for you. Accept His direction for your life.
Think for a moment about Simon from Cyrene; he is walking through town one day when the crowds begin to spread and he looks back and sees a man carrying a cross. He knows that a crucifixion is about to take place. The man with the cross upon his shoulders stops in front of Simon and falls to his knees. He tries to get up but with no success. His legs are too tired, his body has already endured a beating that would have killed any weaker man. Blood drips from his body, his eyes are weak, but still filled with compassion. The soldier orders Simon to take up the cross, "But I don’t even know this man". None the less, he becomes the first in the line of millions to take up the cross and follow Jesus.
Luke 23:26
26And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
Jesus had already spoken about taking up the cross and following him.
Luke 9:23
23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
We have defined the phrase, "take up your cross" to define our frustration or our aches and pain. Some think of the cross as a trying situation or a hitch, snag, or draw-back. It’s a personal challenge that we have to learn to deal with. Everybody has a cross to bear, so we might as well get use to it.
But do you really think that Jesus was talking about snares in life. Could the cross be reduced to hassles of life? The cross means so much more. It’s God’s tool of redemption, his instrument of salvation. The cross is God’s proof that He loves us. To take up the cross means so much more that what the church has defines it as. It means that we should take the burden of Christ, which is the burden for the people of the world.
Take up the cross and forget about yourself and follow Christ. We have our own cross – our individual callings. I am sure that all of us can remember the discomfort of wearing shoes that are too small. Your toes begin to hurt, your heal aches. Try fitting your size 10 into a size 8. It may be done, but it will not be comfortable. That is the problem with trying to carry someone else’s cross.
Your life will become much sweeter and enjoyable after you discover your God designed task. It matches your passions and enlists your gifts and talents. God looks at your personality profile and picks the perfect match for you.
1 Cor. 3:5
The Lord has assigned to each his task" (NIV)
What is your task? In what direction has God taken you?
* Look at your experiences. In what culture were you raised? To what lifestyles have you been exposed? Your past is a sign post to your future.
*What about your burdens? What needs has God revealed to you? What makes your heart race and your blood pump? Listen to your heart.
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What abilities has God given you? Christ has given each of us special abilities. What comes easy for me may be difficult for you and what comes difficult for me may be easy for you. focus on the ability God has given you.
Direction – Need – Ability. Your spiritual D.N.A. You at your best. You and your cross.
None of us are designed to carry the sin of the world (Jesus did that), all of us carry the burden for the world.
Matt. 11:30
30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The cross is a good weight. The debt is sweet. Ignite your passions to win the lost. Nothing can give a day a greater chance to be good than a day filled with passion.
Matt. 16:24
24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
The most important ingredient of a great day: self-denial. We often assume the opposite. A great day is having everything that I want and making all MY dreams come true. But Jesus said to take up your cross, deny yourself and follow him.
Jesus tells us to:
Honor others above ourselves (Romans 12:10
Consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3)
Turn the other cheek give away our coats, walk the second mile
(Matt 5:39-41)
Jesus gives us the option to serve. Serve the ones who hate you; forgive the ones that hurt you. Take the lowest place, not the highest; seek to serve, not to be served.
Acts 20:35
35I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Give of yourself. Moses did, Mary did, John the Baptist did, and Jesus did. Jesus chose to be a servant can we? Are we willing to give up our dreams to help others? Are we willing to stop what we are doing to help the one who is hurting? Are we willing to be a little late to work because we stopped to help an elderly lady with a flat tire? Are we willing to serve?
Let me close by saying this: sometimes you have to look for color in a gray day.
Col. 3:2
2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
You can choose to see all the day in this day or you can choose to see the color. Many people find bad in everything they do. Adam and Eve even found gray in the garden. They had everything thing they needed, but they chose to focus on the one thing that God said they couldn’t have. They found something to complain about. Stop looking for something to fuss about and turn your focus on all the good around you. Allow this day the chance to be good by choosing to look for all the wonderful color around you.
Phil. 4:8
8Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Find Christ in this day. After all he created it so I’m sure he is here. Give everyday a chance to be good. Find the color and focus on that even if you can’t see all of the rainbow….find streak of color and see it instead of the gray.