Latest / Wetumpka Church of Christ Online / Your Two Greatest Goals in Life
Transcript
- 0:00So if you had one opportunity to preach the entire world, and I
- 0:03mentioned to you that I know exactly what I would say as far
- 0:06as it just being a very fundamental basic.
- 0:09I don't know that you can get any more basic than Then, where
- 0:13did we come from? Why are we here?
- 0:16Where are we going? And how do we get there?
- 0:21If I had an opportunity to preach to the Lord's church,
- 0:25just one time. It's kind of hard to say, for
- 0:28sure that this is the one lesson that I'd preach.
- 0:32But I think it would certainly be on the short list.
- 0:37One lesson to preach to the saved to the kingdom of God.
- 0:42What would you say to them? If you had just one opportunity
- 0:47course, there are all sorts of things that God wants us to to
- 0:50be studying and learning and teaching and reminding each
- 0:54other about. But as far as just very very
- 0:57fundamental things. I can't really imagine that
- 1:00they're being too much more fundamental than what are your
- 1:05two main goals. Rules in life.
- 1:10What are they? I mean, if you were to to
- 1:13evaluate your your mindset and your life, right now, every one
- 1:18of us individually, what would you say that your main goal?
- 1:23Number one? And your second goal.
- 1:25Number two? What are they?
- 1:28And if we're we ought to be honest with ourselves, what you
- 1:32honestly, what is your main goal in life?
- 1:36And what is your second main goal in life?
- 1:40And I think this is so fundamental to who we are and
- 1:45what we are that I mean can't can't we just say that generally
- 1:49speaking in life that you can see.
- 1:53What a person's main goals are at least some of them, just by
- 1:57the way, they live. I mean, if someone were to ask
- 2:01you what is and I don't know who, I don't know these people
- 2:04obviously, personally, but if someone said, what do you think?
- 2:07Nick Saban and Gus Malzahn, 's, some of their biggest goals are
- 2:14or Dabo Swinney. What do you think?
- 2:15They're some of their biggest goals are I'm not saying that I
- 2:18know their top goal one or two, but, you know, by the way, that
- 2:22they live day after day, by the way, that they do things by the
- 2:25reporting's that you here on ESPN 24/7.
- 2:29And talk radio. You pretty much know, by the
- 2:33way, they recruit, by the way, they coach by the hours and
- 2:37hours and hours of time that they spend.
- 2:40You know, I don't think that making Straight A's in school is
- 2:42the most important thing in the world.
- 2:44Except for Shelby. That's one of the most important
- 2:46things for her right now. But anyway, I don't think it's
- 2:49the most important thing in the world.
- 2:51But, you know, if you have a child, if you have a student
- 2:54teachers who their one of their goals is I want to make Straight
- 2:58A's and, and And you see them wanting to make sure it let's
- 3:05say it's not just in grade school.
- 3:07Middle school, high school. Let's say, it's even in college.
- 3:09And again, I understand that a lot of employers, don't
- 3:12necessarily care. Sorry kids.
- 3:15If you make Straight A's, they want to know.
- 3:17Can you work? Can you do what they're hiring
- 3:19you to do? But if one of your goals is I
- 3:21want to make Straight A's even though I'm taking, you know,
- 3:23human anatomy and physiology and I'm taking Hebrew and I'm taking
- 3:27this course and that course. You know what?
- 3:30That looks like, right? If that's some of their main
- 3:34goals than what does their life look right look like excuse me.
- 3:38It looks like I'm staying up late tonight, studying.
- 3:41I'm getting up early in the morning and studying and I'm not
- 3:43going to skip my classes because I want this.
- 3:45And you know what that looks like in generally speaking in
- 3:50everyday life. I mean we can kind of see what a
- 3:54person's priorities. Are.
- 3:55We can generally see what people's goals are.
- 3:58I mean, they're real goals by how they live.
- 4:03I think all of us, those who have grown up in the church,
- 4:06pretty much know that. Our two main goals.
- 4:10I mean, I think they're probably a lot of very young people in
- 4:13here. If you were to ask them.
- 4:14What is your main goal in life? Rob's probably been over some of
- 4:18this with some of the Pew. Packers.
- 4:21Maybe some of the Bible class teachers have said no the main
- 4:23goal in life is lets, you know not to get a red slushy.
- 4:28The next time you go to Walmart or that maybe that was at Kmart
- 4:31now at Kmart throw a close, right but I used to, I used to
- 4:34want to read slushy when I went to Kmart as a kid.
- 4:38My main goal is to get a. What?
- 4:40What? I think even our youngest ones
- 4:44here just about could say it. The main goal in life is to go
- 4:46to heaven. And what's the second mango?
- 4:49The second main goal in life is for the Christian.
- 4:54Is this really our might is this, my main goal?
- 4:57Is this your main goal to take anyone?
- 5:02And everyone. With us.
- 5:07You know, we no doubt in our previous lives as
- 5:11non-christians. We had a variety of goals.
- 5:16A variety of things that that we, you know, took pride in
- 5:20that. I mean, this is who we are.
- 5:22This is what we do. You remember Paul talked about
- 5:27some of that when he wrote to the church at Philippi?
- 5:30And of course, after he became a Christian, he said, you know, we
- 5:32rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
- 5:39He said if anyone ought to have confidence that could have
- 5:41confidence in the flesh. It could be Paul.
- 5:43He's talking about his, his accomplishments as a Jew.
- 5:47I mean, he's all of Israel. He's of The Tribe of Benjamin.
- 5:53He's a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was circumcised the eighth
- 5:56day. He was a Pharisee concerning the
- 5:58law. He was, he was blameless.
- 6:01But this is what Paul said about his old life.
- 6:05He said, but what things were gain to me, these I have counted
- 6:09loss for Christ. I mean he was somebody.
- 6:13Among the millions of Jews there in the first century.
- 6:16He was somebody I mean, you know in politics you might say he was
- 6:22he was maybe one of the Senators, you know, in the
- 6:25United States. I mean, he was he was somebody
- 6:28and he says, I've counted all this refuse, I have counted.
- 6:33It the King James says dong the new King James, says, rubbish.
- 6:36I mean that's about as low as you can get.
- 6:38That's what my old life is because now my new life is all
- 6:43about reaching forward to the day of Jesus return.
- 6:47It's so that my faith. And him might be site that I
- 6:50might be rewarded with what God is going to reward me with that.
- 6:55That was that was Paul's mindset.
- 6:57That this is that was my old life.
- 6:59And now this is my new life. He was writing to the church at
- 7:03Corinth instead. That we are.
- 7:07I am, we have become once, we have become Christians, a new
- 7:14creature or the King James says, a new creation.
- 7:18Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17.
- 7:21He said, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature.
- 7:26He's a new creation old things have passed away.
- 7:29Behold. All things have become new.
- 7:32We got a new way to go. We have a new life.
- 7:36He spent a good amount of time in various places in various
- 7:40Epistles, talking about, we have to put to death the old man.
- 7:45Right? Didn't he talk to them that
- 7:47about that to the Romans and Romans chapter 6.
- 7:51I'm dying to the old man. I'm going to rise up in the
- 7:53watery grave of baptism going to rise up and walk.
- 7:56New life, he said to the church at colossae, put to death.
- 8:00You were old self put to death. You were members and he's
- 8:03talking about well if I'm walking in the flesh and I'm
- 8:07doing fleshly things and I'm I'm using bad language and I am
- 8:12partaking of fornication and adultery and the lust of the
- 8:16flesh. Well, I'm putting the death that
- 8:20man. I'm walking A New Path.
- 8:22Now. This is who I am.
- 8:24You see? See how this reflects who he is,
- 8:27and what his his goals are in life?
- 8:30His his two main goals. What does what does the purpose
- 8:38of Jesus tell us about ourselves?
- 8:40Well, you know, I mean, come on. We know what the purpose of
- 8:41Jesus was, right? I mean, wow.
- 8:45Matthew Mark, Luke and John are full of you.
- 8:48Say. Again.
- 8:50Let me back up, just for a minute.
- 8:51And say, I really believe that this lesson is, is so vital to
- 8:57everyone from the so simple. I mean, I don't know that you
- 8:59could get a more simple less than this.
- 9:03But I think it's very helpful because Satan wants nothing more
- 9:07than for us to be to act frustrated and confused with our
- 9:11Christianity. We want to become Satan wants us
- 9:15to become fixated with the complicated.
- 9:17He wants us to become focused on that which blurs our spiritual
- 9:22vision. He wants us to focus on physical
- 9:25things constantly. So that we're not thinking about
- 9:28the Eternal spiritual things that are forever.
- 9:34And I believe that this lesson is so important for all of us to
- 9:40just remember day after day, because it makes the Christian
- 9:44Life. Not easy, but it makes it simple
- 9:51to understand. What are your two main goals?
- 9:58In life. I mean, Jesus said this was
- 10:03Jesus goal. I have come that you might have
- 10:06life. And that you might have it more
- 10:09abundantly in the previous verse in John, chapter 10 verse 9.
- 10:12He says that he's the door. He's the way, right?
- 10:16And I've come and I want you to enter into.
- 10:20His church. He wants you to be safe in his
- 10:24arms. He wants you to do things his
- 10:27way. His purpose was so that you
- 10:29might have life and that you might have it more abundantly a
- 10:34chapter later. He says I am the resurrection
- 10:37and the life, he who believes in me though.
- 10:39He made I shall live what your main goal in life, to go to
- 10:42heaven. You know why?
- 10:43You can because of who Jesus is and what Jesus did.
- 10:46And by the way, Jesus whole purpose was so that that we
- 10:50might be saved, let your heart Not be troubled.
- 10:53You believe in God believe. Also in me in my father's house
- 10:56are many mansions. If it were not.
- 10:57So I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I
- 11:00go to prepare a place for you, I will come again.
- 11:03That where I am there you may be also.
- 11:05I am Jesus says, the way the truth.
- 11:09And the life. No one comes to the father,
- 11:12except by me. That was Jesus purpose.
- 11:14That that's what he wanted. That's what that's what he spent
- 11:18his time focused on, on you and me.
- 11:24And I believe that these thoughts can just help refocus
- 11:27us. For God.
- 11:31So loved the world that he gave his only begotten, son, that
- 11:34whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting
- 11:37life. God did not send his son into
- 11:39the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him.
- 11:44Might be saved. You remember, when Paul was
- 11:48writing to Timothy and First Timothy 1:15.
- 11:51He said that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners
- 11:58of whom. I am chief to save.
- 12:00Sinners. Just a few verses later.
- 12:03He said God desires all men to be saved and to come to a
- 12:08knowledge of the truth, John 8:32 the truth that shall set,
- 12:12you free from bondage from sin. And from the wages of sin Romans
- 12:186:23, which is death. This was Jesus purpose.
- 12:23This is what he did. In fact, before he ever even was
- 12:26born of a woman. You recall that that Joseph, his
- 12:30Earthly father. Now, that Mary was with child
- 12:33and he was ready to put her away and an angel appeared to Joseph
- 12:38and said no, don't do that. she is of, The Holy Spirit.
- 12:44I mean this conception is a miraculous conception.
- 12:49So, so don't put her away. She's going to Bear a son and
- 12:53his name will be called Jesus. You know what Jesus means, don't
- 12:57you in Greek? It's Jesus and Hebrew and
- 13:00Aramaic. It's yahshua that sound
- 13:03familiar. Joshua.
- 13:07Yeshua or yeah. Sure.
- 13:09It's Jehovah or Yahweh is what is salvation?
- 13:15His very name. Reflects his purpose.
- 13:21His purpose. Luke 19:10, a verse that you're
- 13:24familiar with, right? The son of man has come to seek
- 13:28and to save the lost. You know, the Christian life is
- 13:32really very simple. What's your number one goal.
- 13:34And what's your number 2 goal? And you remember that Paul said
- 13:40in Philippians chapter 2. He said let this mind be in you.
- 13:44Which was also in Christ Jesus. What kind of mindset is that?
- 13:48Well, I in context, you might say, the overall context of the
- 13:51Gospel accounts is Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
- 13:54Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.
- 13:56What does Paul say in the previous verse there in
- 14:00Philippians chapter 2. He said this was verse 4.
- 14:04Let each of you look out not only for his own interest but
- 14:09also for the interest of others, Let this mind be in you.
- 14:16Which was also in Christ Jesus. Who being in the form of God,
- 14:20did not consider it to be robbery.
- 14:21Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made
- 14:24himself of no reputation taking the form of a bronzer.
- 14:31Our goal. Should be with Jesus, go was
- 14:36now, Jesus go wasn't to go to heaven because he was already in
- 14:39heaven. He chose to leave the
- 14:43blessedness of Heaven to come to Earth, put on flesh to become a
- 14:47servant. Why?
- 14:49Because he was looking out for the Eternal, interest of others.
- 14:55So, his number one goal, is not to go to heaven.
- 14:56He's already in heaven. Our number one goal is to go to
- 15:00heaven. And number two.
- 15:01It's his main goal to look out for the interest.
- 15:08Of others. I mean, think about the two
- 15:10greatest commands, don't they really just sum this up the two
- 15:14greatest commands. That Jesus gave that he said
- 15:17really summarize the entire Old Testament.
- 15:22What are the what's the greatest command?
- 15:24Jesus was asked well to to love God with everything.
- 15:30With your heart soul and mind with your heart.
- 15:32Soul, mind and strength. Everything you have.
- 15:34That's number one. Love God.
- 15:38Really loved him. And number 2.
- 15:40Jesus said, love your neighbor as yourself.
- 15:42What are the two main goals? I want to go to heaven and I
- 15:46want to take anyone and everyone.
- 15:51With me. Now I realized Jesus said, enter
- 15:56ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and Broad is
- 15:59the way which leads to destruction and many there, be
- 16:01that go in there by Matthew 7:13.
- 16:05So when we say anyone in everyone, we mean anyone and
- 16:09everyone that will choose the way by what they hear us Say by
- 16:16what they see us do by the life that we live on a daily basis.
- 16:21What do our All say about us. You know, I'm not going to ask
- 16:28you to look to the person to the left of you.
- 16:30And look I'm not going to ask you can if you want to and look
- 16:33to the person to the right of you and behind you in front of
- 16:36you, but here is what I believe. God wants us to truly.
- 16:42He wants us to ask ourselves is this truly what we want for?
- 16:45The person sitting in front of me for the person sitting behind
- 16:48me and to the left of the into the right of me.
- 16:51Do I have? Do you have the other person's
- 16:54best interest in mind? If so, think about how that
- 16:58plays out in our everyday lives and tell you, when I think about
- 17:04that, I think about how often I have failed.
- 17:07Miserably him miserably in my life because instead of always
- 17:11thinking about What is best for the person to the left of me?
- 17:15Right? Of me in front of me that
- 17:17forgets to turn their blinker on when they're driving and I
- 17:20almost hit them to think about, you know, I care more about.
- 17:24There's I mean, it wasn't that story really cool that Jason
- 17:26told us believe it was Wednesday night.
- 17:30That Brent missildine from Prattville.
- 17:31That was he was in erect some time ago on the interstate wound
- 17:37up, not cursing. The guy out not just making him
- 17:42feel terrible because he made a mistake.
- 17:46You ever made a mistake before you ever been in an accident.
- 17:48That was your fault before, but eventually set up a Bible study
- 17:53with him and some time later by the grace of God, immersed him
- 17:57into Jesus for the remission of Sins.
- 18:00And now he is a brother in Christ and worships with the
- 18:03church up in Birmingham. I know the Brent missildine is
- 18:08not perfect. And his wife may say that he is.
- 18:12He's a really good, man, but I tell you, what, does that tell
- 18:15us about brother Brent missildine?
- 18:18That he's he's interested in. In taking Jesus command to love
- 18:24your neighbor as yourself serious.
- 18:27See that. Well, that's just really isn't
- 18:29rocket science. Is it?
- 18:30I mean, it's what are your two main goals?
- 18:32Does your life look like the two main goals.
- 18:35You say, are your two main goals?
- 18:37Is that really, what is exemplified daily in our lives?
- 18:40I mean, think about the Apostle, Paul's purpose.
- 18:45And let me just try to connect with this with what Jesus said
- 18:49and what we read there about loving our neighbor as
- 18:52ourselves, you know, in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5.
- 18:56I believe it's verse 14. Jesus says, excuse me.
- 19:01Paul says the love of Christ. Love your love.
- 19:06God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love
- 19:08your neighbor as yourself. 2nd Corinthians 5:14, the love of
- 19:13Christ. Compels us compels us to do.
- 19:16What? In this passage there in second
- 19:19Corinthians five, it is about the Apostle Paul and the
- 19:23apostles being given this ministry of reconciliation.
- 19:28They were Ambassador special ambassadors for Christ.
- 19:31They were Witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection
- 19:35of Christ. Paul was as he saw Jesus on the
- 19:38road to Damascus and they were going out even among not, just
- 19:42the Jews but the Gentiles preaching this continually And
- 19:49Paul tells us some of what his motivation is.
- 19:52The love of Christ, compels us. Maybe some of you are more sure
- 20:00about this than I am, maybe through further study.
- 20:03I'll learn more about it, but I'm not really for sure.
- 20:05I don't know for sure. If this is Christ's love for
- 20:08Paul that compels him or Paul's love for Christ that compels
- 20:11him. But regardless of which one for
- 20:14sure. It is aren't both of those true.
- 20:17I mean, shouldn't both God's love for us and our love for
- 20:20God. Compel us to do what?
- 20:25Compel us to. Want to go to heaven act like we
- 20:31want to go to heaven and want and act like we want to take
- 20:35anyone and everyone with us. That's what you think about this
- 20:42this whole context here in second Corinthians chapter 4.
- 20:45Paul says in verse 18. We do not look at the things
- 20:48which are seen, But at the things which are not seen for
- 20:51the things which are seen are temporary but the things which
- 20:54are not seen are Eternal and then he goes on and chapter 5
- 20:57verses 1 and following. We know that if our Earthly
- 21:00house this tent is destroyed. We have a building from God a
- 21:03house not made with hands Eternal in the heavens.
- 21:06What's Paul's main goal? Is that exactly what our should
- 21:09be to go to heaven? And for in this we groan
- 21:12earnestly Desiring. What is your desire?
- 21:15Paul? What are you looking forward to?
- 21:17What's your purpose to be clothed with our habitation,
- 21:20which is from Heaven. I want to go, I want to go to
- 21:25heaven. Is this what my life looks like
- 21:29in everyday life? When I go to work, when I come
- 21:32home in with my marriage in my family at school in my social
- 21:39life Paul. All says verse 6, the second
- 21:42Corinthians 5. While we were at home in the
- 21:45body, we are absent from the Lord.
- 21:46We walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident.
- 21:49Yes. Well, please rather notice what
- 21:51he says to be absent from the body and to be present with the
- 21:55Lord. Paul's basically saying exactly
- 21:58what was read for us a few moments ago from Philippians
- 22:02chapter 1, That for to me to live is Christ.
- 22:07And to die is gain. Paul was saying, what's your
- 22:11number one goal. My number one goal.
- 22:13Paul says is I'm ready to be absent from the body and to be
- 22:15present with the Lord and then notice what the Holy Spirit
- 22:19through the Apostle. Paul connects to this very
- 22:21thought your number to gold. Which is therefore, knowing the
- 22:25terror of the lord, we persuade persuade men.
- 22:29We're looking out for their best interest and not just though we
- 22:32should their physical interest much, much, much, much, more
- 22:36their spiritual interest, even if they don't even know what
- 22:39they are. Paul says, knowing therefore,
- 22:41the terror of the lord, we persuade, we persuade Men.
- 22:44We Must ALL appear. He says, in verse 10.
- 22:46We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ.
- 22:49We're going to go persuade men. We have Yes, I might say.
- 22:53Well, this is particularly, especially applied to the
- 22:55apostles who were specially Chosen and were immersed by the
- 23:00holy spirit being baptized with the Holy Spirit and could be
- 23:03actual Witnesses, because they had seen Jesus.
- 23:07But have we are not all been sent.
- 23:10In commission, you know, the Apostle Paul his his main goal.
- 23:17Was to go to heaven. Forgetting those things which
- 23:21are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.
- 23:23I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God
- 23:26in Christ Jesus. This is our goal.
- 23:32This is our goal. He says.
- 23:39Just a few verses later there in Philippians chapter 3.
- 23:42He said, many walk of whom. I've told you often and I'll
- 23:45tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of
- 23:47Christ. He talks about how he he talks
- 23:53in a very sad State about those who are outside of Christ.
- 23:57But he says in the previous verse verse 17 to follow my
- 24:03example. Imitate me as I also imitate
- 24:08Christ. Paul had as his purpose to go to
- 24:14heaven and take as many people with us as possible.
- 24:18I mean, think about the just the Great Commission we've been
- 24:22given this Great Commission. God wants us to go to heaven,
- 24:25and he wants us to go into all the world and preach the gospel
- 24:31to every creature. He who believes and is baptized
- 24:34shall be saved. God wants us to recognize his
- 24:38authority Matthew 28:18 and go or As We Go Make Disciples of
- 24:45all Nations. It doesn't matter their color.
- 24:47It doesn't matter their background.
- 24:49It doesn't matter their socioeconomic level.
- 24:52It doesn't matter if they are from Elmore County or Los
- 24:55Angeles, California. This is our goal.
- 25:00You say well Eric. I'm you know, I'm not I'm maybe
- 25:04I'm not a preacher. I'm not a I'm not going to go be
- 25:09a missionary. So, you know, how can I say
- 25:12that? Maybe number two is my goal.
- 25:15Well, I think we ought to ask ourselves first really.
- 25:18Is this really your goal? Is your goal?
- 25:25Exemplified in your everyday life by you know what?
- 25:28I want to go to heaven more than anything and this is not only my
- 25:36goal. It's a goal that I have in my
- 25:38marriage. This this is what I want, you
- 25:42know, Ephesians 5:25. If God.
- 25:47If God Son gave his life for the church.
- 25:52And and I know, physically husband's ought to be willing
- 25:55and ready to sacrifice their lives in a heartbeat for their
- 26:00god-given wives. But you know, even more than
- 26:04that, what's even more noble than that, is that we would
- 26:07sacrifice our physical lives or do whatever.
- 26:10Sacrifice needs to be done to help lead and unbelieving spouse
- 26:15to Christ or to help continue to encourage believing spouses.
- 26:21Those who are already Christians to walk in the light and is, is
- 26:25this? Let me just ask ourselves
- 26:27parents. Moms and dads.
- 26:31If we were, if someone was to ask your children, what are your
- 26:36parents? What is your mom?
- 26:39What is your dad? What are their main goals in
- 26:41life? And what are their main personal
- 26:44goals? And what are their main goals
- 26:46for this family? I hope that every child in here,
- 26:50could genuinely say, you know what, my parents main goals.
- 26:55Their main goals are to go to heaven and take any and everyone
- 26:58with them that will go including.
- 27:01Especially those who do you have more influence over than anyone
- 27:05in this world? If you're married and if you
- 27:07have children, And grandparents certainly have a measure of
- 27:11influence over grandchildren and uncles and aunts have some kind
- 27:14of influence over nephews and nieces.
- 27:18We have people that we can influence, who better than those
- 27:21closest to us, who know us. Best.
- 27:23Are. These are our two main goals are
- 27:26these, what is this? What we want for our country?
- 27:28Not that we are so naive. As to think that every single
- 27:32person, the 300 plus million people in this country are on
- 27:36this planet are going To receive eternal life because they have
- 27:41unfortunately. So many rebelled against God,
- 27:44but what is Our Hope? What is our, our prayer?
- 27:48You know, I think I know what is best for this country in many
- 27:51ways, whether it be with who I think ought to be leading this
- 27:55country or what kind of policies ought to be implemented,
- 27:58etcetera, Etc. But you know, what, we should be
- 28:00hoping for and praying. Most of all, isn't it?
- 28:03Basically Paul's prayer. You recall in Romans chapter 10.
- 28:09He said Brethren my heart's, desire and prayer to God for
- 28:12Israel is that they may be saved.
- 28:15This was his country, his countrymen, and he wanted this
- 28:18so bad. That in the previous chapter in
- 28:20Romans chapter 9 and verse 3. He said, I could wish that I
- 28:24myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren.
- 28:28That's how bad that he wanted his countrymen to be saved.
- 28:34Young people. What about at school?
- 28:36You know, if someone says well, what is your main goal in
- 28:38school? Or maybe at work.
- 28:44If someone says well my main goal in school is to learn as
- 28:48much as possible so that I can get a good job one day.
- 28:52Or if my main goal that work is to work as much as possible as
- 28:56hard as possible to make as much money as possible.
- 29:02I just like to ask you if, if you think that's true success.
- 29:08I think sometimes we have failed in raising up younger
- 29:13generations to think that this is their goal.
- 29:17When their goal, is to go to heaven and take as many people
- 29:19as possible with them. So, what does that look like at
- 29:21school? Well, it looks like someone
- 29:23drops a book. Maybe you've been down to help,
- 29:26pick pick it up. You see someone crying and
- 29:28sitting at a table by themselves.
- 29:30Maybe you go sit by them. Maybe you see.
- 29:32And you know, someone has lost a relative, a family member, a mom
- 29:35or dad, you send them a card. Say hey, I'm thinking of you.
- 29:39I'm praying for you. Maybe it's you're asking them to
- 29:43come to a Bible study. Maybe you're and by the way,
- 29:47you're trying to make Straight A's to but you understand what's
- 29:50most important in life. I mean those of you who've read
- 29:53the book muscle and a shovel, you know, who the hero that book
- 29:57was, it's Randall. Let me ask you something.
- 30:04What was Randall's main purpose in life.
- 30:06He was working at the same place that Mike Shank was working.
- 30:10If I recall correctly, he was working maybe in like the
- 30:13shipping department or something like that.
- 30:16But as you read the book, you read, what his main purpose was.
- 30:20Its main purpose was, he was keeping an eye out on people
- 30:23that he would, you know, try to share the gospel with maybe it
- 30:27was a simple act like I'm going to go by and get Krispy Kreme
- 30:30Doughnuts. I can eat about half of them and
- 30:32I can give about half of them away, but I can give about half
- 30:35of them away. And you know, what someone that
- 30:37I might give a Krispy Kreme donut to they might want to have
- 30:41a Bible study with me and you know, if I strike out the first
- 30:44time maybe after a month or two of letting my light shine there
- 30:47at the workplace because I'm not using filthy language and I'm To
- 30:50be positive and I'm not being grouchy all the time and I'm not
- 30:54complaining all the time. But all things Paul said be done
- 30:57without murmuring and complaining.
- 30:59Oh somebody just stepped on my toes.
- 31:01Didn't they? Uh-oh.
- 31:04You see how the two main goals in life.
- 31:08It just simplifies Christianity and sometimes it just knocks a
- 31:13straight between the eyes. What's your main goal in life?
- 31:20What's my main goal in life with my social life with our church
- 31:23family? I mean, is the love that I shall
- 31:27do for the people in front of me behind me?
- 31:29Next, to me on either side and all around me in this
- 31:32congregation, in the Lord's Church overall.
- 31:35Does this reflect what my main goal is or does the Does my
- 31:41daily actions or inaction? Reflect that really my main goal
- 31:47is not going to heaven and taking everyone and anyone who
- 31:50will choose Jesus Christ. To go to heaven.
- 31:56That really not. Now, what's going on here.
- 32:00Or is my prayer life. Does this reflect what my main
- 32:03goals are? Am I praying for God's Church?
- 32:08Am I praying for the local congregation here?
- 32:11Am I praying for those all around me?
- 32:13You know what happens? Don't you when we pray for
- 32:15people? You know, it's like whatever.
- 32:18Maybe criticisms we have of them.
- 32:22Now, I realize, if there are sins that we need to repent of
- 32:26you may think we'll people just keep criticizing me.
- 32:28Well, maybe they're really actually Loving You Jesus says
- 32:33Those whom I love I rebuke and chasten.
- 32:35Revelation 3:19, quoting the Old Testament.
- 32:38What does my love reflect about my goals?
- 32:42What is my prayer life? Reflect about my goes, what this
- 32:44my calendar, you know when you lay out your 365 days in 2020
- 32:49and you have all of this stuff on your calendar.
- 32:51Let me ask you. What do you have about God on
- 32:54your calendar? What do you have about God's
- 32:57Church on your calendar? What do you have about spiritual
- 33:00things on your calendar? 365 days a year.
- 33:04Twenty-four hours in a day. What?
- 33:06Is it 168 hours in a week? What does your calendar say
- 33:12about your goals? What about your participation?
- 33:15What about your attendance? What about?
- 33:17You're giving? What about me?
- 33:20Am I sacrificing like God wants me to to sacrifice.
- 33:26What does this say about me? What does it say about you?
- 33:31Don't you think that if we thought about this more talked
- 33:34about this more? That it simplifies really who I
- 33:40am and what I am. And whose I am?
- 33:46Let me just ask you something. If if there was video footage of
- 33:49you or me over the last month for the last year.
- 33:56What would it say about our goals?
- 34:00You know again I've told you know, Paul said after saying
- 34:03that that Jesus Christ he came for the purpose of saving
- 34:07Sinners and he says of whom I am chief.
- 34:10I'm going to tell you something, Eric is right up there with the
- 34:12Apostle Paul in being the center part and not near up there with
- 34:17him and being the servant part. When I think about if I could
- 34:21look back and see how I acted in this situation and that
- 34:24situation even as a grown man, just doing some dumb selfish
- 34:30sinful things. Well, I failed there.
- 34:35But by the grace of God. By the blood of Jesus Christ, I
- 34:41can have a new beginning, I can walk in newness of life and even
- 34:46after becoming a Christian through faith, confession of
- 34:48that faith in Jesus Christ, turning away from sin, and being
- 34:52immersed in water for the Forgiveness of sins.
- 34:54Even then when I'm trying to walk in the light, and I failed
- 34:58maybe in part, or in large part, because I don't have my two main
- 35:02goals set in front of me. Continually.
- 35:04Let's wake up thinking about this.
- 35:05Let's go to bed thinking about this.
- 35:07Let's be Needed to continue onward and upward thinking about
- 35:11this allowing this to affect my life and your life.
- 35:14But when we fail, let's confess our sins to the Creator to the
- 35:18Savior to our judge. Let's tell him.
- 35:20We're sorry. We're not perfect.
- 35:22First John chapter one. He's always, he's already told
- 35:24us we're not but there is A way through Jesus Christ to be
- 35:31faithful and continue to have the blood of Jesus Christ.
- 35:34Cleanses us even in our M perfected, our imperfect walk in
- 35:41the light. What are your two main goals?
- 35:46Are they to go to heaven? And to take anyone and everyone
- 35:51with you. That's possible.
- 35:54Is this your goal at school? Is this your goal at work?
- 35:59Is this your goal for this congregation?
- 36:02I mean, you in this congregation want to go to heaven, and you
- 36:05want to take as many people with you as possible.
- 36:09What does that look like disinterested?
- 36:14not very You know, not very involved.
- 36:20Just a sideline person who doesn't want to think about the
- 36:23cares of others or you want to be like so many of the deacons
- 36:28that I saw at our elders ministers and deacons meeting
- 36:30this last week who I know after a hard long day of work, spent
- 36:35over two hours talking about. Yeah.
- 36:37It's kind of a long meeting. I know we had, we had myself and
- 36:41some other long-winded when they I know I apologize.
- 36:46Two hours. What was the purpose?
- 36:47After a long day at work after, getting up next morning to do
- 36:50some more work that they're interested.
- 36:53You all need to thank our deacons in this congregation for
- 36:55the work. They do that.
- 36:56Most people don't know anything about, not just our deacons, but
- 36:59maybe our Bible class teachers who sacrificed time and effort.
- 37:03Maybe they're working all week and they're coming here teaching
- 37:07on Wednesday nights and Sunday morning.
- 37:08Why do they do that? Why do you do that?
- 37:12Why should you might want to prepare yourself to do that?
- 37:16Because you want to go to heaven?
- 37:17And you want every one of these young people, and every one of
- 37:21the older members and every person here to go to heaven.
- 37:25If you need to respond to God's invitation this morning.
- 37:27Won't you do? So as we stand as we sing.