WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Encourage podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.560 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:21.600 If you're new or we haven't met, my name's Ryan. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:26.480 We're absolutely thrilled to have you join us today, and we're in a series called Life is More. 00:00:26.559 --> 00:00:28.800 Just go ahead and say to your neighbor, Life is More for me. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:30.640 Would you do that? 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:34.320 And there was a great murmuring in the church. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.000 Um why is it? 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:43.520 And this is what we've been wrestling with, like the more that we get, it feels like we have less of what really matters most. 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:47.039 We get more money yet seem to have less peace. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:51.679 We have more things, but we enjoy it less and more anxiety. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:01:05.280 We're more connected than we have ever been in human history, but we feel more isolated and alone, and we just seem like we're ever striving yet never really arriving. 00:01:05.439 --> 00:01:07.680 And the truth is, I mean, this is Silicon Valley. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:22.480 We live overworked, anxiety-soaked lives that often just produce, isn't it true, just this weariness and emptiness of our soul? 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:28.799 And so we've just been asking this question the last few weeks, how do we get more of what matters most in life? 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:33.920 Like, how do we move from just existing to truly living? 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:47.359 I mean, the way Jesus would say it would be how do you experience the life that's truly life, that abundant life, that it's not just eking through our days, getting by, but life. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:55.439 And we said this: uh, that there's actually more to life than having more in life, and we know that. 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:59.760 That there's more to life than just getting more or having more in life. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:01.040 Jesus said it this way. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:07.920 We began the series this way, that life doesn't consist of the abundance of our possessions. 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:12.960 Uh that your life and my life is so much more than what we have. 00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:19.599 And here's the reason why Jesus will say it is that uh there's more to life than just here and now. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.319 We get this. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:24.319 There's far more to life than your material possessions. 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.759 There's far more to life than the physical reality. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.240 There's more to life than just here and now. 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:34.159 In fact, um, you are an eternal being, you are a spiritual being. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:45.280 Uh, Dallas Willard says it this way: that you are an eternal being, your never-ceasing being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe. 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:50.159 Like, there's so much more to you and to I. 00:02:51.039 --> 00:03:03.919 And one of the things that Jesus said that's so powerful is that actually a lifestyle of generosity is how we invest eternally. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:11.919 Like how we leverage what we presently have for all of eternity is a lifestyle with our time, our talents, our treasure. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:14.960 It actually breaks the grip of greed in our heart. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:21.599 Greed is just the thought that all my stuff is where my life is, that life consists of the abundance of what I have. 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:29.919 And it actually, the best science of our day tells us that generosity is the pathway to truly enjoying what God has provided. 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:42.319 When we view ourselves not as owners but stewards, and we begin to entrust and live a generous life, we actually are much healthier and happier and enjoy more. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:45.599 We get more of what matters most. 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:49.360 Now, today, as we continue our conversation, just want to ask this question. 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:52.319 I came across it a number of years ago. 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:53.599 My brother gave me this book. 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:54.960 It's a great book. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:06.639 Uh, and the book, the title of the book is How Will You Measure Your Life, written by a Harvard Business School professor who recently passed away, named Clayton Christensen. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:13.919 Uh now, he would teach this class, and uh let me just get the title of the class correct so you you have it. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:32.160 But he would teach the class, Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise, and then he would take the very last day of the course because he noticed something with his fellow uh Harvard grads, and also he was a road scholar at Oxford, he's a very bright guy. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:47.360 But he noticed something that far too many people of the best and the brightest, the most influential and affluent were deeply successful in business, but they were failing in life. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:05:01.680 In fact, he talks about at the end uh at the introduction of his book uh this um this idea that where you know Harvard and Oxford, they have these reunions and it's to have them come back, and it's really a fundraising thing. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:06.639 And so they roll out the red carpet for all their graduates, and the first five years they show up. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:18.079 Uh, you know, everyone's come in and they have their great jobs, and some of them already made their first million, and you know, they have um uh maybe they're married and they're they look pretty good. 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:23.600 And then ten years go by, and there's a few people that didn't show up. 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:35.519 There's many that are already on their second marriage, and you he does a little research and finds those that didn't show up because they didn't want to like like reveal how they're actually doing in life, that they're struggling. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:44.319 Another five years goes by, and a number of people he knows that they're no longer on speaking terms with their kids, they're across the country. 00:05:44.480 --> 00:05:56.079 You know, some of the people that he graduated with, one are even in prison for you know uh making unscrupulous decisions in business. 00:05:56.160 --> 00:06:12.160 And he's like, that's not the person I knew at Harvard and started out with all this grand intention, all this, you know, like we're gonna change the world, all these altruistic ideas, and then you get lost somewhere along the way. 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:14.720 And life happens. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:19.360 You never ask a fundamental question. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:24.160 How will you measure sorry I got this thing is breaking on me? 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:28.480 You might need a handheld. 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:35.439 But how will you measure your life? 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:40.399 I mean, for you. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:45.040 How do you measure your life? 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.720 I don't know what word you use. 00:06:48.959 --> 00:06:55.920 Um maybe it's what would make your life deeply meaningful and impactful. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:08.959 For some, based on the way you think about life, it might be like what would a successful life look like if you look back and it was deeply, profoundly successful. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.639 You know, Jesus told this incredible parable. 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:18.879 It's actually one that I think many aren't familiar with, uh, and it's a bit of an odd one. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:20.240 I just got to give you a heads up. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:22.319 It's a bit of an odd parable. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:40.639 Um, and yet the implications of it are so incredibly profound and significant for us in how we answered that question and specifically to answer that well, that we can look back on the end of our life and know that we've lived life well. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:46.079 We measured correctly what was most important and what matters most. 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:50.560 In fact, if you have your Bibles, would you open up to Luke chapter 16? 00:07:50.800 --> 00:07:52.560 Luke 16, 13. 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.120 Jesus tells this parable. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:04.240 He writes, uh, There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:11.519 And at his gate was laid a beggar named Lat, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:14.079 Even the dogs came and licked his sore. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:16.560 And so Jesus starts off, there's two people. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:23.519 There's two different types of people, and how we measure uh them, we'd look at the rich man and go, you know what? 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.720 According to Silicon Valley, he's doing well, right? 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:28.639 Uh he's dressed in purple. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.240 That's just in the ancient days, that was the finest garb you could have. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:34.720 I mean, he's wearing Gucci, he's got Prada. 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:35.919 Do guys wear Prada? 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:36.720 I don't know. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:44.639 Um, he he he's got the Rolex, he's driving the best car, he has the big house, he's got it all. 00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:48.000 In fact, that line lived in luxury every day. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:52.399 There's there's it's this enjoyable merriment and ease. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:59.279 It's that he's financially free to do whatever he wants whenever he wants. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:04.080 He can go here and there and travel the world. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.159 He's the picture of success. 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:09.840 He's the American dream. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:12.960 And then Jesus says, then there's this beggar. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:14.799 His name's Lazarus. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.879 And by the way, this is fascinating. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:22.480 Um this is the only time Jesus named anyone in a parable. 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:26.879 You know, most of the parables, there's a rich man or there's a farmer or something like that. 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:29.759 Here Jesus names this person. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:33.039 Now, not to be confused with Lazarus, who he would raise from the dead. 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:34.320 This is just a story. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:35.039 This is a parable. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:36.720 A parable is a story with the point. 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:40.080 Lazarus means God is my help. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.720 Here's a man that had no help earthly. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.679 He had nothing to his name and no one who was even looking out for him. 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.159 We don't know why he was poor. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:55.679 Maybe he was poor because he made some poor decisions. 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:04.960 Maybe he was poor because, you know, circumstances of life, something hid, a famine or something tragic happened. 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:06.960 Maybe it's an injustice. 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:11.840 All we know is he's not doing well. 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:19.519 In fact, physically, he's not doing well to the extent that he can't even fend off the street dogs from licking and getting at him. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:21.840 And how will you measure your life? 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:30.000 And we look at one, if we just judge this present moment, we look at one and go, you are the epitome of success. 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:35.360 And the other, wow, that must have been a big failure. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.799 And Jesus says there's a different way to measure. 00:10:39.039 --> 00:10:47.600 In fact, he's going to give us a glimpse of like what is happening in the eternal perspective of God. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:50.240 Notice he goes on to say this. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:56.480 The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.639 The rich man also died and was buried. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:00.879 In Hades, where he was in torment. 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:02.639 That doesn't sound fun. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:07.679 Uh, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:19.039 So he called to him, Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in the water and cool my tongue, because I'm in agony in this fire. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:26.399 Jesus gives us this glimpse into eternity, and we notice that whether you're rich or poor, we all suffer the same fate. 00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:30.559 You know, there's been said there's only two things certain in life. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:32.159 I think Ben Franklin said it, right? 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.679 Death and taxes. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:35.200 We're all gonna die. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:36.000 Welcome to church. 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:37.600 I hope you're encouraged. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.480 The rich man goes on. 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:53.279 He's, but Abraham replied, Son, remember that your time in life, you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:56.000 But now he's comforted here, and you're in agony. 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:09.279 And besides all this, between you and me, a great chasm has been set in place, so that those of us who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:15.279 And Jesus gives us this picture that there is an eternal reality. 00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:18.559 And we don't talk about heaven and hell very much in our day. 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:20.000 It's not cool. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:28.000 And I want you to notice that God did not sentence this man to hell because he was comfortable in life. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:29.600 That is not the picture here. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:37.840 The picture is he lived as if there is no God, and God gave him his reality that he wanted nothing to do with God. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:43.679 He lived as if I am the only person that matters, and I will take care of just me. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:47.519 It's all about me, all for me, all because of me. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:55.840 And I don't want to live under the recognition that I that God is all sovereign and in control. 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:03.759 And because you are made in the image of God, I should care for your needs. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:05.519 In fact, I like how J.I. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:10.159 Packard says it, scripture sees hell as self-chosen. 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:15.279 Hell appears as God's gesture of respect for human choice. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:24.879 All receive what they actually choose, either to be with God forever, worshiping him, or without God forever, worshiping themselves. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:34.240 Tim Keller writes, in short, hell is simply one's freely chosen identity apart from God in a trajectory into affinity. 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:52.159 Like if you want to live the way you want to live and do the things the way you want to do them, and you be autonomous, and God says, I will not violate your will at all. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:59.200 And yet there are eternal consequences for that reality. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:00.399 And did you notice? 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:06.000 Even uh the rich man, he still sees Lazarus as his servant. 00:14:06.080 --> 00:14:09.279 He's like, Would you send Lazarus to dip his finger? 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:11.840 Like I'm suffering over here. 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:13.759 And then he goes on. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:19.679 And he says, he answered, then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:23.759 Let him warn them so that they'll not also come to this place of torment. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:33.600 I had no idea that a self-absorbed, self-centered life had such great consequences. 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.679 Send someone to tell my family. 00:14:37.919 --> 00:14:43.360 And Abraham replied, They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them. 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:45.279 No, Father Abraham, he said. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:48.879 But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:56.080 And he said, even if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, that's the shorthand for the Hebrew scriptures. 00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:01.759 They will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.919 Jesus tells a very interesting parable. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:16.799 One in which I think helps us answer well the question: how will you measure your life? 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:21.279 You know, if the rich man had a mantra in life, I think it might be this. 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:26.639 If we brought him into the modern day, I think the mantra would be something like this. 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:29.600 Enjoy the journey. 00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:31.919 Enjoy the journey. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:33.840 Life's a journey. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:36.159 Life is just a journey. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:38.000 Don't worry about the destination. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.279 Life is a journey. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:40.639 Enjoy the journey. 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.399 Enjoy the ride. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:43.600 Yellow. 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:47.279 You only live once, so live it up. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:52.240 Live your best life. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.679 Live no regrets. 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.799 Which somehow produces deep regret. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:03.279 I gotta get mine. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:05.759 I gotta keep mine. 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.679 Life is all about me and for me. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:12.960 And because of me. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:23.200 And here's what Jesus is saying, and what we know to be true, but we don't recognize that life is more than just the journey, isn't it? 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:29.840 Life is more than just the journey, because here's what we know every single journey takes you somewhere. 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:37.039 None of you have gotten into a car and said, I'm just gonna enjoy the journey, and was like, Well, we went nowhere. 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:42.559 You went somewhere, whether on purpose or not, you went somewhere. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:48.879 And every decision takes you into a direction, and every direction ultimately has a destination. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:53.600 And so what is true is life is a journey to the destination. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:55.279 To a destination. 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:58.720 And the question is, where are you headed? 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:03.120 The question is, what is the trajectory of your life and my life? 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:06.000 What are the decisions that I'm making today? 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.279 And where is that leading me to tomorrow? 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:23.039 And what if you really are an eternal being, a spiritual being, a never-ceasing being that does have a grand destiny in God's great universe. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.799 I want to give us maybe uh two applications of what do we do? 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:36.880 How do we measure to help us how we measure our life, and um and maybe a new mantra. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:38.880 We could try it on. 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:42.960 Let me give you the two little bits of application here. 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:50.000 The first, simply, to measure our life well, you have to begin with the end in mind. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:18:01.359 By the way, the gospel, Jesus, and the Hebrew scriptures came up with this long before Stephen Covey did in his uh Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.880 Begin with the end in mind. 00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:10.880 In fact, 4,000 years before that, Moses wrote this teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:23.119 By teach us to count out and recognize that you have limited days, you are a finite being, and you know that since time is limited, then I'm gonna number them and steward them well. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:29.519 When I think about the end of days, I will live this day wisely and well. 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:31.920 Begin with the end in mind. 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:36.960 In fact, I I added up how many days uh you might have, by the way. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.279 I I I did some math this morning. 00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:44.640 So um the average American lives 78.8 years on average. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:46.079 I rounded up to 80. 00:18:46.160 --> 00:18:47.039 You're welcome. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:19:00.720 Um and so if you if you happen to live 80 years, obviously, no health complications, no accidents, things like that, uh, you have 29,200 days on this planet. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:07.119 And so if you're 20, you have 21,900 days left. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:14.000 If you're 30, you have 18,250 days left. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:20.960 If you're 40, you have 14,600 days left. 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:29.119 If you're 50, you have 10,950 days left. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.440 I won't continue on. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:32.960 It gets painful. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:42.079 To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your direction. 00:19:43.680 --> 00:19:46.720 And Covey's seven habits of highly successful people. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:51.279 This is habit number two, and he begins with this picture. 00:19:51.599 --> 00:20:03.759 He says, Imagine that you are attending a funeral, and you come to the funeral and you walk in, and people are grieving and crying, and you come and you realize that it's actually your funeral. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:07.839 And there's four speakers that are gonna speak. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:18.079 One is a family member, another is a friend, another is a co-worker, and another is from your church or community, and what would you want them to say about you? 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.480 What type of character? 00:20:23.359 --> 00:20:31.200 What type of impact do you want to have and you want to leave with others? 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:53.200 Again, with the end, in mind, and friends, I know I have some friends, they're incredible, and part of their heart is they work insane hours nonstop is to provide for their kids what they didn't have. 00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:58.880 And yet, honestly, what their kids would love to have is their mom or dad. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:13.119 And we spend our days striving after things that we think matter in this moment, but if you just begin with the end in mind, you begin to number your days, you realize it doesn't really matter. 00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:23.200 And isn't it amazing that when a life crisis happens, when a major tragedy happens, that all of a sudden everything becomes absolutely clear. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:30.000 And all of a sudden, priorities that were so important, they go down. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:35.599 And what really matters, you can clear your schedule for all of it, can't you? 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:45.119 First practice I want us to partake in is would you begin with the end of mine seconds, is to recalibrate your internal compass. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:49.279 If we're gonna do this, we have to recalibrate our internal compass. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:58.559 Just a few verses before this, Jesus is teaching and he's talking to the Pharisees who loved money and they were sneering at him. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.599 And he says this. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.759 No one can serve two masters. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:07.519 Either you'll hate the one or love the other, or you'll be devoted to the one and despise the other. 00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:11.039 You cannot serve both God and money. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:18.319 Notice that he didn't say you cannot serve both God and the devil, you know, like I mean, or in church, you might think he might say something like that. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:24.720 He's actually saying the chief competitor for your heart is your money and your possessions and your stuff. 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:27.440 The chief thing, money is not neutral. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.079 This is the reason why when we talk about there's more to life than having more in life. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:46.480 Intellectually we know it, but the reality is, is we begin to place our value, our center, our meaning on what we have, what we accumulate, what we're able to get because of it. 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:51.119 And when I get X, then I'll be happy. 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:54.000 Recalibrate your internal compass. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:56.559 What is at the center of your life? 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:06.720 Whatever's at the center of your life is the source that you're looking for security, guidance, wisdom, power. 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:09.839 Maybe it's a work-centered life. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:11.920 Your vocation. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:15.440 Maybe you're in the middle of the college years. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:21.119 The center is actually the degrees that you're gonna get, your education. 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:27.680 Maybe it is money-centered or spouse-centered or the relationship. 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.759 If I just meet the right person. 00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:35.200 Maybe it's self-centered. 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.839 About me being happy and me getting mine. 00:23:45.119 --> 00:24:00.400 Clayton Christensen in his book, How You Measure Your Life, says, with every moment of your time, every decision about how you spend your energy and money, you are making a statement about what really matters to you. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:09.920 In fact, one of the practices, this paradox of abundant living that recalibrates the center is actually generosity. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:13.359 Notice what the proverb says. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:17.759 It says, Whoever's kind to the poor lends to the Lord and he will reward them for what they've done. 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:22.960 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:29.519 See, the problem was not that this man had wealth, that this person was rich. 00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:32.160 The problem was that his wealth had him. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:42.240 See, when we begin to realize that all that I have is not mine, I'm a steward, I'm entrusted. 00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:48.480 And so, God, you've given me all that I have, and I'm just gonna go like, how do you want to leverage this? 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.440 How do you want to use it? 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.119 How can I, how can I make your life better? 00:24:54.160 --> 00:25:04.400 It begins to recalibrate your heart towards the very things of God, resets the compass of your heart, the true north, where you just go, like, no, it's not about me. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:08.000 It's about eternity. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:12.240 And it's about what God is doing in this moment. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:18.319 Life is a journey to a destination. 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:22.960 Begin with the end in mind, recalibrate your internal compass. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:24.480 And here's the new mantra. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:27.519 Here's the new mantra I'd love for us to embrace. 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:37.519 I remember my, I was in college, I was going to the church in Chicago, and remember my pastor saying this line, and it's stuck with me ever since. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:42.480 But instead of enjoy the journey, and by the way, there's some truth to that. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:43.680 Enjoy the journey. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:45.519 That's not a bad thing. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.200 But there's also a destination. 00:25:47.359 --> 00:25:48.960 Enjoy the journey to the destination. 00:25:49.119 --> 00:25:51.920 Make sure you're headed where you want to go. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:57.759 All of us are gonna end up somewhere, just not all of us are gonna end up where we thought we'd be. 00:26:00.319 --> 00:26:01.680 But maybe this one. 00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:05.039 Life is short. 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:06.799 Eternities long. 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.880 Life is short. 00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:10.559 Eternities long. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:16.720 All of us have a birthday, and all of us will have an expiration date. 00:26:18.799 --> 00:26:28.160 On your tombstone, there will be your birth date and your expiration date, and then there's a little dash, and that dash represents your entire life. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.400 Life is short. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:35.440 We get but a few fleeting moments. 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:42.160 Now that I have a college student, it feels like life is in hyperdrive. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:43.759 It's just going so fast. 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.000 It seems like life, as you get older, just speeds up. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.599 Life is short, eternity is long. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:59.039 Did you know, by the way, that 73% of Americans actually believe in a heaven? 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:03.839 62% of Americans believe in hell. 00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:12.559 26 of Americans do not believe in heaven or hell, but 7% of that 26 believe in an afterlife? 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:17.759 Friends, if we're just average Americans, this was done in 2021. 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:19.599 This wasn't done 30 years ago. 00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:28.559 If we're just average, three-quarters of us believe in an afterlife but live as if it doesn't make any difference in our life. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:33.279 So what if Jesus' story is true? 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:42.079 What if how we measure our life has eternal significance? 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.920 Eternal way. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:45.839 Life is short. 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:46.960 Eternity is long. 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:48.480 Bring you back to Dallas Wheeler. 00:27:49.200 --> 00:27:51.279 We said it several times. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:59.680 You are a never-ceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God's great universe. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:07.599 And the truth is when we answer that question, how will you measure your life? 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:15.119 We're searching fundamentally for something deep to fulfill and satisfy some of the deep longings of our soul. 00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:31.200 Whether it's work, whether it's pleasure, whether it's having some sort of prestige or success, to live out the American dream, there's this ache and longing in our soul. 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:35.839 Some have called it through the years this God-shaped hole in our soul. 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:49.839 Like we try so many different things to bring satisfaction and ultimate fulfillment, and they do for a season, but they never finally and fully satisfy. 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:14.160 John, wildly successful. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:20.240 He was named partner in his firm, one of the youngest to ever do that. 00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:21.680 He married a doctor. 00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.440 He has two kids and a dog. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.559 His original house might have even had a white picket fence. 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.519 I don't know. 00:29:28.160 --> 00:29:31.680 I mean, everything about him was the picture of success. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:34.079 Twenties, early 30s. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:38.160 You just looked at him and you thought, he has it made. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:40.000 How do you measure your life? 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:41.440 Well, he's figured it out. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:48.240 And the only problem was he got to that point and it was all found wanting and meaningless. 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:51.440 And so he turned to alcohol. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:54.319 He just began to numb out. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:59.599 His addiction to alcohol almost lost him his family, almost lost him his job. 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:08.480 He eventually, in desperation, got an AA where then, you know, the first thing is, I can't. 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:10.559 I can't. 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.240 But he can. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:16.160 I need a power greater than myself. 00:30:20.160 --> 00:30:22.960 I remember having this conversation with him. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:25.920 We were at Bill's cafe. 00:30:26.079 --> 00:30:28.960 It's early one morning, we'd met a few times. 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:39.279 And he's in this process, this spiritual journey of recognizing the things that he's been chasing after and how he measured his life had fallen short. 00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:46.319 And I love that line. 00:30:46.640 --> 00:30:50.079 A beggar named Lazarus. 00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:53.839 Because that's how we all get to God. 00:30:56.799 --> 00:31:00.160 We realize our spiritual poverty. 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.519 I can't. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:05.680 Lazarus, God is my help. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:07.839 God can't. 00:31:09.119 --> 00:31:10.480 God is my help. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:18.079 That is the only way we get to God is when we recognize our spiritual poverty. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:22.160 God is my help. 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:23.759 So we sat at Bill's. 00:31:41.200 --> 00:31:57.599 For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, shall not have an eternity forever apart from God, but have eternal life. 00:31:57.839 --> 00:32:04.079 Which isn't just life later, it's life now, it's the presence of God now and forevermore. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:06.799 Like that's the good news. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:09.920 Like God loved you so much, He came for you. 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:19.119 He's not waiting for you to work yourself, you know, into becoming the right person or figure out all the right things. 00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:22.079 Jesus said, I came for you. 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:29.839 In fact, I died on the cross to cover everything in you that is ever broken or done wrong. 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:35.039 I want you to experience full and final forgiveness and freedom. 00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:43.039 And then he rose again, defeated the grave, that you might have life in him forevermore. 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:44.720 That's the gospel. 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:52.799 John, would you would you like to begin a relationship with Jesus? 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:54.799 Would you like to put your trust? 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:55.759 That's what faith is. 00:32:55.839 --> 00:32:58.319 It's just putting your trust, it's the weight of your life. 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:00.400 It's just like me sitting in this chair. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:02.640 I trust that it's going to hold me. 00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:04.240 And so I sat down. 00:33:04.720 --> 00:33:08.160 Like I placed the full weight of my life. 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:12.559 Like Jesus, I want you to be the center of my life. 00:33:12.640 --> 00:33:22.880 I've made work the center, or I've made being upwardly mobile, or possessions, or pleasure, or family. 00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:28.640 Today I make you the center of my life. 00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:42.960 And in Bill's, we sat there and we prayed together, and he gave his life to Jesus, and it transformed his life both now and the reality is it transformed his eternity. 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:48.400 A single moment transformed his eternity. 00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:52.160 And as we close today, I just simply want to give you an opportunity. 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:56.960 Maybe this you have that same sense, this empty, this weariness. 00:33:57.200 --> 00:33:58.400 You had no idea. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:08.559 You had a God who loves you, a God who came for you, a God who did anything to be with you, even die for you. 00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:17.519 And so if that's where you're at, would you mind just all together, just praying together? 00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:25.760 And if you want to begin a relationship with God through Jesus, would you just pray with me? 00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:29.840 God, I need you. 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:36.480 I'm spiritually bankrupt. 00:34:37.840 --> 00:34:44.559 I've tried so many things to bring wholeness and life and meaning. 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:48.159 And yet there's still that ache. 00:34:52.639 --> 00:34:57.440 Jesus, today I put my faith, my trust in you. 00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:11.199 I believe that you did come for me, that you did die for me, and that it sounds unbelievable, but you rose again to give me new life. 00:35:12.159 --> 00:35:16.639 Would you come into my life and make me new? 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:24.159 Today I make you the center, the Lord, the king of my life. 00:35:25.599 --> 00:35:40.239 And if you wouldn't mind, just kind of all eyes closed, and we don't do this hardly ever, but if you stepped into a relationship, God, if you made prayed that prayer with me, would you just go ahead and raise your hand so I could pray with you? 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:40.719 And no. 00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:42.480 Just go ahead and lift it high. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:43.519 Praise the Lord. 00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:45.199 Praise the Lord. 00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:47.199 Praise the Lord. 00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:52.880 God, thank you for all the hands that just went up all over the room. 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:56.000 Thank you for your work. 00:35:57.199 --> 00:35:58.880 Thank you for your love. 00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:10.880 In fact, church, I the reality is, is it says that heaven celebrates when someone steps into a relationship with Jesus. 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:13.519 And I just got to tell you, there's hands going up all over. 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:16.800 Could we just celebrate, church, and just clap right now? 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:21.360 I know it's like this amazing moment, but it's just the reality of God's goodness. 00:36:26.800 --> 00:36:31.119 Scripture says that you stepped from death to life. 00:36:31.519 --> 00:36:35.679 That the Spirit of God now lives and dwells and empowers you. 00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:41.760 God, I pray for my friends who just stepped into the family of God. 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:46.079 Would you meet them powerfully and profoundly in this moment? 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:52.000 And may we be a community of church to walk with them in their newfound relationship with you. 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:55.760 In Jesus' name, and all God's people will say amen. 00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:56.800 Let's stand up and worship. 00:36:58.800 --> 00:37:00.960 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:05.599 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:37:05.840 --> 00:37:07.760 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:37:08.079 --> 00:37:13.599 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.comslash card.