10/22/2024
Leftovers Continued…
It’s not just the fact that God is un-impressed by our leftovers, it actually goes deeper than that. In a sense, Jesus is passionately and purposely opposed to anything leftover. To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to work diligently to make sure that in the end nothing at all is left over.
You might have heard various voices in our society say, He who dies with the most toys wins. But Leonard Sweet says for the faithful follower of Jesus today it’s the opposite--it’s He who bounces his last check wins. In other words, when I’ve used everything that has been entrusted to me faithfully, joyfully, generously—there will nothing left over. The leading indicator of a well-lived life will not be a collection of fine things, a weighty stock portfolio or an impressive estate, but the legacy of love we leave behind.
In a very real sense, we will know we have ‘made it’ if we have used what we’ve been given not to make our own lives easier or more comfortable, but if we’ve used what we have been given to make a difference in our world. When the time comes for us to go and be with our God—and that time will come for all of us here--it makes sense to have nothing left over. Because at that point, we can’t use it. God doesn’t want it. So it’s our job to get rid of it—to provide a feast of grace here and now.
One day I know I will stand before my Lord and God as naked as the day I was born. I will be left with only two things: empty hands and a joyful heart. I want to be able to stand there and know with some confidence that I have used what I have been given mindfully and faithfully. I want to be able to stand there knowing that the best of what I had was what I shared with those I love, with the Lord I serve, and those who needed even more than myself. What a moment that will be, but it will only be wonderful if I share what I have been given now, today. I know that tomorrow will take care of itself, because I know that my God will always take care of his child.
Archived Posts
Prayer Changes Things
Here is a transcript of the prayer I prayed at the end of yesterday’s sermon.
Optimism, Faith, and Hope:
Practical Steps For Increasing All Three
Here are some practical, spiritual, and relational ways to grow faith, hope and optimism:
Listening Heart
It’s kind of crazy when you think about it. Wisdom in the Bible is all about listening. Of course it makes sense that wisdom would start with listening to God, to God’s law and commandments, as well as the promptings and leadings of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some quotes that
didn’t make it into Sunday’s sermon.
(But it doesn’t mean that they don’t offer real insight into the power of risk over the fear of failure...)
Such A Rich Passage (Luke 19:1-10)
I reflected a lot on the passage about Zacchaeus because it has been written off as “been there, read that, little guy in a tree.” But it is so rich in getting to the heart of what it means to be saved by grace through faith—to live our lives out of gratitude rather than obligation.
The Power of Presence
This last Sunday I had so much more to share than time to share it. The last Emotional Management Technique was to stay present in the process. Just as Jesus stayed with the woman who was judged and found guilty by the angry crowd, we stay by our children and our friends, especially when they need us the most. Here a couple of examples...
What’s In A Benediction?
Last Sunday I used one of my favorite benedictions.
It was inspired by a saying from about ten years ago: