"Formulas for Life" Part 2
Dean AngellAugust 14, 2005
I Corinthians 1:25 (NIV)
“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.”
The things God thinks are often the opposite of what we think. The things that God does are often the opposite of what we would do.
The things God calls us to do are often the opposite of what everybody else tells us.
Formula’s for Life – Backwards thinking that works in the kingdom of heaven.
LESS = MORE
We’ve all heard the line that says less is more when we’re talking about decorating a house or perhaps with certain kinds of colors being worn together or eating cheese cake . . . and it’s true but I got thinking about this whole less is more deal in broader terms this summer. We camped this summer. Now, I’m not a real – roughen it - tough it out kind of a camper. I don’t like tents and I like hot showers and I don’t really like the smell of smoke in my clothes . . . so . . . we’ve got a 5 th wheel trailer . . . that’s about as rough as it gets for me. Anyways . . . what I noticed is that our family along with everyone else in our campground – does vacation with less than they do the rest of life . . . Here’s what I mean – our family spent almost everyday all day together for a month . . . and had the time of our lives with, what? One little bucket of sand toys on a small patch of sand on a lake . . . that was the entertainment. We had a camp stove for most of the cooking, plastic dishes to eat on, and ice for a fridge . . . we used very little technology (no phone), and all of us were living and sleeping in less than 400 square feet of living space . . . and you know what? It was awesome . . . the best vacation yet . . . Now, here’s the bizarre part . . . the rest of the year when we’re not on vacation . . . and it seems like there’s got to be 10X the toys and 5X the technology – 4X the living space – at least 3X the entertainment and so much stuff in the rest of our lives that our storage rooms and garage are busting at the seams . . . . . . What is up with that?
And I saw it all summer long – people “getting away from it all” and just living with less in order to have more.
A life with less somehow = more life and more rest and more joy and more peace and more happiness . . .
Less = More . . . And into that experience came these words of Jesus . . .
Matthew 5:3-10 (NIV)
"Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek , for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness , for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .
Now, when I read those words this week . . . I noticed the truth of this less is more thing and then I noticed the contrast of those words to our society – I noticed what Jesus didn’t say . . .
I noticed that He didn’t say – blessed are those who have incredibly busy schedules – or blessed are those who have a big house with lots of possessions to fill that house. He didn’t’ even say blessed are those who have the latest (blackberry/PDA) or the latest technical gadgetry . . .
And He certainly didn’t say blessed are you if you can be reached at any moment of any day – no matter where you are in any corner of the world . . .
No – He used words like meek and pure in heart and poor in spirit and merciful . . . to describe what more life was about . . . What He said was Less is More – less stuff - less schedule - less pressure – just less . . . . . . will give your spirit more room to breathe . . . And more space to grow int your life . . .
There is a very famous statement made describing Jesus life . . . and how He lived it that fits right in with this thinking – it’s called one solitary life . . . (Poem - One Solitary Life)
One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. He then became an itinerant preacher. He never held an office. He ever had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the public turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trail. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. He was laid in a borrowed grave. Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that
One Solitary Life .
Folks, Less = More in God’s economy . . . and some how we’ve read that equation backwards in this society and in most of our lives . . .
So that’s the first bit of math for us to think through today – If you want more out of life – try less.
Down > Up
I Peter 5:5b-6 (NIV)
“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Here are some other words that describe humble:
Not proud – or arrogant – modest – unpretentious – submissive – meek – unassuming – plain – common – poor – lowly . . .
Now . . . when is the last time you’ve heard anybody say that that list of words is how to succeed in life . . .
. . . You won’t find many motivational speakers using that as their message for how to find success . . .
You won’t see many late night info-mercials that sell humility . . .
Humility and meekness and submission and plain just don’t sell too many books or DVD’s or seats at a seminar . . . Humble pie doesn’t sell to our society . . . But with God it sells . . .
In fact in the spiritual realm . . . humility is what success is based on . . .
The bible says that it’s in a lowly stance where we get lifted up by God – Down > Up and it’s backwards math in our world. It doesn’t make sense to us . . .
Our whole lives we are taught that to succeed is to win . . . pretty much as any cost . . . whether it’s a 10 year old in sports or gettins A’s in school or the # of friends your kids should have or the type of career and salary you should attain to – and/or the level of status or recognition your career or position brings to your name or the lifestyle your must attain to . . . Success in our society is always about up . . . and winning and more and better and pride . . . and you know what? There’s lots of good in all that – it’s good to push ourselves and it’s great to rise to the top and it’s great to have a long list of accomplishments and be successful . . . Its great to make a name for yourself . . . (wait) as long as all that success and winning doesn’t get in the way of our ability to not take the credit . . . Because when we start taking the credit . . . we are no longer humble . . .
Folks, the truth is . . . it is God who gives us life and it’s God who gives us breath and it’s God who created our strengths and abilities and minds and even your drive to succeed – and its God who is in control of every blessing that falls your way.
And when we get confused about that . . . our spirits begin to grow smaller . . . when we get all puffed up and proud and think we’re all that . . . and that its us who control our destiny . . .
What happens is . . . God just has less and less and less to work with . . .
The more pride we have . . .the less soul God gets to work with . . . He opposes the proud but he gives grace to – the humble – God can work with humility . . . but He won’t work with pride . . .
Marriage – towel?
Celebrate 17 years – July 9
Philippians 2:3 & 5-8 (NIV) (one slide)
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) (2 nd slide)
“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ”
Folks, that’s the math in God’s kingdom and it seems backwards . . . but Down > Up and humility is stronger than pride and if you really want to be successful try serving the people around you . . . because
God can’t work with a proud and haughty spirit – but He enlarges and grows and develops and multiplies light in a soul that is humble . . . . . . so try working that equation real success lies under it . . .
Security Does Not Equal Savings
I’ve been taking little swings all morning at some of the things we hold onto and a little tightly . . . in our lives . . . Well I’ve got one more . . . if you’ll stay with me . . . And it’s the whole notion of where our future security comes from in our lives . . . (and again . . . saying this one won’t win me a popularity contest or sell too many C.D.’s) But folks . . . we’re told all of our lives to save $ and collect possessions and acquire wealth and plan to take care of ourselves during retirement . . . and so we plan and save and worry . . . and then we worry and save and plan . . . and we spend a huge amount of energy trying to take care of our future selves . . . and control the outcome of our lives and that’s all good. And again there’s nothing wrong with planning that as long as it doesn’t over take our faith . . .
Hear this . . .it’s fine to save for someday . . . if we don’t get confused about whose in control of someday . . .
Here’s what Jesus said . . .
Matthew 6:19-21 & 24 (NIV) (on screen)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Matthew 6:25-31 & 33, 34 (NIV)
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Folks, I don’t think Jesus was saying never save and don’t have a retirement plan. I think what He was saying was . . .
What controls you? What’s your motivation for wanting more? And where’s your heart at? . . . Because the math maybe backwards in the kingdom of heaven . . . but it’s simple . . . Your heart goes with your treasure . . . and if your treasure is all about amassing more . . . for security reasons and if your goal is to acquire wealth simply for the present life . . . Jesus would say . . .your treasure is in the wrong place and so is your heart . . . and His words would simply say security has nothing to do with external stuff like $ or possessions . . . security comes from treasuring eternal things.
So people don’t spend your life . . . worrying about $ - and serving $ - but instead serve God . . . and seek first His kingdom. Figure out how to store up treasure in heaven . . . and spend your life and energy and money making that secure . . .
Folks, those are the equations that add up in the
kingdom . . .
Less = More . . .
Less stuff = More Freedom and More Life
Down > Up – as we humble ourselves before God . . . He is the one who lifts us us . . .
And Security Does Not Equal Savings . . .
Where your treasure is . . . there your heart will be also . . .
