The Meaning of Life

that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Have you fallen into the trap of thinking that life is all about accumulating more and more?
Have you let your relationship with God slide?
Have you been doing anything of eternal significance?
Have you been sacrificing things that really matter in order to get more?
- Marriage
- Children
- Ministry involvement

I am not saying that there is anything wrong with having things, only that they cannot be allowed to become the focus of life.
It is easy to lose focus and slip away.

2. Life is not about reputation.

Luke 22:24-29
Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me

John 13:13-15
"You call me ’Teacher’ and ’Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

Illustration:
Picture a young married couple who have just been to an evening function for employees of his company. They are walking home and she is visibly upset. She is shaking and obviously very angry as she chastises him for leaving her alone and vulnerable while he went off to play pool with some co-workers in another room. There are tears at the corners of her eyes as she tells him how lonely she felt and how insensitive he was for not thinking of her feelings.
He reaches a point where he has had enough so he leans in close to her face and screams, “What is wrong with you? Are you six years old? Are you to stupid to carry on an adult conversation without my lead? He throws in some profanity and tells her that he regrets the day he married her.
She cowers under the abusive tirade and he wins the argument by intimidating her with his size and volume into quietly crying to herself and not mentioning it again. A little piece of her love for him dies and she loses a little more of the respect she once had for him.

This is the world’s way. He handled it in the manner of this world. He used his strength to bully her into submission, but is he really winning? He is the big strong tough guy who knows how to keep his wife in line, but deep down she thinks he is a coward. Why?

The Jesus way, the way that we are here celebrating today, is the true way of strength. He should have taken her in his arms, he should have made himself of no reputation, and he should have pleaded with her, “Oh baby, I am so sorry; I forget sometimes that I am not single anymore, I can be such an insensitive clod. Please forgive me, you mean so much more to me than my buddies from work. I promise I will never do that to again.

In the first scenario he protects his reputation as a man.
In the second scenario he humbles himself