INTRO.- ILL.- One man said: "Ever since we got married, my wife has tried to change me. She got me to stop drinking, smoking and running around until all hours of the night. She taught me how to dress well, enjoy the fine arts, gourmet cooking, classical music, even how to invest in the stock market."
"Sounds like you may be bitter because she changed you so drastically," remarked his friend. "I’m not bitter. Now that I’m so improved, she just isn’t good enough for me."
Have you changed lately? Have you improved yourself any way in the past year or so? Are you growing up or maybe, just outward? Are you growing inwardly and upwardly?
ILL.- Britney Spears is making a comeback. But to what? Will she be a better Britney or something else? Some people change but not for the better.
She recently starred in her own "Circus" on Dec. 2nd, performing songs from her new album of that name under a big top in New York City, unveiling plans for a 2009 tour and celebrating her 27th birthday.
Spears performed new songs under the Big Apple Circus tent in Manhattan for ABC breakfast show "Good Morning America" and announced plans for a 26-city North American tour, starting in New Orleans on March 3, and two concerts in London in June.
The pop star is attempting a comeback from a high-profile meltdown, which included stints in rehab and psychiatric hospital units, an ugly divorce, losing custody of her two sons and shaving her head, among other things.
When she blew, she really blew it. However, one man said, "Old Britney I think is back. She seems more real, more put together. She has the right people behind her now." Well, I guess time will tell.
If she’d been listening to her parents in the first place she might not have gone so far off the deep end, BUT SHE WOULDN’T LISTEN. She was famous and making big money so she wouldn’t listen to anybody, except those who steered her in the wrong direction. BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS. (I Cor. 15:33)
Even grown kids don’t often listen to their parents because they think they know better. After all, they’re grown. They’re making a living so they know what’s what. REALLY?
Honestly, I think all of us need help, no matter what age we reach. We all make mistakes. We all blow it spiritually and often, go our own way instead of doing the Lord’s will.
I say, this is the season to live, but for what?
PROP.- Tis the season to live, but for what?
1- Tis the season to live for sin - not
2- Tis the season to live for self - not
I. TIS THE SEASON TO LIVE FOR SIN - NOT
ILL.- A football player goes into the church and asks his preacher, "Would it be a sin for me to play the game on Sundays?"
The preacher replied, "Well, I’ve been watching your games, and I think it would be a sin for you to play on any day."
It would be a sin for me to play football any time, any day, because it would be a big waste of my time, the Lord’s time and the team I played for.
ILL.- One time a preacher used Romans 3:22-23 as his text, which read, "There is no difference. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." An educated man approached the preacher and asked him, "Did you mean there is no difference between a moral man and an immoral man?"
The preacher said, "I did not mean that there is no room for comparison between them. One is a moral sinner and the other is an immoral sinner. One is a superior sinner and the other is an inferior sinner, but both are sinners and lost before God."
Brothers and sisters, I don’t care what kind of sinner a person is, good sinner or bad sinner, moral sinner or immoral, they are still sinners. And sometimes people may classify themselves as being a good sinner, consequently, they don’t think they need to stop doing anything or be forgiven for anything.
Sin is still sin, regardless of how you classify it. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
ILL.- One time a prominent novelist who was a skeptic visited a revival meeting out of curiosity. When the invitation call was given a member of the revival team approached him and asked, "Are you saved?" He said, "No." "Do you want God to forgive you of your sins?" He replied, "No, I like my sins."
I think this is probably true for most people. Sin can be, in some cases, very pleasurable and consequently, people don’t want to give up their sins. We’re living in that time. Most people want to live in their sin and wallow in it like a sow in the mud.
Romans 1:21 "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Doesn’t this sound like some people today? They know God is real but they don’t seek after Him, they don’t give Him thanks. The average person today probably never thinks about saying thanks to God on a daily basis for meals or anything else. Nor do they think about whispering praise to Him for every little blessing they receive.
ILL.- It’s like this. How long have we experienced much lower gas prices? Several months and it’s getting lower all the time. $1.29 per gallon. So what? Have you thanked God lately? Have you whispered or shouted praise to Him? If not, why not? And what other blessings have you been given for which you haven’t said thanks? If we don’t give thanks then what about those who don’t know God and Christ? I doubt they give thanks.
We’re living in a very ungrateful society. Many people recognize the good things they enjoy but do they give thanks to the One person who makes them all possible?
Rom. 1:22 "Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools."
Doesn’t this sound like some people today? Some claim to be smart, intelligent but their actions betray them or portray them as being foolish!
ILL.- For example, Oprah Winfrey is worth about 3 billion dollars. That makes most people think she is one very smart lady, however, she has left her childhood Christian faith behind her. And that fact alone makes her pretty foolish as far as I am concerned.
And do you remember what Jesus said about money? Matt. 16:26 "What shall it profit a man if he/she gains the whole world and loses his/her soul?"
Rom. 1:23 "They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."
Doesn’t this sound like many people today? They exchange God for images of animals or something else. People do it all the time. People exchange God for play and pleasure, for sports, for entertainment, for all kinds of things, etc. They have substituted these things for God.
ILL.- A young man invested his life savings in a new Ferrari sports car, and having made the investment of his life, felt that he ought to have someone bless his car—just to be on the safe side. Unsure of whom to call, he phoned the local Methodist preacher, who said, “Yes, it’s a bit out of the ordinary but I do bless things for people” but then he added, “Oh, by the way, what’s a Ferrari?”
There are some things that people feel they just can’t do without and these things have become a god to them.
Rom. 1:24-25 "Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."
Doesn’t this sound like many people today? Sexual impurity. The degrading of their bodies with one another. Instead of engaging in natural affection and sexual activity, they engage in the illicit and unnatural sexual activity. It’s called the Gay lifestyle and it’s rampant in America!
They exchange the truth of God for a lie. Like what? Like evolution, like how we got here, and ike most people think that when a person dies that’s the end, etc. These are lies that many people believe instead of believing the truth of God!
I am suggesting to you that it’s the season that many to live FOR sin and IN sin, but not for those who belong to Christ!
I Thess. 4:3-4 "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable."
I Thess. 5:21-22 "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." Avoid, avoid. Why? Because evil is damning, that’s why!
Romans 12:1-2 "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
This is what we’re what talking about! We’re supposed to be different and live differently than most people in the world! But how can we avoid the sin of this world as much as possible?
ILL.- A man was reading about an "eat-all-you-want" diet. He said to a friend: "I knew there’d be a catch to it. You have to run seven hundred miles a day!"
There is always a "catch" to sinful living. If food is your downfall then stay out of buffets. If drink is a problem, you simply stay out of the devil’s territory wherever that is!
Beyond this, what can we do? We must stay IN the Lord’s territory. There is only one defense against anything that is sinful and that’s the Lord.
Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night."
Psalm 119:11 "Thy Word have I hid in my heart..."
ILL.- Someone wisely said, "Sin will keep from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from sin." And the same is true for worship and prayer time. We need the Word, worship and prayer to overcome the sinfulness of this world! Tis the season.
II. TIS THE SEASON TO LIVE FOR SELF - NOT
ILL.- Remember the Rubik’s cube? The Rubik’s Cube is a mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.
Did you ever have one? Did you ever try to work one? Could you do it? I never could even though I tried many times. You either have to be a genius or a dummy to be able to do it.
If you ever thought that working a Rubik’s cube was hard I can tell you something that’s a lot harder. AND THAT’S PUTTING YOUR LIFE BACK IN ORDER THE WAY GOD WANTS IT!
Romans 2:7-8 "7To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger." Wow!
Most people live for self. They are self-seeking. They are more concerned about their own lives, their own money, their own pleasures than caring for others.
ILL.- Do you remember when the BIG 3 auto makers first appeared before congress in regard to asking for a 25-billion dollar bailout? And do you remember when quizzed if those CEO’s would be willing to take a pay cut? Zero. Zip. No way. Several basically said, "My salary is fine just the way it is."
However, I think they are starting to back down now, because they know if they don’t they may not get bailed out. And they may not anyway.
ILL.- A man named George said: While working as a mall Santa, I had many children ask for electric trains. "If you get a train," I would tell each one, "you know your dad is going to want to play with it too. Is that okay?" The usual answer was a quick yes. But after I asked one boy this question, he became very quiet.
Trying to move the conversation along, I asked what else he would like Santa to bring him. He promptly replied, "Another train."
ILL.- One afternoon, a wealthy lawyer was riding in the back of his limousine when he saw two pathetic-looking men by the side of the road, eating grass. He ordered his driver to stop and got out to investigate. He asked the men, "Why are you eating grass?"
"We don’t have no money for food," the first man replied. "Then you must come with me to my house," insisted the lawyer. "But, sir, I got a wife and three kids here," said the man. "Bring them along!" replied the lawyer. The second man exclaimed, "I got a wife and six kids!" "Bring them as well!", the lawyer proclaimed as he headed back to his limo.
They all climbed into the car, and once underway, one of the men expresses, "Sir, you are too kind. Thank you for taking all of us with you." The lawyer replied, "I’m most happy to do it. You’ll love my place. The grass is almost a foot tall."
That lawyer was only thinking about himself. This is the way it is for most people. We think about what pleases us, how to take care of us, what things we enjoy doing, etc. instead of thinking of others. And this is the way of the world, but it should not be for us who are in Christ.
Gal. 5:13 "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."
Phil. 2:4 "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
As people who are united with the Lord we should be thinking about serving one another in love. We should be concerned about what we can do for others!
Jesus was characterized by Peter in Acts 10:38 as one who "went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him."
Jesus went around doing good to others because God was with him. Is God with you?
God did not put us here to live for self, but to live for others. If he had been thinking only about Himself He wouldn’t have sent Jesus to save us!
CONCLUSION----------------------
Tis the Christmas season, which should mean many things to us. But mostly, it should be mean to follow Christ, not the world. It should mean to serve others, not ourselves.
ILL.- David Livingstone, the great missionary to Africa, said, "I had rather be in the heart of Africa in the will of God than on the throne of England out of the will of God." We can be IN the will of God here in Jonesboro, AR, or anywhere for that matter, if we will seek to glorify God in everything we do and say. Tis the season to do the will of God!
