We started a new series last week called I HEART. We talked about New York.
New York’s slogan is I HEART NEW YORK. There are hundreds of different things to love about New York… shopping, food, tourist attractions, sports, tall buildings… pretty much everything. But the slogan was written by the people who actually live in New York.
So… the slogan actually means, I love my city or I love my home. I HEART my home.
We looked at Jesus’ response to 3 guys who wanted to follow Him in Luke 9. They came up to Jesus wanting to follow Him… and He replies back with the craziest responses.
Pretty much, Jesus says “no, you don’t… go away.” And with the first guy the reason that Jesus gives is that Jesus is homeless. He has no place to lay His head. He has no house and He has no home.
This week, you are not going to like me after I tell you what we are going to talk about. It is something that we all love too much. And it is something that very few of us would be willing to give up.
Are you ready to hear this week’s HEART? I HEART CELL PHONE. Before we all get too crazy, let’s talk about what the cell phone actually represents.
What does your cell phone represent in your life? My cell phone is my connection with the world… my friends, my family, my life
Let’s think of it this way, how many of you have ever lost your cell phone… if even for 5 minutes? It falls out of your pocket… you put it down somewhere… someone borrows it and doesn’t tell you… And every time that you lose it, it is on vibrate.
What is the only thing that you can think about when you lose your cell phone? I have to find my cell phone. Why? Because your cell phone represents your connection to the world… your connection to life.
We live in a world where things happen so quickly that if we are gone for an hour, we have completely missed out.
Think about it… CNN has news footage of the plane crash on the Hudson River within an hour of the crash. People aren’t even off the plane yet and there is a film crew there.
When is the last time that you planned a month in advance to hang out with your friends? Maybe never. Everything is done instantly through texting and calling. When I was a kid, I had to ask my mom the day before to go over to a friend’s house. I couldn’t text her during class.
Everything is so instant in our world. And 10 minutes without my cell phone could mean that I miss something. And I am not bashing you guys… I am the same way.
When we go over to Ryan and Modesty’s apartment, I get bad coverage. I have honestly thought that going there may at some point force me to miss something in life. In fact, last Saturday night we were there and a friend called me. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him, because I dropped my signal about 15 seconds into the call.
Our lives are completely wrapped up in these small, handheld telephones. I can get texts, email, calls, watch TV, play games, get on the internet… all on this little, handheld telephone. Oh… and it can do so much more... let’s watch
(watch video clip making fun of iPhone)
That’s just a joke about everything you can do on an iPhone… but it makes the same point. Our lives are completely wrapped up in these little devices.
And before we open the Bible, I want to clarify one thing… the words “cell phone” are not in the Bible. In fact, there is nothing in Bible times that could even compare to our cell phones.
That is why, we defined cell phones as our connection to our friends and families and the world.
So… we are going to look at the first 4 disciples. Andrew, Peter, James, and John. Let’s open to Matthew 4, verse 18… As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for the fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.
This is probably a story that you have heard before. Maybe even sung the song… I will make you fishers of men… if you follow me.
Here Jesus calls the first 4 disciples. And they immediately follow Him. They leave everything and follow “the Messiah” (is how John puts it). In fact, James and John get out of their boat and leave their father in the boat.
They are like… “See ya dad, thanks for all the years of teaching us how to fish, but we’re not fishing anymore.” “We’re fishing for men.”
These disciples leave everything. Their jobs, their families, their friends, their homes… everything. They completely leave their lives.
Now I know what you’re thinking… but if they had cell phones, their cell phones could come with them. And you are right, but that’s not the point. The point is… they didn’t have cell phones and they lost all contact with their world. They lost contact with their families. They lost contact with their friends. They gave up contact with everyone else for God.
Last week, we talked about houses and homes. And I said that having a house is not bad. God doesn’t say anywhere in the Bible… you must be homeless. He says “be willing to give up your home for Me.”
And so this week, as we talk about cell phones, God is not saying smash your cell phone into the ground. He is not saying drop your cell phone in a toilet. God is not anti-cell phone. I am not completely anti-cell phone.
But… God is saying be willing to give up EVERYTHING for me. Even if that includes your contact with your world, give up everything.
Cell phones are our lives. We are lost without our cell phones. Our entire lives revolve around our cell phones. That’s funny… I’ve sung songs with the same lyrics… only those songs are about God.
Did you realize that if you HEART-ed God in the exact same way that you HEART your cell phone, you would probably be the strongest Christian in the world?
I want to tell you guys the story of my life with a cell phone. I got a cell phone right before I got married. Keyla insisted that I have a cell phone so that she could get a hold of me and in case of emergency.
I have never used my cell phone in the case of an emergency. I was close once, but I have never used it for its intended purpose. You know that’s why cell phones were originally marketed right? In case of emergency. They were the next step after car phones, because they are completely mobile.
So, spent 21 years without a cell phone. Then, I got one and almost never used it. I had a pay as you go plan and it cost 2 cents to text. So, I would text Keyla when I was on my way home from work. That was it.
I did not like my phone and in fact, did not use it very often. For about the first 6 months, I never spoke on the phone while driving.
Eventually Alltel came out with my circle which allowed me to talk to Keyla for free, so we got a calling plan and I began to use my phone to call Keyla and Mark and Mike (the two guys I worked with). Soon, I began calling my dad and Thomas. But I still only used about an hour a month. At this point, I had quit texting.
Then, I started having more responsibilities at work and I was calling people everyday. I would drive and talk at the same time.
Then, we moved out here and Alltel wouldn’t give us local numbers, because they don’t service here. So, we switched our plans to Verizon and we got texting.
Now, I have my phone at my side at all times. I sleep at night with my ringer on… just in case. I text more than I call. I never don’t have my cell phone. I turn around and go back home, if I leave my phone at home.
Now let’s imagine that this story about my relationship with God….
I got God right before I got married. Keyla insisted that I have God so that He could get a hold of me and in case of emergency.
I have never used God in the case of an emergency. I was close once.
So, spent 21 years without God. Then, I got God and almost never interacted with Him. I would pray and read my Bible only once in a while.
I did not like God and in fact, did not use it very often. For about the first 6 months, I never spoke to God while I was busy.
Eventually I found a church were I got more involved with God, so I started to interact with God a little bit more. Soon, I began growing with God little by little. But I still only used God a couple hours a month.
Then, I started having more responsibilities at church and I was in the Word and praying almost every day. I would interact with God at all times.
Then, we moved out here and my entire life became about God. A new ministry where I could serve God full-time, all the time.
Now, I have God at my side at all times. I sleep at night with my ringer on… just in case. I never don’t have God. I turn around and go back home, if I leave God at home.
It’s kind of a dumb story, but my love for my God should be so much more than my love for my cell phone.
Let’s finish the story of the first 4 disciples, Matthew 19:27… Peter answered Him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or field for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and inherit eternal life.
Peter asks… what do I get? I gave up everything. We gave up everything.
Jesus replies “In heaven, you will receive 100 times what you gave up on earth… and even better than that… you get eternal life. You get GOD.”
And if God isn’t your prize, then you are living a life for something worthless.
So… I HEART CELL PHONE. I love my connection with the world. And God says; Love Me more than your cell phone. Give Me everything, including your cell phone.
What if every time you used your cell phone you prayed? That would be a lot of praying. What if every time you used your cell phone you read a Bible verse? You would probably know a lot of the Bible.
Which is more important… your cell phone or your God?
I HEART CELL PHONE.
