What We Really Need
Selected Scriptures
Poem
If the World had needed an educator,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Teacher.
If the World had needed a financial manager,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Economist.
If the world had needed more entertainment,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Actor.
If the World had needed a revolution,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Leader.
But what the world really needed was a Savior,
So God in his mercy sent us Jesus!
- Author Unknown
Thesis:
I believe a look at this poem when read in the light of scripture will show us the gift we each need to give and receive the most this Christmas season.
I.Many Claim that education is what we need the most:
“If the World had needed an educator,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Teacher.”
A)Education Fails to meet the deepest needs of individuals and society.
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Some Scientist report that publicly accessible information used to double every 30 to 50 years, however, since the internet has been created and become commonplace – it now doubles every 2-3 years!
Imagine it:
-The books in all the libraries of the world.
-Out of print books.
-The Magazines past & present.
-The multitude of term papers written by students
-Web-pages
-TV
-Radio
-ETC….
It used to take 30-50 years for publicly accessible information to double now all of the – informative stuff- in the world to doubles every 2-3years!
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Leading educators say that we are in the midst of an information onslaught …
It is said that if you have achieved a college or graduate degree, but do not either continue your education or get a job working in your field…
“You will be outdated and out of touch with your area of study in less than 3 years.”
-Why? Because the available information in your field has already doubled!!!!
*Not only is Information booming – So is education!
·We are educated by the information we process. If more information is available – more education is also informally available.
·More people are educated around the world today than have ever been educated in history – yet the moral and physical condition of our world is declining!
-If education is the answer to all our problems, why does America have the highest crime rate in the world?
-If education is the answer why do some of the worlds most educated people struggle with substance abuse?
-If education is the answer why are so many educated people still depressed and unfulfilled?
A GOOD EDUCATION IS TRULY IMPORTANT, BUT The greatest need for individuals and for society is not a good education or a great teacher – OUR GREATEST NEED IS FOR A SAVIOR.
B)Jesus was educated.
Luke 2:46-49
“46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you." 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?"
·This is the account of the boy Jesus at age 12 – already he was teaching the teachers. He was able to understand, question and teach those who were much older than He was.
·We Can be confident that Jesus received a good education as He grew – it was common for Jewish boys to go to school and be educated.
Verse 52 tells us that Jesus grew even wiser still…
Luke 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”
There is no doubt that Jesus was an educated Man.
C)Jesus was even a Teacher Himself
Through out the New Testament Jesus is addressed by followers as “Teacher or Rabbi”
Jesus also identifies himself as a teacher…
John 14:23-24
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
It is clear from scripture that Jesus was definitely the Great Teacher… however, it is also clear that the focus of Jesus’ ministry was not to teach – BUT TO SAVE!
II.Many claim more wealth is what we need the Most!
If the World had needed a financial manager,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Economist.
A)Money Fails to meet the deepest needs of individuals and society?
Many people feel that money is the most important thing in life…
-They will do anything to get it
-With enough of it they feel they could have happiness.
What do those who have reached a high level of wealth have to say about this issue…
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Residents of Saddle Back California are some of the best-paid professionals in the country, but statistics show that their level of debt is higher than their income. Even with the enormous income that many of them make they still do not feel they have enough. –(Rick Warren in essence)
“Those who earn wages in the top 2% of the country when polled say they do not consider themselves wealthy enough.”
·Wealth will not bring contentment in this life.
·Even if someone is content with their wealth we will still all die.
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When the great J.D. Rockerfeller died a reporter asked his Chief lawyer, “How much did he take with him?”
-The Lawyer replied in a mellow tone “not a penny”
·What if we were to try and equally proportion the wealth – wouldn’t that help society to be more healthy?
-It did not help the USSR
-It has not helped in our cities – Many inner-city public housing facilities are often used as drug houses with their insides gutted out.
-It has not helped on the reservations where casinos were placed “to provide Jobs and wealth” – but have only further caused poverty and abuse.
Money is important…we need it to live…But it is not what we need the most… The greatest need for individuals and for society is not financial management or a good economist– OUR GREATEST NEED IS FOR A SAVIOR
B)Jesus was a Great Economist.
It is interesting that the only subject the Bible discusses more than money is Love.
Jesus knew the place to put His money for the best returns. He Shared this great principle with us – so we also would know how to manage our money.
Matthew 6:19-21
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
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There was a greedy man with great wealth who was determined to take his money with him when he died.
He gave strict orders that when he died all of his stocks and assets were to be liquidated and all his life’s earnings were to placed in his casket and buried with him.
When He finally did die many people came to the graveside service. They were surprised to see the man’s casket closed and lowered into the grave, but apparently empty.
After the service a family member approached the man’s lawyer who had been entrusted with the mans will and asked, “What happened to all the money that was supposed to be buried with him?”
The Lawyer smirked and replied, “Don’t worry about that – I wrote him a check.”
And it goes with earthly wealth – in time it will all be lost - even with the best planning!
Starting and maintaining a Heavenly account is the only safe investment.
Jesus knew this principle well. He was the best Economist of all times because He lived his life fully in the economy of God! Willing to use all his wealth and even his life itself to redeem us.
Why? – Because heart was with the Father.
It is clear from scripture that Jesus was definitely the Great Economist… however, it is also clear that the focus of Jesus’ ministry was not money – BUT TO SALVATION!
III.Many Claim entertainment is what we need the most.
If the world had needed more entertainment,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Actor.
A)Entertainment Fails to meet the deepest needs of individuals and society.
If ever there has been an age of entertainment it is this one.
*It could be argued that we no longer work just to live…but work to be better entertained.
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The #1 export of America around the world is Entertainment.
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IT is interesting that after only a few days of grieving and repenting in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy – it was back to entertainment as usual.
The common cry among entertainers was – “we need something to take our mind off of the pain – we cannot grieve forever.”
I went to renew my license plates in LA the day after the tragedy and a worker had the audacity to complain to a co-worker that all of her regular shows had been interrupted the day of the event. She went on to say it was too painful for her and she wanted to forget and go on as if nothing had happened.
The deepest needs of individuals and society is not good entertainment to take us into a fantasy world that causes us forget our pain – Our greatest need if for a savior!
B)Jesus was no actor – But he was entertaining to many.
Luke 23:8-11
“8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.”
“Miracle” – means “a sign”
“The use of the word sign in the Synoptic Gospels occurs in situations where various people asked Jesus to perform to give a sign of His authority. Jesus always refused such requests.” (Complete Biblical Library)
Jesus had no intention of entertaining Herod. But Herod treated Jesus as if he was just an actor or magician who performed weak gimmicks to deceive commoners. Herod’s motives become clear in verse ll.
11 "Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate."
Jesus was dressed in a robe like a fake king to symbolize – He was a fake, just an actor.
It is clear from scripture that the miracles of Jesus Were definitely entertaining… however, it is also clear that the focus of Jesus’ ministry was not to entertain – BUT TO Bring SALVATION!
IV.Many claim that a revolution is what the world needs the most.
If the World had needed a revolution,
God in His mercy would have sent us a Great Leader.
A)Revolutions Fail to meet the deepest needs of individuals and society.
There have been many revolutions great and small that have rocked the world – Still the world suffers.
There have been many good leaders – Yet the world is lost.
B)Jesus was a Great Leader and He caused a revolution.
John 6:14-15
14 After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.
Jesus was a great ruler and a worthy King…
The Revolution that Jesus caused is still going on…it has toppled governments brought down rulers and many have died for a cause worth dying for.
Jesus was a revolutionary…however; It is clear from scripture that Jesus did not come to cause a revolt in the land of Israel… The focus of Jesus’ ministry was not to revolt against an earthly kingdom that would fall. – BUT TO Bring SALVATION!
V.What the world really needed was a savior.
What the world really needed was a Savior,
So God in his mercy sent us Jesus!
John 3:16-18
16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[1] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son
-Education,
-Money,
-Entertainment,
-Leadership,
Are all prominent aspects of American life… but all fail to answer the true human need!
Only a Savior can free us from our broken lives and hopeless futures.
Only a Savior can bring fulfillment to our lives.
The best place to look this year for the most ideal gift is not under the Christmas tree, but under the tree of Calvary where ribbons of Jesus’ blood flowed to wrap each of us in the warmth of His love.
Romans 10:13
13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
