Introduction:
AG: I don’t often pay attention to what celebrities have to save, but Easter Sunday, Donnie Walburg tweeted this:
Life's short, LIVE IT!
Hate's weak, STOP IT!
Hope's real, KEEP IT!
Fear's poison, FACE IT!
Love's eternal, FEEL IT!
Time's wasting, DO IT!
RS: That got me to thinking. That sounded like a sermon! In fact, that sounded like many sermons. And with that, this series was born.
Life's short live it
What a profound statement!
1. Life's short
IL: I used to love working on the ambulance. I admit it, I’m a recovering adrenaline junkie. There was something thrilling of answering the call with lights blazing and sirens wailing. Especially when I was an Intermediate and could start IV’s. I felt like Roy and Gage on Emergency!
Then the inevitable happened. I was traveling from the station home after leading a day of extrication training. I came upon the scene of several people gathered in the road and cars lining the shoulders. As I came even with what I had assumed to be a pet, I was stunned to see a child in the road. A woman looked up at me and through my window which was down asked all who heard, “Can anyone help my baby?” I immediately hit the ditch and ran to the child. I did CPR on the child who was lying across the yellow line. It seemed like forever until the ambulance arrived and took over.
After that, it was no longer fun. I have never enjoyed EMS as much as I once did. I still volunteer and help, but the thrill is gone. I had learned the lesson, that life is short.
Several writers of the Scripture have also commented on the brevity of life. James, the half-brother of Jesus said in James 4:14. (NKJV)14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” The Psalmist in Psalm 102:11 says, “My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass.” HCSB
Steam and grass are used to illustrate that life is short. All last a short time. Watch a pot boil, the steam doesn’t stay around long! Watch grass in the summer here in Texas. It doesn’t take but a few days of scorching heat and no water to see it whither!
Life is short! Since life is short, we must LIVE it!
2. Live It
John records the words of Jesus in John 10:10 ESV “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly”
I don’t believe Jesus was just talking about going through motions. He didn’t mean living to be just having a heart keep pumping and breath keep going. He didn’t mean get in your rut until you lie down and it becomes a grave as they throw dirt on you.
He wants us to live! He described is giving us life abundantly. That means living life to the fullest. That my friends is a real life!
Let us take that word, life, and look at 5 aspects of abundant life.
1. Limitless Power
I'll: One day as teen, I ran out of gas. I really wasn’t to blame. You see my mother had driven my car and parked in driveway. The next day, I got in my car and as I was backing out of the driveway, I ran out of gas!
If we miss the strength that comes from Christ, we can run out spiritual gas. Remember the claim of Paul in Philippians 4:13, I am able to do all things through Him[b] who strengthens me.
Isaiah 40:28-31 has always been a special passage of Scripture to me. All you have to do is look in my office and see the many eagles there to tell that. It says,
“Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Yahweh is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the whole earth.
He never grows faint or weary;
there is no limit to His understanding.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and strengthens the powerless.
30 Youths may faint and grow weary,
and young men stumble and fall,
31 but those who trust in the LORD
will renew their strength;
they will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary;
they will walk and not faint.
That passage means more to me now than it ever has. It always spoke to my spirit about spiritual things. However, seven years ago I was one who stumbled and fell. I was one who fainted and grew weary. I was in bed unable to roll over on my own. I had developed Guillain-Barre Syndrome. That disorder had left my nervous system unable to communicate with my muscles. However, as healing occurred, I was able to move again. I regained the ability to walk, and now have that renewed strength.
In our lives, we have limitless power! God gives us power to accomplish His purpose in our lives. He makes us strong as we serve Him. He equips us to do His will as His Spirit flows through us
Paul in Ephesians 3:13-16 says, “13 Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory. 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man”
That word, “power” in vs 16 is dunamis. Sounds a lot like dynamite! We have His power working in and through us to accomplish His will.
2. Infinite potential
There was a father who came to Jesus and asked if He could deliver his son from a demon. Mark records his answer in 9:23 ‘If you can believe, All things are possible for one who believes.” NKJV
IL: When I taught 8th grade science, I had students whom I loved by always frustrated me. They were bright and creative. They had all sorts of potential, but they didn’t know it. One year, there was an especially intelligent young lady doing far less than her potential, so I began the infinite potential award. I wanted her to know that I and the rest of her teachers, saw so much more in her than she saw in herself. I wanted her to tap into that potential and reach the heights to which I knew she could.
Many Christians and churches settle for less than their full potential. There is nothing TOO BIG for God to do through us. Notice the following verses and the encouragement they give us to reach for our infinite potential. The Psalmist says in Psalm 18:28-29. “28 LORD, You light my lamp; my God illuminates my darkness. 29 With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall.”
This reminds me of the story of Jonathan and his squire. They had drawn close to a garrison of the Philistines. They agreed to show themselves to the guards and if they were challenged to stand their ground and wait for the philistines, they would know to leave. However, if the guards taunted them by challenging them to come up to the garrison, they would know God had handed them over. The guards taunted them, and Jonathan and his armor bearer destroyed them. 2 men took on a fort!
Visible Path
We also have a visible path.
Growing up, we went to Daniel Springs Baptist Campgrounds. They girls had life easy there. They could see their cabins from the tabernacle. For us guys it was a different story. We had to cross a creek which had carved out a small gully, go through a field on a path that winded in and out of trees and crossed small gullies and washes. Most of the time, there was no light. That crooked, uneven path was difficult in the dark! We learned to bring flashlights and spare batteries or we learned how to fall with grace!
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” As live by God’s word, it shows the path of righteousness. It illuminates the pitfalls and false trails. It guides us in living life the best way. Through applying God’s word, we experience life to the fullest! Life the way God meant for it to be lived.
Eternal Position
The final aspect of living life is that we have an eternal position. We become His children! We are part of the royal family and nothing can ever separate us from Him!
Nobody can change who we are. No-one can snatch us out of Jesus’ hand! As John records in John 10:28-29 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish—ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
Conclusion:
Since Christ gives us such an abundant life, let us truly live it!
Take advantage of every opportunity He brings our way.
You have the power which created and sustains this universe flowing through you. There is no limit to what you can accomplish with God’s help. You don’t have to stumble around life guessing, your path is shown clearly by our loving Father. Remember, you are a child of the king!
