Sermon Central
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What We Really Need
Contributed by David Fox on Dec 11, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: What the world really needs this year.
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“You will be outdated and out of touch with your area of study in less than 3 years.”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.
“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…
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,
