Sunday Messages

Jesus-followers have gifts to serve the Lord. God gives us a place in the church and in the world to be partners in ministry.

Two brothers rushed into a dentist's office. The bigger boy impatiently announced, "I need a tooth pulled and I don't want any gas, and I don't want any Novocain . . . because we're in a hurry!" The dentist said, "You're quite brave. Which tooth is it?" The boy turned to his little brother and said, "Show him your tooth Albert."

The world is full of volunteers like that big brother. We're quick to volunteer others, but we're kind of slow to step up to the plate.

As a church we have great expectations for Jesus-followers within the ministry of our church. Four great expectations come to mind:

Worship—we realize that God is worthy of our worship, and that it’s a privilege for us to come together in corporate worship as a body of Christ.

Study—we realize that God’s Word is vital to our ongoing growing toward spiritual maturity, and that it’s an honor to study the Bible in classes and small groups as a body of Christ.

Fellowship—we realize that meeting together for encouragement and accountability is necessary for body life, and it’s important to fellowship together as a body of Christ.

Service—we realize that Jesus set the example for us when it comes to serving and it’s a benefit to serve in the likeness of Jesus as the body of Christ.

We could set a goal—“4Jesus”—as a church to challenge every person to make the commitment of being involved in corporate worship for at least one hour a week, to commit to being in a Bible study for at least one hour a week, to commit to being accountable in a fellowship activity or small group for at least one hour a week, and to serve the Lord in some capacity for at least one hour a week. At least four hours for Jesus each week.

We want to focus in this message upon the great expectation of service since this is commissioning Sunday for Lay Ministry. There are lay adults who have committed to serving in the life of our church, especially with our Senior Adults and Community Assistance ministry.

"More than any other single way the grace of humility is worked into our lives through the discipline of service." –Richard Foster.

Several businessmen were at a leadership training conference at Disney World. Part of one day the businessmen were walking through the Magic Kingdom and they were commenting on how clean the park was. One said, "See that guy? He doesn't look like a custodian, but he just walked twenty feet out of his way, picked up a piece of paper, and backtracked to put it in the trash can." One of the businessmen asked the man, "Excuse me, sir, are you part of the custodial staff?" "Yes, I am," the man replied. As the businessman was walking away, he stopped, turned, and called out, "How many people are on the custodial staff?" The man attempted to shout over the noise of the crowd. He answered, "Forty-five thousand," but that couldn't be right. The businessman started to ask again, but the man was already moving away.

The next day the businessman was in a classroom, where about thirty other people were already seated. The group's guide turned in his chair and said, "I think you'll like this. Michael Eisner, the chairman and CEO of Walt Disney Company, is in the park today. He's going to stop by for a few minutes to share some thoughts and answer your questions." "Here he comes now." All eyes turned to a side door, where an energetic man in a polo shirt and Mickey Mouse ears was smiling, shaking hands, and slapping people on the shoulder as he entered the room. One businessman whispered to another, "Isn't that—the custodian we saw yesterday? The one I talked to? It sure looks like him. It is him!" Now if Michael Eisner went to such great lengths to serve for the sake of Mickey Mouse; shouldn't we be as diligent as we serve in the name of Jesus Christ?

We need everyone at Christ First on our custodial staff, every person serving. All that this church does and the hundreds of volunteers, it seems impossible, but when we all join in together, great things can happen. We have no idea how our service may impact someone and minister to them.

Some of us need to come to the Lord and say, “I want to give more than an hour to you I want to give you my life.” When we get off of the fence and make a decision, we'll find ourselves saying this is no longer the church we attend. This is the church where we serve. This is our church. Our labors of love count in a big way, even in an eternal way. We choose to live our life to God’s glory and not our own.

Emeril, the chef-humorist on the TV Food Channel, regularly says, “Let’s take it up another notch!” And he does. Likewise, the early church took their ministry “up another notch” – from just attending to serving together in ministry.

When Special Needs Arise

The early church was experiencing rapid growth. We can imagine the excitement this growth generated. However, the experience of growth also produced three dangers—the dangers of discrimination, professionalism, and neglect of God’s Word and prayer. These same dangers exist today. So how do we handle these dangers?

A Biblical example of responding to special needs in the ministry of the early church comes from Acts 6:1-7.

Acts 6:1-7 1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented them to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

The early church was “taking ministry up another notch” through the problems, priorities, and proposals they faced:

What were the problems they faced?

1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

With phenomenal growth come unique special needs. The church in Jerusalem discovered this truth very early in its history. The church had real problems and the Holy Spirit doesn’t gloss them over. We must never forget that where we have two or more people we have the potential for trouble. When trouble comes in the church, it must be faced head-on and dealt with, and not allowed to simmer and brew. We must also remember that the Holy Spirit has a remedy for our problem if we are willing and able to hear his voice. Let’s examine their problems in the form of special needs. They faced the problems of multiplication, murmuring and ministry.

A problem in multiplication. The Spirit had stopped adding to the church, and he had started multiplying. The church had swelled to over five thousand with a possible overall membership of ten thousand or more. Within this number were many widows who had obeyed the Gospel and turned to the church for help.

A problem of murmuring. As a church grows larger so does its need for strong, godly leadership. There were the Aramaic speaking Jews who were native to Israel, and there were the Greek speaking, Hellenistic Jews that had come back from various parts of the world. The Hellenists were Jews that lived in Greek speaking countries. They were loyal Jews, but they had absorbed some of the Greek culture where they lived. They were different from their native Jewish brethren and there was a little friction between them. The Bible tells us that they were “complaining.” Another word is “murmuring”. This word refers to “secret debate; whispering”. People were talking about others in a negative manner behind their backs. That is always a problem!

The problem of ministry. The Greek speaking widows were not getting their share of the daily food supply. The early church was committed to meeting the needs of its members. In those days the people sold their goods and pooled their resources to see that every member had what they needed. Evidently, the Apostles were responsible for seeing to it that the people, but especially the widows, had the food and essentials they needed to live. As the church grew, the task became too large for the Apostles and some people were inevitably missed in the daily food allotments. The Greek speaking element of the church apparently felt like this oversight was deliberate and they spoke up about it. The problem was this: there was too much to do and not enough hours to do it in. As a result, some things were left undone and it caused problems in the church.

The church still faces the problems of ministry. In our day the sole burden for ministry in the church, in many cases, has been placed on the shoulders of the ministerial staff. In a small church this is a barely possible task. In a church as large as ours, it is absolutely impossible! If a good hunk of ministry is left up to the staff, some people are going to be neglected. They are going to be offended. Problems will come and the church will suffer.

What were the priorities they faced?

2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables…4 [we] will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

When this conflict arose, the Apostles took responsibility. They had been trying to be everywhere and do everything. They found it to be an impossible task and they took action. They reminded the believers of the priorities of preparation and people. We need to be reminded of those priorities in these days as well.

The priority of preparation. The Apostles recognized the truth that their primary responsibility was preparation for the ministry of the Word. This involved two elements: prayer and preaching. If these Apostles spent all their time handing out groceries, they would have no time to pray and prepare for the worship services. They were spending their time doing a good thing when they should have been spending their time doing the best thing! The Apostles were not above the routine ministry of the day; this was simply a matter of priorities for them and for the church. As soon as the apostles became aware of the problem, the church was called together and the problem was addressed openly and directly. It was time for other Jesus-followers to use their God-given gifts and, thus, the ministry of the diaconate was created. The word “deacon” is a transliteration of the Greek Word “diakonos,” meaning a servant. The apostles recognized the need to appoint specific Jesus-followers to take the lead in specific service ministries of care.

The priority of people. Biblical messages are important, but people are a priority too! Messages must be prepared, prayers must be prayed, but people must be ministered to as well. The church is made up of people and where there are people, there are needs. Where there are needs, they must be met, or the people will go elsewhere. The early church faced this problem. They needed the Word of God and their people needed ministry. Both were legitimate needs and both were priorities, but it was impossible for the Apostles to do it all by themselves. They had to enlist the help of others to get the job of ministry done.

So how did the Jerusalem church fight the disruption of meeting difficult needs in ministry? It didn’t. It lifted up those in serving roles, and gave them the authority they needed to fulfill the needs of the people. It also gave the Apostles the time to commit themselves more fully to studying the Word of God and interceding in prayer for the church. In the process the Hebrew Christians made themselves vulnerable. The Apostles surrendered their professional rights to those who had felt, and had been, victims of their injustice. This openness on the part of the Apostles also enabled them to guard against the danger of neglecting God’s Word and prayer.

What were the proposals they faced?

3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them…5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented them to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The early church in Jerusalem had a “taking it up another notch” approach to service. The Apostles got the whole church together, suggested they choose seven known “to be full of the Spirit and wisdom,” and let the seven solve the problem. They didn’t succumb to the danger of professionalism. The proposals they faced were of commission and challenge.

They faced a commission. The church was told to choose from their own number, seven who were to take on the responsibility of ministry. What’s fascinating is that every one of the seven that the church chose had a Greek name. They chose…

Stephen Philip Procorus Nicanor Timon Parmenas Nicolas

Who better to address Grecian concerns than Greek speaking Jews? What does that mean? Simply, that the church, instead of slapping on the label “disruption” upon these Greek speaking Jews, gave the people who experienced injustice the power to correct it.

They faced a challenge. The church got together and made their selections. The seven they chose were appointed to the task as the Apostles prayed and laid hands on them. The church prospered as a result of their ministry. In fact, two of them, Stephen and Philip, became mighty evangelists in those days. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Philip was used as a mighty preacher.

What were the results they faced?

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

The early church met the challenge by choosing the right servants and they benefited from their choice as the Word of God spread, the numbers of disciples continued to multiply, and even a great number of priests became obedient to the faith. If we choose with discernment of the Spirit, we will benefit as well.

Lay Ministry Teams

What is the purpose of Lay Ministry Teams?

A Lay Ministry Team has the potential to reshape our church’s care ministry by supporting our church’s pastors, coming alongside our Diaconate ministry, and invigorating our church’s existing ministry of care.

There exists in our close proximity an abundance of people who cry for help and need to be served. It is our responsibility as Jesus-followers to “grab a handle” and bring people to Jesus for hope and healing. There is a present need for five Lay Minister Teams:

1. The Ministry of Home-bound

Ministers of Home-bound calling are persons who are called, trained and commissioned by the Senior Pastor and church especially for the work of calling on home-bound individuals, and care-giving to Senior Adults who are unable to worship, study fellowship and serve within the body of Christ due to physical restrictions.

2. The Ministry of Visitation

Ministers of Visitation are persons who are called, trained and commissioned by the Senior Pastor and church especially for the work of visitation in the home and hospital, and care-giving to (1) new visitors, (2) persons within the church who are in special need or who are sick or dying, and (3) persons in need who are outside the church community.

3. The Ministry of Counseling/Prayer

Ministers of Counseling/Prayer are persons who are called, trained and commissioned by the Senior Pastor and church especially for the work of counseling and prayer to persons in our worship services, and care-giving to the bereaved. We respond to those who (1) make decisions for Jesus Christ [salvation, rededication, membership, baptism]; (2) have need for prayer for specific personal needs, and (3) desire to learn more about what it means to be a Jesus-follower.

4. The Ministry of Hospitality

Ministers of Hospitality are persons who are called, trained, and commissioned by the Senior Pastor and church especially for work of hospitality, and reaching out with Christ’s welcoming presence to those who are new in the community, or to those just coming into the church community.

5. The Ministry of Community Assistance

Ministers of Community Assistance are persons who are called, trained, and commissioned by the Senior Pastor and church especially for work of assisting people outside the church community with food, gas, and bus vouchers. Ministers of Community Assistance are the primary care-givers for walk-in guests outside our church community.

The work of the church is to expand the kingdom of God to his glory. Jesus-followers all have gifts to serve the Lord. We each have a place not only in church, but also in history, an appointment by God. We are a piece of the divine puzzle. We are part of God's plan and method. God wants us to be used, to be a part of his ministry to the world.
There is a book, Pour Your Heart Into It, written by Howard Schultz, Chairman of Starbucks. On the first page of the prologue is this simple saying,

Care more than others think wise.

Risk more than others think safe

Dream more than others think practical

Expect more than others think possible

In a sense, that could be the summary of the early church. An inspired bunch, they dared to model that type of behavior. That is our call today. It is my prayer that we also will hear God calling us to… Care more than others think wise; Risk more than others think safe; Dream more than others think practical; Expect more than others think possible.

Can this radical kind of solution work in Christianity today? Yes, if we select wise, Spirit-filled people who know the needs of God’s people firsthand and we give them the authority they need to meet those needs. We exhibit trust in God when we respond to people in need by lifting them up and taking our ministry up another notch! Amen.

The happy man pays careful attention to seeking and following God’s way by delighting in and meditating upon God’s Word in all seasons of life.

What is it that makes a man or a woman truly happy? I'm sure everyone has his or her own answer to this question, but in this message we want to look at what God says true happiness represents, and what God says makes a person truly happy. Since this is Father’s Day, we want to direct these words from the psalmist David mainly to men. “Blessed or happy is the man…” If God calls us happy, then we are one happy people indeed, are we not?

Which would we consider to be the age of greatest happiness? Childhood? Our twenties? Our thirties? Actually it's old age. A Fordham University survey confirms findings first reported by Gail Sheehy, author of Pathfinders. Both show that men generally are happiest in their middle sixties, and women during their seventies. And the unhappiest time? That's the early fifties for men and late forties for women.

What is truly the secret of a happy man?

BLESSED IS THE MAN... let’s stop!!! This is our focus on Father’s Day from Psalm 1. We're going to take a look at being "blessed" and the things that signify this state of being. Are we blessed? Are we really? What we do is an indicator of whether we are or not.

If we would ask the average Jesus-follower how he is doing, the response we might receive is "I'm blessed or happy.” It was very popular in some circles recently to respond, "Just blessed, no stress!” This response is usually of the canned variety just as responding "Nothing", when someone asks us what's going on with us. Though it may be true, it's a generalized response that's totally void of any real insight. In some cases it's only true from a particular perspective. Let’s look deeper.

The word and connotation of being "blessed" involves two different scenarios. One, the most common, has to do with having something bestowed on someone. For example, if we wake up in the morning, we've been blessed to wake up. If a car almost rear ends us, but the driver is able to stop before he smashes into us, we were just blessed. If we get a raise, we've been blessed. The second scenario refers to a state of being -- a description of someone's status as the result of what he or she has done or is doing.

Because being "blessed" or “happy” reflects two different ideas, it's important to understand what someone is saying when they refer to it, especially the aspect of being blessed that we'll discover from God’s Word. To find God's secret on how to achieve true happiness, we're going to look at the instructions from the first Psalm, the New International Version.

Psalm 1:1-3

1 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. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Let’s look at how Eugene Peterson in his translation of The Message says it…

1 How well God must like you— you don't hang out at Sin Saloon, you don't slink along Dead-End Road, you don't go to Smart-Mouth College.

2-3 Instead you thrill to God's Word, you chew on Scripture day and night. You're a tree replanted in Eden, bearing fresh fruit every month, never dropping a leaf,
always in blossom.

Psalm 1 begins with the words; "Blessed is the man" The word "blessed" seems easy enough to understand. Either good things are happening in our lives or bad things. If good things are happening, we're blessed. If bad things are happening, we're not. Right? That's the way we tend to think as all men sin through the weakness of our flesh. God doesn't see things that way. A good way to see the difference between our idea of blessedness and God's idea is by looking at Job 5:17: 17 Blessed are those whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

Here the same Hebrew word, 'Esher’, translated "blessed" in Psalm 1 is translated "happy." But here it is used to describe the state of a person who is in the process of being disciplined, by God. Less we get the wrong idea from the use of the word "happy," this verse warns us that this is not a fun situation in which to be placed.

The difference between God's idea of happiness and ours is perspective. God sees farther than we do. God knows the end result of things, while we see no farther than our noses. Happiness from our perspective means having good things happen to us right now.
Happiness from God's perspective means receiving long term good and benefit, even if that requires pain and discomfort in the short term. God sometimes allows us to go through hard times in the short term so that we can have blessed or happy days in the long term.

We are not BLESSED until certain characteristics apply to us. There are many who consider themselves blessed that embrace ungodly counsel. When the Evil One says something, some react as if E.F. Hutton is speaking (do we remember the old commercial...when EF Hutton speaks, everybody listens?). Some claim to be blessed, but if we watch and listen to them, they don't appear any different than the folks headed to the club for happy hour. Some claim to be blessed, but operate in selective obedience and resist the things of God, even when his will is proven to them. Some claim to be blessed, but could care less about the Word of God—no embrace, no defense, no sanctification of God’s will in their heart—reflective in their actions.

The Road to Happiness

Psalm 1 is like much of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament in that it draws a sharp contrast between good and evil, right and wrong, godliness and ungodliness. The choice is one or the other; choices today that have long-term perspective and consequences.

Poet Robert Frost wrote of having to choose between two roads that diverged in a yellow wood. Frost wrote that he did well to choose the less frequently traveled road. About 3,000 years ago, the psalmist David wrote something similar as he described two paths on which a person could live life: the way of the ungodly and the way of the righteous. The way we choose makes all the difference.

David expresses happiness first in the negative and then in the positive.

Happiness is: 1) not walking in the counsel of the wicked; 2) not standing in the way of sinners; 3) not sitting in the seat of the mockers. We must notice the degree of unhappiness expressed here by David. We must note that a progression exists: walking, standing, sitting.

Happiness expressed negatively…

1 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.

1. Walking

First, the man who sins begins by walking in the counsel of the wicked. All men sin through the weakness of our flesh (Rom. 3:23). There is ungodly counsel to sin everywhere we turn. Role models set before our eyes call us to satisfy the desires of our flesh. The wicked love company - a company of sinners.

2. Standing

Second, the man who heeds wicked counsel practices sin and therefore is standing in the way of sinners. At this point we begin to habitually practice that which is ungodly—it becomes a lifestyle, not a mistake for which we immediately repent and pray for forgiveness.

3. Sitting

Third, the man who walks in the council of the wicked and stands in the way of sinners eventually sits in the seat of the mockers. He centers down upon sin in his life. Darkness hates the light and therefore ridicules those walking in light. We who have hardened our hearts against God are scornful of the righteous and teach others to live ungodly in this present world.

David now changes from the negative expression of what happiness is not to what is the true essence of happiness. We must also notice the mental state of those who are happy.

Happiness expressed positively…

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Happiness is essentially a state of mind, not primarily a state of affairs nor a station in life. Those who delight in the law of the Lord and mediate in it day and night are like a replanted tree, not a wild tree. This one is chosen of the Lord, a special tree that God cares for, cultivates, fertilizes, prunes, and loves.

Those who are happy delight in the law of the Lord; therefore, they meditate upon it day and night. When we meditate we internalize the Word of God. We don’t merely memorize it. Like a cow chewing its cud, we allow the Word of God to be digested in our lives. We don’t get into the Word as much as the Word gets into us! As we look at our hands, we see five fingers. Moving from the little finger to the thumb we hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God.

How can a child of God delight and then meditate in the law of the Lord while watching others fornicate in a love story on TV or on the movie theater screen? It is impossible. These two are diametrically opposed. The world is being bombarded with ungodly counsel. Some of this counsel is unavoidable, but much of it can be avoided by practicing self-control. We are all human, we all sin. We can all improve in service to God. Each one of us is entertaining a degree of ungodly counsel that could be avoided in our life. Now having confronted ourselves with this harsh reality, will we do something about it? We will be happier as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus and not in the counsel of the ungodly.

Oh boy! Bet we’ve always wanted to be like a tree. A tree is great to climb when we’re young, but to be likened to one as we grow up? What in the world was the psalmist David saying here? To excite us about avoiding sin and pursuing God’s Word, the psalmist used four images to explain what happens to the man God blesses.

1. Permanent

First, this one is happy because he is likened to a tree planted by rivers of water. His roots are deeply embedded in the rich earth and irrigated by the stream. The man who is happy or blessed has a strong foundation built upon godly principles, not the values of the world—possessions, power, and pleasures.

2. Productive

Second, this one is happy because he has an overabundance from which to drink and therefore feed. Season after season he bears the fruit God intended for him to bear. The Lord feeds his children that they may never fail unless they turn their hearts from him to heed ungodly counsel. Therefore, this one grows big and strong—standing strong in this present age against sin; and in age to come, eternal life.

3. Perpetual

Third, this one is happy because he is consistent. Like a tree, when the vegetation around him withers and wilts under the heat of summer sun, he is perpetually healthy. The season for Jesus-followers to bear fruit is everlasting (Gal. 5:16-26). Unless a Jesus-follower heeds the counsel of the ungodly, he continually bears the fruit of the Spirit. His fruit never fades away. His leaf never withers away.

4. Prosperous

Fourth, this one is happy because whatever he does will prosper under God’s good hand. Godly men doing godly things always prosper. Why? Because godly men do not judge themselves according to the prosperity of the flesh. But rather, godly men judge themselves according to spiritual prosperity. Jesus promised his disciples something to eat and something to wear. And with this, godly men count themselves prosperous.

Let’s think back over the past week and ask ourselves what we did when temptation assaulted us. Let’s look over our schedule and ask how much time we spent in the Bible. The psalmist David tells us that the four important outcomes in our life, outlined above, are linked to what we discover by asking these two questions.

Those who are happy do not delight in sin—they delight in the law of the Lord. Therefore Jesus-followers are taught to refrain in their fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; turn away from evil and cling to good; abstain from every form of evil; and avoid evil companions who corrupt good morals. Nor should Jesus-followers have the mind to entertain the thought of evil which is so prevalent in the media today.

So in Psalm 1, David starts by saying "Blessed is the man...." By following this introduction with qualifying criteria, even Peter, through the Holy Spirit, says…“remember, holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). Let’s know that being blessed or happy in this sense doesn't happen through osmosis.

The key question is, which path are we taking?

If we find ourselves…

paying more attention to the advice of those who do not believe in God than of those who fear him;

behaving pretty much as unbelievers do; or

making cynical statements about God and the things of God

…then we must beware! We may already far down the path of unrighteousness. If so, then we do whatever it takes to turn back, because the end of the path is destruction.

We must do certain things to aspire to this state of being blessed like a tree planted by streams of water. David stated the secret of a happy man through four characteristics:

Doesn't embrace or value ungodly/unwise counsel

Doesn't abide in the realm of sinners from a lifestyle perspective

Doesn't have a scornful (stubborn, contentious and obstinate) personality

Does prosper by delighting and meditating in the Word of the Lord

For us today, the first step toward happiness is becoming a Jesus-follower. Then happiness is living as a child of God, according to his Word. Happiness is: Being God's child! Let’s keep the Word as men, and be blessed.

There’s a story of man getting ready to board a plane at an airport when he 'overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together. They had announced her departure and standing near the security gate, they hugged and he said, "I love you. I wish you enough." She in turn said, "Daddy, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Daddy." They kissed and she left.

He walked over toward the window where I was seated. Standing there I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, "Did you ever say goodbye to someone knowing it would be forever?" "Yes, I have," I replied. Saying that brought back memories I had of expressing my love and appreciation for all my Dad had done for me. Recognizing that his days were limited, I took the time to tell him face to face how much he meant to me. So I knew what this man was experiencing.

"Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever goodbye?" I asked. "I am old and she lives much too far away. I have challenges ahead and the reality is, the next trip back would be for my funeral," he said. "When you were saying goodbye I heard you say, "I wish you enough." May I ask what that means?"

He began to smile. "That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone." He paused for a moment and looking up as if trying to remember it in detail, he smiled even more. "When we said 'I wish you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them," he continued and then turning toward me he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."
He then began to sob and walked away.

Men, when it comes to happiness, ‘I wish you enough.' Amen!

A person’s life follows many paths after graduation. The best path for finding meaningful purpose in life is to follow God and his unmistakable direction.

Well, the graduation season is upon us once again! Another school year has gone by and millions of graduating seniors are now busily preparing for life after school. Some will be going on to new jobs and new careers. Some will marry and start a family. Some will begin vocational training. Some will enter the armed services. Others will go on to further schooling. The choices are seemingly endless!

A friend of a father with a child graduating from college was asked, “Is your kid now going to get a PHD?” The father replied, “No, my kid is now going to get a JOB!”

Graduation =

A division or interval on a graduated scale.

A mark indicating the boundary of such an interval.

An arrangement in or a division into stages or degrees.

The act of discovering or expressing the quantity of something.

We can see that graduation is more than just the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. Graduation is a series of events that cause us to grow and graduate to another level in life. This growth can take place in events and relationships that mark the physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of our lives.

But since this is graduation season, let’s talk about the graduation ceremony. It is always an exciting time. It's a great feeling to put on that cap and gown and go forward to receive a diploma. No matter what school we graduate from, our diploma is the payoff for all the hard work we've done during our time at school. That little piece of paper says, "Congratulations- you did it!"

Although graduating from school can bring a sense of freedom and relief, it's also common to feel a little anxious about life after graduation. After all, there are a lot of critical decisions to be made after graduating. Unfortunately, people often make mistakes early in their adult life because they lack the experience or guidance necessary to make good decisions. These people often end up "learning the hard way"—sometimes with tragic results. It's not unusual to hear such people later say, "If I had known better, I would have done things differently."

But it doesn't have to be that way for us! Tucked away within the Bible is an obscure little book called Ecclesiastes. Many people have never even heard of this book, much less read it. That's unfortunate because this little book with the barely pronounceable name serves as a kind of "graduation attitude check" on what's really important in life, and what pitfalls to avoid! A little time invested in learning the lessons in this book can save us a lot of trouble later!

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon or "the son of David" as he refers to himself. Solomon was the richest, wisest and most powerful man on earth during his day. He was an expert builder, a powerful leader, a savvy executive and a superior administrator. Not only that, Solomon was so successful with the opposite sex that he had 700 wives. Now that’s an overwhelming task because most men have a challenge just understanding and living with one! Yet despite all these advantages, Solomon's opinion of life was very different than what we might have expected...

"'Meaningless! Meaningless!' says the Teacher. 'Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless'" --Ecclesiastes 1:2.

Wow! How did a man who had as much as Solomon did come to such a conclusion? What occurred in his life to give him such a cynical viewpoint? Well, he tells us that his opinion was developed through simple observation...

"I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind" --Ecclesiastes 1:14.

There's something important in this verse that's a lot more significant than it may appear at first glance. The terms "under the sun" and "under heaven" occur over 30 times throughout the book of Ecclesiastes. This repetition serves to remind us that Solomon's viewpoint is limited strictly to our lives here on earth and all that occurs "under the sun". This opens up an important truth for people to remember after graduation—

To the point: a life lived without regard to God and the afterlife is ultimately pointless, useless and fruitless!

This was not just Solomon's offhand opinion. He arrived at this conclusion through careful analysis and evaluation in his attempt to discover life's meaning...

“I said to myself, 'Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless. “Laughter,” I said, “is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?” --Ecclesiastes 2:1-2.

Party spirit

Solomon first evaluated a life that consisted only of pleasure, enjoyment and laughter. Solomon just partied all the time, just as many people do today. While this might sound like a great lifestyle, Solomon concluded that it didn't accomplish anything in the long run.

“I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly— my mind still guiding me with wisdom…” --Ecclesiastes 2:3.

Road to drink

Next Solomon considered the value of a life centered around drinking alcohol. When you think about it, things haven't changed much today, have they? There are plenty of bars and clubs that are filled with people unsuccessfully trying to cheer themselves with wine, mixed drinks, and beer today just as Solomon did so many years ago.

So having tried the partying and drinking lifestyle, Solomon next turned to another trivial pursuit…

“I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.” --Ecclesiastes 2:4-6.

Building projects

It's interesting to note that three entire chapters of the Bible (1Kings 4-6) describe King Solomon's building projects. He spent seven years building the temple of God and 13 years building his own personal home. Still, he found no lasting value in these works for we find that he is forced to continue his search...

“I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well-- the delights of a man’s heart” --Ecclesiastes 2:8.

Money hungry

Solomon now looks towards building up a lot of wealth as the key to lasting happiness. Of course, making money, along with the status that goes with it, is a top priority among many people today. In fact, many would say that our friend Solomon was a perfect example of someone who "had it all". But would Solomon himself agree? Is the accumulation of personal wealth really the ticket to happiness? Well, here's the verdict...

“Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” --Ecclesiastes 2:11.

Another failed experiment! Though Solomon was the wealthiest man to walk the earth in his day, he still found no lasting satisfaction from all his wealth. The same is also true for people today because money doesn't buy true happiness as the old saying goes.

Next up, Solomon considered the worth of yet another trivial pursuit…

“Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. What more can the king’s successor do than what has already been done? I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness. The wise have eyes in their heads, while fools walk in darkness; but I came to realize fate overtakes them both” --Ecclesiastes 2:12-14.

Wise up

Wisdom, in the short term at least, has a lot more value than foolishness but its value is still limited. Why? Well, the wise person and the foolish person share at least one thing in common—they both will eventually pass away.

There's something else too. Wisdom can't guarantee that people will be remembered after they're gone. And of course, this same fate happens to the foolish and the wise much to Solomon's disgust!

“So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For people may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to others who have not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless” --Ecclesiastes 2:20-23.

Right Stuff

It seems that everyone knows someone who simply must have the latest, the greatest or the newest stuff. Such people constantly seem to be buying, trading or upgrading just to have the latest model or version of something. Well, Solomon tried this lifestyle and he came to this realization: a lot of "stuff" will often result in a lot of sleepless nights spent thinking about how to manage it!

Now up to this point, Solomon has spent a lot of time discussing work, money, possessions, wisdom, foolishness and great works from his own limited human perspective. But that's about to change as Solomon switches gears and starts to consider another pathway…

“People can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” --Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

Godly perspective

What great truth does Solomon establish for us here?

To the point: the ability to enjoy things in life is a gift of God.

Having nice things without the God-given ability to enjoy them is worthless! Building up a lot of money and possessions without regard to God, who is the ultimate provider of these things, is foolishness.

This is quite a contrast to what Jesus taught...

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there you heart will be also”

--Matthew 6:19-21).

So what's the end of all this?

To the point: the best path is to follow God and his direction in life.

Well it's simply this: our lives can follow many paths following graduation or any advance. We don't have to try any of those roads that ignore God like the road of alcohol or the road of non-stop partying or the road of pre-marital sex or the road of greed or any of the other roads that Solomon tried just to see if you're missing out on something.

Solomon has "been there and done that" and he has told us what will happen—without God, everything in life is ultimately futile, meaningless and totally, totally empty. Solomon has already done all the work for us! Of course, we can go back and try these things for ourselves and see if he's still right but God's Word doesn't change and we'll eventually come to the same conclusion that he did.

In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca Cola Enterprises, spoke of living in the present and the relation of work to one's other commitments:

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're keeping all of those in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in our life.

How do we obtain that balance in life?

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. Do understand it is because we are created differently by God that each of us is special.

Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Do seek godly perspective because God is the only one that knows what is best for you.

Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Do cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. Do live your life for Christ one day at a time; you’ll live all the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give. Do know that nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. Do understand it is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks. Do acknowledge that it is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. Do know that the quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget where you've been. Do take the time to affirm your purpose for life and where you are going.

Don't forget that one of a person's greatest emotional needs is to feel appreciated. Do know that the needs to find purpose and to hope weave closely together.

Don't be afraid to learn by experience. Do understand that wisdom is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Do carefully honor God and keep his commandments.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery and Today is a gift: that's why we call it - The Present.

If we're smart, we'll take these final words of Solomon to heart...

“Oh, how sweet the light of day,
And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!
Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted.
Take delight in each light-filled hour,
Remembering that there will also be many dark days
And that most of what comes your way is smoke.

You who are young, make the most of your youth.
Relish your youthful vigor.
Follow the impulses of your heart.
If something looks good to you, pursue it.
But know also that not just anything goes;
You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

Live footloose and fancy-free—
You won't be young forever.
Youth lasts about as long as smoke...

The last and final word is this:
Fear God. Do what he tells you.”

--Ecclesiastes 11:7-10; 12:12 (The Message).

The flash of this eloquent symbol of fearing God and doing what he tells us is to remind us that all the graces and characteristics of God are to be modeled in the daily life and relationships of God’s children. Are we doing it? Are we giving the world a symmetrical, authentic, fully-formed image of Jesus? There is still time. Spiritual growth after graduation is not a merely a matter of chronology alone. It’s a matter of spirit. Of heart. Of who we are to the next person we meet. In the next crisis we face. In the next moment we live.

Graduate, this is the bottom line: remember to walk with God while you’re young! Amen.