Listen to the sermon here: http://sermon.net/fumcoutofthebox/sermonid/1199952666
The Good Life Sermon Series
Every day we are placed in our own Garden Of Eden, we are faced with the same kinds of choices that Adam and Eve made.
We are offered two roads to choose from. Will you believe and obey God or will you believe the enemy?
Will you walk the walk or just talk the talk?
Week 3 – How Do I Live The Good Life?
“Our sinful hearts are cruel dictators and as long as our hearts rule over us, we’re not free. We’re robots”
Trip Lee
#1. Live In Freedom
Titus 2:14 NLT
14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. (Good Works)
We have been set free to do Good Works.
Before we knew Christ we lived in slavery to sin. Sin was our master. Take a look.
Romans 6: 1,2,6
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.
True FREEDOM is being freed up to live the way you were created to live.
WE ARE FREE!
Live Free!
When we continue to live in sin, we are returning to slavery. (ROBOTS)
We are clinging to a cruel master who hates us.
Satan hates you. Every time you give in to his lies, he laughs at you.
Every time we do what we know is wrong, Satan says, what an awesome thing that human beings don’t think. (sound familiar?)
Romans 6:4b says just as Christ was raised from the dead by the wonderful power of the Father, we also can live a new life. (NCV)
I Peter 1:14-15
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.
Our battle is to walk in the victory Jesus has already won. Our mission is to reflect our new identity.
God says be holy – right is right and wrong is wrong. There is no right way to do a wrong thing.
This doesn’t mean that you and I will never sin, we will. And there is forgiveness when we do, but listen, we are not looking for the loop holes as Gods Children, we are looking to be Holy.
God created you and sent Jesus to die for your sins so that you can be good: BE GOOD!
What are the good works that we are to do?
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
The Good Life Is Built On our Relationship With God and Others.
God says here that the greatest commandment is that you love Him.
How much time and effort are you HONESTLY putting into that?
We have mistaken the American Dream for the Good life.
We have bought into the lie that we are what we have, so we spend our lives chasing stuff.
Rich people love their stuff so they chase after more.
Poor people don’t have a lot of stuff so they spend their lives trying to get some.
We have been taught to build our lives around things that don’t last.
Life is short, why spend all our time on something that doesn’t matter.
Luke 12:13-21
13 Then someone called from the crowd, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.”14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?” 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” 16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods.19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
When our lives are over, none of the STUFF will matter.
1st Timothy 6:7
7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.
Wealth doesn’t satisfy.
Ecclestiaes 5:10
10 Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!
Our hearts are meant to be satisfied by something greater.
1 Timothy 6:10
10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
I Timothy 6: 17-19
17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
Isaiah 55:1-7
“Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
4 See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
I made him a leader among the nations.
5 You also will command nations you do not know,
and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.”
6 Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
7 Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.