Redefined: Obstacles

Redefined: Obstacles
Psalm 39:5-6; Romans 12:1 October 21, 2018
I. Introduction:
A. As I thought about a series on discipleship I asked myself what are the main
obstacles that keep a believer back from living for Jesus and His mission of
making disciples – people who are following Jesus, impacting others!
1. I thought of busyness and thought yes! I thought of wrong priorities and
thought yes! I thought of immaturity and thought yes! I thought of sin –
Absolutely! And the list of specifics could go on and on
2. Then I wondered are there any underlying foundational issues that tie all
these together that derail believers from living as faithful disciples who are
all in on Jesus and His mission!
B. I came up with two foundational obstacles!
1. I am sure they are not the only two but they are two key ones that believers
struggle with when it comes to following Jesus, impacting others!
• The first one has to do with this question
II. Is your life built for the big one?
A. Another way to say this is this, “Are you building your life around this life here
on earth or your eternal life in the future?”
1. Picture from paper
2. Story of picture in New York Times
B. Our perspective on our own lives – how long they last and in what to invest.
Think with me for a minute
1. According to the Bible, how long does the average person live? - Psalm
90:10 says seventy years or eighty if we have strength.
2. According to the Bible, how long does the average Christian live? – John
3:16 forever!
3. The reality is that our lives are made up of two parts – the one here on earth
in this body and the one that will be in eternity in a brand new body. Same
life in two different bodies in two different places!
C. Have you ever given any thought what your life here on earth looks like in
comparison to eternal life? I think Psalm 39 gives us a window into that! Turn
1. In this Psalm, the Psalmist asked the Eternal God to give him some
perspective on how long his life will last. Let me know just how transient,
temporary, how short my life really is!
2. Read v4-5 “nothing in your sight” “at his best”
3. Read Ps 144:4
4. Let me try to expand on this idea that our life at its best is like a mere breath
a) Take a breath and note how long it was.
(1) Average breath last about two seconds.
b) Average breaths per minute about 16; 23,040 breaths a day; 8,409,000
per year; live to be 80 years old – 672,768,000 in a lifetime.
c) So now let’s get some perspective –
(1) How long does a breath, two seconds ‘at best’, seem, in
comparison to your entire lifetime?
(2) How long does your life here on earth seem in comparison to the
one you will live in eternity?
d) As he said in the phrase right before – In the eyes of an eternal God our
life is like nothing!
D. So I need to ask you, which life is the big one? In addition, are you living your
life for the two-second life, or are you living your life for the big one–eternity?
1. Which life are you thinking about and basing your life off when you are
making plans, decisions, and living out the two-second life?
E. Do you recognize that while the two-second life is not very long in light of the
big one it is extremely important in determining what our eternity will look like?
1. First, not only do Christians live forever but also so do Non-Christians. – so
the location and environment of our forever life is based upon a decision we
make in the two-second life regarding Jesus
a) If I acknowledge my sin that separates me from God, and rely upon Jesus
and what He did for me at the cross for my sin as my only hope to be
right with God then I will live forever with Him in a real place called
heaven
b) If I do not acknowledge my sin that separates me from God, and do not
rely upon Jesus and what He did for me at the cross for my sin as my
only hope to be right with God then I will live forever apart from Him in
a real place called hell!
2. Let me speak to believers now - do you know as believers that you will be
held accountable for and rewarded for your life and service to Jesus here on
earth, as we will stand before Him in judgment.
a) 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 teaches us our works will be tested by fire
b) How would you like to see your entire life efforts go up in smoke right in
front of your eyes as you stand in front of Jesus?
3. Matthew 6 tells us that when we use our money for the glory of God we are
actually storing up riches for ourselves in heaven. Either you can be storing
up all your riches for the two-seconds or for eternity!
4. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 tells us that our temporary light affliction that we
suffer here on earth for Jesus sake is producing for us an eternal weight of
glory far beyond all comparison.
5. Luke 19 teaches us the way we overseer the things that God has put in our
hands will have an impact upon the degree of our reign with Him in the
future kingdom
6. Paul teaches repeatedly about receiving crowns in eternity for the faithful
service to Jesus here on this earth in the two-second life
7. Even 1 Corinthians 4:5 says that in our service for Jesus we should not look
for praise from man but the praise that comes from God at the return for
Jesus.
F. I think you get the point, so many Christians are living their lives as if the two
seconds is all there is without taking any thought to the long, long, long, long,
long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, big one
they have yet to live.
1. So many believers spend their lives here on earth seeking the experiences the
world can provide, the pleasures these two seconds can provide, the
possessions these two seconds can provide, the positions these two seconds
can provide.
2. All these things are going to pass away!
G. So, I believe that the first main obstacle that keeps a believer back from living for
Jesus and His mission is that we are not living with an eternal perspective – we
are living for and investing in the two seconds rather than using the two seconds
to prepare for the big one!
• While the first obstacle had to do with perspective the second has to do with …
III. Who is the boss in your life?
A. Simply, who is in charge in your life, whom are you taking your direction from,
who is the boss in your life? The world, you or Jesus?
1. I know we all know the right Biblical answer to this but this morning I want
you to take an honest look at your heart and life and say, is Jesus calling the
shots in my life, is Jesus calling the shots in every area, is Jesus calling the
shots in the decision of my life or am I calling the shots ?
B. Turn to Romans 12:1-2. After speaking of the great salvation we have received
this is what he says about the response of believers to this. Read
C. Note a few things about this passage
1. The presentation of our bodies to God, which represents our entire lives, is
the appropriate response to God’s mercies to us. V1
2. Connected with that is the daily renewing of our minds by God’s word so we
will be changed at the core of our being v2a-b
3. Finally, both of these are done in order to carry out the very good, acceptable
and perfect will of God for our lives! V2c
D. Simply we live our lives for God’s will! We do this by:
1. Presenting our entire life to Him to be lived for His will
2. We regularly take in life transforming doses of God’s word so we know what
God’s will is!
E. So each one of us needs to come to that place in our lives where we make the
crisis decision as to who are we living for, who will be in charge in my life, Jesus
or myself?
1. If we are the boss of our own lives and call our own shots then we have little
concern for following Jesus or impacting others, maybe a little guilt but not
one of the driving desires of my life!
2. If we have presented our lives to Jesus to live under his direction and control
then following Jesus, impacting others would be one of the highest priorities
of our lives!
F. Maybe this illustration will help us see where we are
1. Is Jesus is the driver’s seat of your car or is he in the front passenger seat?
a) Driver calls the shots and is control of the car
b) Passenger is the one who the driver turns to and asks for help with
something when needed. He is not in control of the car.
c) So are you in the driver’s seat of your car/life – calling your own shots
and controlling it or just turning to Jesus and asking him for help when
you need it or is Jesus in the driver’s seat?
2. Is Jesus is the driver’s seat or passenger’s seat or the back seat of your life?
a) The back seat is where people are normally out of the conversation and
decisions of the car and sometimes are even told to be quiet back there
because you are bothering us.
b) Is Jesus in the back seat, someone you rather not hear from so you can
just keep on driving your life where you want it?
IV. Conclusion
A. Actually, we need to take this a step further as to who is holding the title deed to
your life/car?
B. The reality is that Jesus has purchased the lives of believers with His own shed
blood – my life belongs to Him! He owns my life!
1. Read 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
C. So how are you living your life?
1. Temporal or eternal perspective? Living for the two-second life or the big
one?
2. He is in charge or you are?
3. You have given Him the title deed or are you holding onto it?
D. Opportunity to turn over title deed of your life to Jesus and along with it the right
for Him to do whatever He wants in your heart to make a person who wholeheartedly
follows Jesus and impacts others!
E. Time and songs of presentation/surrender