The New Life - Part 9

New Life Focus
Luke 12:22-33

1. Man has four basic needs
   
2. These needs are pursued in life through many ways
   
3. Our motivation is the diminishing of pain and the desire for pleasure.
   
4. When the needs are met, they provide meaning and bring order in our lives.

Life’s 4 Basic Needs:

• Security -- (certainty)
  
• Adventure -- (variation)
  
• Community -- (family)
  
• Significance -- (purpose)

Meeting Needs God’s Way:

• Our pursuit of needs must be filtered
  
• Two lenses: Giving and Growing
  
• All life flows from God
  
  • “Born from above!”

Everything got started and finds its purpose in Him!
Colossians 1:16

• Christianity is not something that happens to dead people.
  
• Christianity is not about a set of values to adhere to, nor a list of rules to obey, rather, it is a new life to receive and a new way to be human.
  
• “The glory of God is a human being fully alive!” --- Irenaeus
  
• “Jesus Christ has given us a whole new way to be human.” --- Maximus the Confessor

Life’s 3 Greatest Questions:

1. The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
   
2. The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
   
3. The Question of Intention: What is my Purpose?

The Question of Existence:
Why am I alive?

• Jeremiah 20:18 NKJV “Why did I come forth from the womb to see labor and sorrow, That my days should be consumed with shame?”
  
• It is a misery to be born, a pain to live, a trouble to die.” --- Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153)
  
• Enter the Kingdom through tribulation!
  
  • The tribulum
• God’s motive
  
  • Ephesians 1:4 NKJV “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love”
    
  • Message “Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in mind, and settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.”

The Question of Significance:
Does my life matter?

• Isaiah 49:4a NKJV Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain”
  
  • NLT “My work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and for no purpose at all.”
    
• You were made for meaning, and if you don’t have a meaning and purpose in your life and you don’t know why God put you on this planet, life
• You’re going to go through life living at one of three levels:
  
  • Survival
    
  • Success
    
  • Significance
• How do you live at the Significance level?
  
  • Three things:
    
    1. You know the meaning of life - that gives Significance.
       
    2. You know how much you matter to God - that gives you Significance.
       
    3. You know God’s purposes for your life and you’re living them out and that gives you Significance.
• Isaiah 44:2a NKJV “Thus says the Lord who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you”
  
• Psalm 139:16 NKJV “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.”
  
• Psalm 33:11 NKJV “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.”
  
  • Good News "His plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally."
• I Was Made To Last Forever.
  
  • II Corinthians 5:1 NKJV “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
    
    • TEV “When this tent we live in—our body here on earth—is torn down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home he himself has made, which will last forever.”
      
  • Proverbs 9:6 NKJV “Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.”
    
    • Message “Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning."

The Question of Intention:
What is my Purpose?

• You know the meaning of life – that gives significance
  
• You know how much you matter to God – that give you significance
  
• You know God’s purposes for your life and you’re living them out and that gives you significance
  
• Psalm 89:47 NKJV “Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men?
  
  • NCV “Why did you create us? For nothing?”
• Proverbs 9:10b NKJV “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
  
  • TLB "Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding."
    
• I Find my purpose by getting to know God
  
  • Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

Life’s 3 Greatest Answers:

• The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
  
  • Answer: I was created to be loved by God
    
• The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
  
  • Answer: I Was Made To Last Forever
    
• The Question of Intention: What is my Purpose?
  
  • Answer: I Find My Purpose By Getting To Know God

All New

The New Life - Part 8

A Real Purpose
For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible . . . Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. Colossians 1:16 Message

Looking For Life
In All The Wrong Places

• We were created for His pleasure not ours!
  
• The three great questions of life center on:
  
  • • Origination – Where did I come from?
      
    • Destination – Where am I going?
      
    • Meaning – Morality – What does it all mean, what is right and what is wrong?
      
  • The Search by Dr. Moorhead

Three Approaches:

• The Mystical approach
  
  • The mystical approach says “look within and find your purpose within.”
    
  • You know if that really worked, all of us would know our purpose.
• The Philosophical approach
  
  • The Survivalist says, “The purpose of life is just to stay alive.”
    
  • The Naturalist says, “The purpose of life is just to perpetuate itself.”
    
  • The Hedonist says, “The purpose of life is pleasure – have fun, party-hardy.”
    
  • The Materialist says, “Life is all about the acquisition of things.”
• The Self-help approach
  
  • Uncountable self help books – “Life Purpose for Idiots”
    
    • They all say basically the same thing.
      
    • “You’ve got to invent your purpose.”
  • All the books have a similar message:
    
    • discover your dreams – go after your goals – have some ambitions – dream big dreams – aim high – believe you can achieve – have faith – figure out what you’re good at – never give up – involve other people
      
  • But being a success and knowing your purpose in life are not the same thing. You can be a raving success in life and still never know, “What on earth am I here for?”

Living lives of quiet desperation

• So, what did God put me on this earth for?
  
• The purpose of your life is far greater than our own personal fulfillment.
  
• We need to see the futility of superstitious, mystical, philosophical or self-help approaches
• We need to recognize that many people are struggling with this question and we can help them.
  
• KEY: Begin with Genesis 1:1
  
  • There are 31,173 verses in the Bible
    
  • If we will believe this one then all the rest will come easy!

Everything got started and finds its purpose in Him!

• Christianity is not something that happens to dead people.
  
• Christianity is not about a set of values to adhere to, nor a list of rules to obey, rather, it is a new life to receive and a new way to be human.
  
• “The glory of God is a human being fully alive!” --- Irenaeus
  
• “Jesus Christ has given us a whole new way to be human.” --- Maximus the Confessor

Life’s 3 Greatest Questions:

1. The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
   Answer: I was created to be loved by God
   
2. The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
   Answer: “I Was Made To Last Forever
   
3. The Question of Intention: What is my Purpose?
   Answer: I Find My Purpose By Getting To Know God

All New

• Identity
  
• Nature
  
• Power
  
• Understanding
  
• Lordship
  
• Peace
  
• Purpose

3 Keys to begin

• Hebrews 11:6 -- seek Him
  
• Psalm 92:13 -- planted
  
• James 1:22 -- doers

3 Things we can count on? --- St. Augustine

• God’s mercy for our past mistakes
  
• God’s love for our present needs
  
• God’s sovereignty for our future

The New Life - Part 7

A New Peace
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

Mark 4:35-41

• The Peaceful One
  
• The “Secret”
  
• Peace of Mind

Peace Of Mind Factors
-- Duke University study on a "peace of mind."
The factors found to contribute to emotional and mental stability were:

• The absence of suspicion and resentment.
  
  • Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.
    
• Not living in the past.
  
  • An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.
    
• Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change.
  
  • Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.
• Force yourself to stay involved with the living world.
  
  • Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
    
• Refuse to indulge in self-pity when life hands you a raw deal.
  
  • Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
    
• Cultivate the old-fashioned virtues-love, humor, compassion and loyalty
• Do not expect too much of yourself.
  
  • When there is too wide a gap between self-expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
    
• Find something bigger than yourself to believe in.
  
  • Self-centered egotistical people score lowest in any test for measuring happiness.

His Peace

• Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You”
  
• John 14:23-29

All New

• Identity
  
• Nature
  
• Power
  
• Understanding
  
• Lordship
  
• Peace

3 Keys to begin

• Hebrews 11:6 -- seek Him
  
• Psalm 92:13 -- planted
  
• James 1:22 -- doers

Your Peace
If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
Matthew 10:13

• Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”
• Do not confuse your inner turmoil with the flesh and the pressure and influence of the world with a lack of His peace.
• Four keys to your peace of mind – commandments
  • Philippians 4:6–8
    • Prayer
      
    • Be thankful – Gratitude
      
    • “Change the language of your mind.”
      
    • Be a “doer” – Practice

His Peace Your Peace

• Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance.
  II Thessalonians 3:16
• Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
  John 14:27

The New Life - Part 6

Lord of Life
Christ died to be our Savior and lives to be our Lord!

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 NKJ

All New

• Identity
  
• Nature
  
• Power
  
• Understanding
  
• Lordship

3 Keys to begin

• Hebrews 11:6 -- seek Him
  
• Psalm 92:13 -- planted
  
• James 1:22 -- doers

He Is Lord

• Scripture – Mark 10:32-45
  
• Not positions and titles
  
• Rather obedience and trust
• II Corinthians 4:5 “For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.”
  
• The root of all sin is an independent nature.
  
  • It is doing what is right in our own eyes apart from God.
    
  • The old sin nature lives according to this rule.
    
  • If we allow it to prevail in our lives, it will cause us to take this same course.
• In Christ, we are no longer the lord of our lives.
  
  • We have submitted ourselves to the authority of God.
    
  • The Bible is a revelation of the mind and will of God.
    
  • We are to submit our thoughts and ways to Him, and seek to live by His Word.

He Is Lord
Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:
You call Me master and obey Me not.
You call Me light and see Me not.
You call Me the Way and walk Me not.
You call Me life and live Me not.
You call Me wise and follow Me not.
You call Me fair and love Me not.
You call Me rich and ask Me not.
You call Me eternal and seek Me not.
If I condemn thee, blame Me not.

So also it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living soul." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. I Corinthians 15:45

Lordship defined:

• Admit - sin and need of a Savior
  
• Submit - forsake sin and submit your life to God
  
• Commit - yourself and your way to the Lord each day
  
• Transmit - share His love and goodness with others
  

The New Life - Part 5

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3 NKJ

All New

A New Identity

• Galatians 3:26 “For you are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus”
  
• Revelation 5:10 “And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

A New Nature

• Galatians 4:6 “And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’”
  
• II Peter 1:4 “partakers of the divine nature.”

A New Power

• Ephesians 1:19 “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power”
  
• Romans 8:11 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
  
• Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

A New Understanding

• Ephesians 1:17-18 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints”
  
• Matthew 16:26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

3 Keys to begin

• Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
  
• Psalm 92:13 “Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
  
• James 1:22 “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Life From The Dead
A whole new way to be human!
Colossians 3:1-7 Message

The Death Side

• I Thessalonians 4:3 “This is the will of God, your sanctification …”
  
• My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers
  
• Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate … his own life … he cannot be My disciple.”
  
• Matthew 10:34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. I Thessalonians 5:23-24 NKJ

Living:
Work like you don’t need the money.
Love like nobody has ever hurt you.