From Human Doings to Human Beings

The Problem

We are often tempted to think that are value comes from what we can produce, what others think about us or what we possess.

Introduction: Do you ever wonder why so many people

First Temptation: I am what I can produce.

The world offers us value if we can produce results.

But the value only lasts while the results last. The paycheck only comes as long as the work comes first.

The fame and fortune come as long as the athlete performs.

Relevant as long as your useful.

It is a powerful temptation to allow your value to come from your performance.

Jesus was tempted in this way.

Matthew 4:3–4 (NIV)

The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus, do this and you’ll stop being hungry.

This temptation is a hard one for us to overcome because over an over again our world defines us and gives us values by what we do.

I learned something this week. Even though we have two children, and I was 98% of the way there the entire time each of my kiddos were born (ask Amy about the 2%) I never knew about the APGAR score that doctors give out almost immediately after being born.

The Apgar score is a quick evaluation your baby receives immediately after birth. It helps your baby's healthcare providers determine if your baby needs immediate medical care. The Apgar test measures your baby's appearance, pulse, grimace, activity and respiration.

So immediately upon entering this world, we are already scoring our kids. But it doesn’t stop there. I mean, I’m guilty of it but maybe you are too… we instantly begin bragging about our child’s weight, or height or hair. It’s almost like we are sharing stories about that 8 lb bass or 8 point buck…and it might be the only time appropirate in life to brag about a womans weight!

But it doesn’t stop at the APGAR score. Soon our children learn and we learn that our value in this world is higher when we perform properly in school.

The pressures that schools put on children today to perform in their PSSA’s is unreal.

Get a certain grade and get ice cream…Get the best GPA, Score the highest you can on you SAT’s so that this college will accept you.

Share about Elizabeth…Amy and I had to learn to celebrate when she gets a bad grade because she stuffles so hard with this one.

And if we thought it was over when school ends…think again. This world only turns up the heat after you graduate. As adults we set up a whole new list of standards and performance issues. How big is your house…if you own one. Because obviously home ownership is the only way to truly be successful…how about your car, What make and model is that? How much money do you make? How many promotions have you gotten? How much do you weigh?

The list is seemly never-ending and only adds to the temptation to believe that our value…our worth is placed in what we can produce.

Make this...

But Jesus didn’t fall for this temptation and nether do we have to. Our value is never fulfilled by what we can produce.

Jesus’ response was…

Matthew 4:4 “4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’””

Because Jesus knew his identity. He didn’t have to produce to be valued or prove his value.

Turn with me back just a few verses, right before the chapter break.

Matthew 3:13–17 “13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.””

Jesus’ identity was solidified in that very moment that heaven opened up and God spoke out… “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Before Jesus ever performed a single miracle…His heavenly Father

spoke a word into his identity.

Jesus. I love you. You are my son. I am well pleased in who you are.

First way to combat the temptation that we are what we do is by allowing God to define who we are.

Our solid foundation has to come from a place where our identity is in who God says we are.

I can’t tell you how many times I have tried to counsel people in this area. Because this is such a hard temptation to combat. Everything about our world says we have to produce in order to be valued. But in God’s economy…he gets to define our value, our worth.

And he did so in one single statement. The issue of our value was settled on the cross.

As Dr. Rob Reimer writes, “The issue of your value was settled on the cross. When Jesus died for you on the cross, God made a statement about how much you are worth. You are worthy of His Son’s life.” - Pathways to the King

Second way to combat this temptation is by really understanding and obeying the 4th commandment.

Exodus 20:9–11 “9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

Jesus did a lot of things to correct the sabbath, because man has a way of getting it backwards, getting it wrong.

True Sabbath is about resting from work, from the need to be validated by what we can produce.

Next week:

Second Temptation: I am what others think about me.

Matthew 4:5–7 NIV

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Third Temptation: I am what I possess.

Matthew 4:8–10 (NIV)

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”