Don't Waste Your Life (Part Two)

Title: Don’t Waste Your Life (part 2)

notice that the title of the sermon is part 2; it has been my practice as a pastor that on Confirmation Sunday when there are multiple services, I do 2 different sermons, rather than ask the confirmands to listen to the same sermon 2x.

So, unless you are a diehard fan of my sermons (a sermon roadie), or a confirmand who was asked to be present for both services, you didn’t hear part one;

never fear, for 2 reasons: 1) It’s not like watching Despicable Me part 2 without watching part one. Why is this single man living with 3 little girls? Who are the yellow people? Why do the now operate a jelly making business: what did they used to do? You don’t need to hear part one before you understand part 2. 2) However, I did record part one, because it is also important.

Review of Confirmation

Why take a confirmation class? There are plenty of classes you will take in life (you might be taking one now) where you will ask, “How will I use this in life?” Shop class? I’m never going to use that! English class? I already know how to speak English.

example of luxury liner - used to have a purpose, now it only exists for the sake of the passengers and their comfort and entertainment; churches can be this way. they can lose their sense of purpose. there was a time where they knew they existed for the sake of the world, but over time began to believe that their purpose was to please its members.

As a history teacher I heard this. As an English literature teacher I heard this. “I want to study business in college, I don’t need this!” This student went to college, and complained when he got a D on his first paper: because of the grammar he used.

What is the purpose of confirmation? Is it just a class? Because there are plenty of classes you can take. Some of them you have to take: ever take a class and wondering, when am I ever going to use this information? When I taught history I got that all the time? History is boring, and when am I going to need this information? I hated hearing that. “I’m going to study business, how is the Revolutionary War going to help me with that.

Montclair University, a research school in NJ;

From Ohio State University: Sport for the Spectator: "Develop an appreciation of sport as a spectacle, social event, recreational pursuit, and entertainment."

Because college kids really need to master that important life skill of watching sports.

There are some useless classes out there. Here’s one that caught my eye: Watching Television

From Montclair State University: "This course is about analyzing television in the ways and extent to which it needs to be understood by its audience. The aim is for students to evaluate the role and impact of television in their lives as well as in the life of the culture."

Because we've all been watching television incorrectly this whole time and we never had a clue.

Confirmation is about giving you the basics of what it means to be a disciple. A Christianity 101. How to get started. But it’s more than a class: it’s about inviting you into a entirely different way of life.

Confirmation is about giving you the basics of what it means to be a disciple. A Christianity 101. What does a Christian believe? What do are they supposed to do? How to get started. But Confirmation is more than a class: it’s about inviting you into a entirely different way of life.

I’m going to read two passages of Scripture to you:

The first is what we call, the great commandment:

Luke 10:27 NIV

He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The second passage is the great commission.

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We can summarize these verses like this:

Love God and love your neighbor.

Go and make disciples.

Write these on your mirror. Plan your day around these. At the end of your day, assess your day based on these.

This is why you exist. This is why you were created. This is what it means to be a disciple, a follower of Jesus Christ. If we don’t do this, we are wasting our lives.

Don’t Waste Your Life

James 4:14 NIV

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

My inspiration for the sermon comes from a rather non inspirational moment. (Rock, chaperone, youth, how many of you know the biggest waste of time? smart phone, sign)

life moves fast (used to be in style, no longer in style; tux, tails, cumberbund; I could probably get one of those in a costume shop today) life moves fast, don’t waste it.

inspiration for the sermon (Rock, chaperone, youth, smart phone, sign)

At the first service I talked about 3 ways we can do this:

Waste your work (we will all work, e.g. boss watching - make it count for Christ),

waste your brain (lost to see, watch and read), take on the mind of Christ .,

waste your health (you’re not always going to young healthy (72 and under) ;

It will be on the website.

I want to continue with ways we can waste our life.

Don’t Waste Your Time

Ephesians 5:16 NIV

making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

smart phones

social media

surfing tv, binge watching

what are you doing with your spare time

time that could be spent with God, serving God;

Don’t Waste Your Money

Luke 12:15 NIV

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

so easy to spend $; celebrities, lottery winners that go bankrupt

coffee every day - it’s the little expenses that get you;

hair dye -

clutter - constantly wanting

at the root: misguided desire; driven by pleasure, self

spend more than we need; give less than we should;

Beanie babies, poor investment

Beanie babies, poor investment

Real estate, only goes up

Investments that are certain and last, those for the kingdom of god

tithe, 10%, offerings (not using the calculator, but listen to the Spirit)

Don’t Waste Your Heart

1 Corinthians 13:4–5 NIV

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

broken relationship: can you change?

2 books: 1) If I’m so wonderful, why am I still single? 2) Men that hate themselves, and women that agree with them.

we long for relationships, we long for romance, to be loved; without Jesus, no relationship will satisfy

Using friendships as ways to share gospel

we long for relationships, we long for romance, to be loved; without Jesus, no relationship will satisfy

invest wisely in relationships, whether it be friends or a potential husband or wife. assess your relationships: read 1 corinthians; am I giving this kind of love, am I receiving this kind of love

the example of Jesus, who loves us unconditionally

Godly mentors, Christian friends, church you are surrounded,

Using friendships as ways to share gospel

Conclusion

we don’t exist for own sake: we exist for the sake of the world

Several years from now when we’ve completed that degree, started that new job, started that new family, how will we assess our lives?

Work, health, brain, time, money, heart - how well have we used them?

Have we loved God, loved neighbor and made disciples? when we don’t love God and love neighbor, we are wasting our lives; we don’t exist for own sake: we exist for the sake of the world

Love God and love your neighbor.

Go and make disciples.

we don’t exist for own sake: we exist for the sake of the world