Rich and Satisfying

A few weeks ago I preached a sermon called “Rich and Satisfying”. I took the title from John 10:10 (NLT), where Jesus said that’s what He wants our life to be. I explored the idea that when God asks us to do things it’s because His goal is to make our lives rich and satisfying.

We often feel as if the Christian life involves a long list of stuff we are supposed to do for God. We have to volunteer in church. We have to do kind things for people. We have to give our time and money. We have to pray. We have to… have to… have to…

Of course God does encourage us to do certain things as His children, but the question is why. Is it because He has a lot to do and is short of workers? Is it because He’s poor and needs our money? Is it because He doesn’t know how to do something and really needs someone with our talents or experience?   

When we look at it that way, it seems pretty silly. God spoke the world into existence. Does He really need me to get things done? So then, why does He ask me to do things He could easily accomplish on His own or in some other way?

There is only one logical answer. If God’s instructions aren’t for His benefit, they must be for mine. He asks me to serve because it’s how I will grow. He asks me to help others because I will develop compassion and generosity and self worth. He asks me to give because I will develop a generous spirit and learn to trust him. He asks me to pray because I will grow in my relationship with him. Every single thing God asks of me, the things I often do grudgingly or not at all, are not for His benefit. They are for mine!

When I do what He says I will grow in all the ways that are really important. I will learn to trust God and grow in the peace that can only come from truly knowing Him. I will have the rich and satisfying life Jesus said He wants to give us.

Does that mean life becomes trouble free? Sorry, no. We live in a world where sickness and death and hurt and disappointment are part of life, Christian or not. As long as we are in this world we will not be free of problems, but Jesus’ plan is that we grow in our relationship with Him and become the kind of people who can rise above the struggle. He wants us to have a rich and satisfying life in spite of life’s circumstances.

The conclusion is inevitable. If we do what God says we will grow and mature and move ever closer to the rich and satisfying life Jesus wants us to have. If we refuse we rob ourselves of the amazing life that is available to us.

How ironic. So many Christians avoid doing what God asks because they think it’s going to keep them from what they really want.  They are busy pursuing what they are sure will bring “the good life”. They don’t want to serve God or others because it will cut into their time for doing the things that will make them happy. They don’t want to give to God because they need that money to do the things they are sure will bring joy and contentment. They want to be great parents and are convinced that means providing their kids with more sports, more lessons, and bigger and better vacations.

Even for many Christians life is about doggedly pursuing their own goals and priorities because their way seems better than God’s. What’s the result? Instead of finding the ever elusive “good life”, they end up robbing themselves of the rich and satisfying life only God can give. They have stress instead of God’s peace. They are always reaching for more instead of knowing God’s contentment. Their children end up pursuing what everyone else says is good rather than pursuing God. They are always busy but not achieving the things that are really important in life.

If we could only grasp that God loves us and knows what’s best for us. Every instruction He gives us is for our growth. Every priority He asks us to adopt is for our benefit. Everything He tells us in His word is designed to bring us to a life that is rich and satisfying!

Dr. Phil is famous for the statement, “how’s that working for you?” Take a look at your life. If you are stubbornly pursuing your own agenda and your own priorities instead of following God’s instructions for life, you might want to ask yourself that question. How’s that working for you? Is it bringing peace and contentment and allowing you to rise above life’s struggles? Jesus wants you to have a rich and satisfying life.

Responding to Jesus' Challenge

In our Grounded & Growing classes we are looking at some of the lessons Jesus taught us in the sermon on the mount. I have promoted the class as "Christianity According To Jesus", since this sermon really contains the essence of what Jesus said the Christian life is supposed to look like. 

The things Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount are totally counter cultural. In fact they

are counter to our human nature in many respects. Jesus makes it clear that we are not to be satisfied with accepting our natural tendencies or the cultural norms. As followers of Christ our lives and our attitudes should be distinctly different from what is generally accepted as the norm. That's what the salt and light lesson is about. We are supposed to be different, different enough that our lives make things taste better, and bring light to a dark world. 

While all of what Jesus taught in this sermon is challenging, some things seems to be virtually impossible. That became quite clear as we discussed what Jesus said about anger and revenge and loving our enemies. We did pretty well in the anger and revenge discussions, but it is obvious that loving our enemies is simply not a natural thing for most of us. 

So that means I can't retaliate when someone hurts me, or worse yet, hurts someone I care about? So I am supposed to love and pray for someone who continues to abuse me or my loved ones at every opportunity? Okay, this is hard.

Yes, this and some of Jesus' other teaching is very hard. It goes against our nature. I suppose that's really the point. It goes against OUR nature, but is absolutely consistent with GOD'S nature. Somehow God's nature has to become our nature. That's the spiritual journey He wants us to be on.

As we consider some of the really difficult challenges Jesus confronts us with, we have essentially two possible responses. We can say "Sorry, but I just can't go there. That person hurt me so badly and they don't even care, so there is no way I can love them or pray for them. And forgiveness is out of the question. I know what Jesus said, but I can't (or won't) do it!" 

The other possible response is to say "I'm not sure I can do that, but I know it's what Jesus wants and I really want to please him. I want to be obedient. So God you're really going to have to help me with this because it's not in me to do it on my own."

The first says I can't do it, and I'm not willing. The second says I can't do it, but I would like to with God's help.

I've used the "love your enemies" teaching as an example because it is one of the more challenging teachings and obviously a real stumbling block for many, but the principle applies to any of the things Jesus teaches us about Christian living. We have the choice to say "I'm not going there" or "I want to go there and I need your help". 

I believe this is a critical choice and that it has a profound impact on our growth as Christians. The first response says I am not willing to be obedient. What's the result of an attitude like that? In my understanding the result is a stunting of our spiritual growth. When we say to God that I don't care what you say, I am going my own way, we are putting up barriers to what God wants to accomplish in our lives. We can only grow in our spiritual lives when we are willing to let God shape us and change us, and bring us more and more into a likeness of Jesus. God can't (or won't) mold an unwilling vessel.

On the other hand, when our attitude is to acknowledge both our weakness and our desire for God to help us overcome that weakness, we are opening the door for all the wonderful things God wants to grow and develop in our lives. When our desire is that God take our imperfect nature and mold us so we become more and more like Jesus, that's exactly what will happen.

We are born with a sinful nature,and the world we live in is plagued with ungodly attitudes. The things Jesus teaches us are often contrary to our nature and to what is generally accepted by the people around us. He knows that. He knows the lifestyle He teaches is so challenging we won't be able to get there without His help. The decision we face is simply, are we willing? Are we willing to let God shape us or would we rather stubbornly hang on to our own way even if it is contrary to what Jesus wants. 

If I'm right in my thinking, refusal to allow God to work in our lives and help us conform to His will will stop our spiritual growth in it's tracks. That's a terrible price to pay for stubbornness. It's a terrible price to pay just so I can hang on to attitudes or behaviours that God wants to change. 

We all have some struggles in conforming to Jesus' instructions for Christian living. Being the perfect Christ follower is illusive and impossible for me to get to on my own. Yet if my desire is to be all that Jesus wants me to be, and I am willing to submit myself to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life, I can daily grow more and more into the person He wants me to be. 

I want that.