Merritt Opening Song: #286 Wonderful Words of Life Title: Life Lessons
Scripture: Psalm 16:11, You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
There are two days in every week about which we should not worry. Two days should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is yesterday with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its heartache and pain. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We can’t undo a single act, we can’t erase a single word. Yesterday is gone. The other day we should not worry about is tomorrow. With its possible trouble, burdens, its unknown and uncertainty. Tomorrow is beyond control. Tomorrow's sun will rise, either in splendor or in a mask of clouds. Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow.
This just leaves only one day. Any person can fight the battles of just one day. It’s only when we add burdens of those two awful eternities - yesterday and tomorrow that we break down. Today does not drive people mad. It is remorse or bitterness for something that happened yesterday and dread of what tomorrow may bring. We can only live now. Matthew 6:34, So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
A man phoned Norman Vincent Peale. He was despondent and told the minister he had nothing left to live for. Minister Peale invited the man to his office. "Everything is gone, hopeless," the man said. "I'm living in deepest darkness. In fact, I've lost heart for living altogether." Dr. Peale smiled kindly. "Let's take a look at your situation," he said calmly. On a sheet of paper, he drew a vertical line down the middle. He suggested they list on the left side things the man had lost, and on the right, things he had. "You won't need the right side," said the man sadly. "I have nothing left, period."
Peale asked, "When did your wife leave you?"
"What do you mean? She hasn't left me. My wife loves me!"
"That's great!" said Peale enthusiastically. "Then that will be number one in the right-hand column. Wife hasn't left. Now when were your children jailed?"
"That's silly. My children aren't in jail!"
"Good! That's number two in the right-hand column. Children not in jail," said Peale, writing it down.
After a few more questions in the same vein, the man finally got the point and smiled in spite of himself. "Funny how things change when you think of them that way," he told the minister. If God be for us, who can be against us?
SONG: FEASTING AT THE TABLE
Born into poverty, Lincoln was faced with defeat throughout his life. He could have quit many times - but he didn't and because he didn't quit, he became one of the greatest presidents, believing in freedom for all. Here is a sketch of Lincoln's road to the White House:
1816 His family was forced out of their home. He worked to support them.
1818 His mother died.
1831 He failed in business.
1832 Ran for state legislature - lost. Also lost his job - wanted to go to law school but couldn't get in.
1833 Borrowed money from a friend to begin business; by year end he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.
1834 Ran for state legislature again - finally won for the first time.
1835 Was engaged to be married, his sweetheart died, his heart was broken.
1836 Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed six months.
1838 Sought to be speaker of the state legislature - was defeated.
1840 Sought to become elector - was defeated.
1843 Ran for Congress - lost.
1846 Ran for Congress again, won, went to Washington and did a good job.
1848 Ran for re-election to Congress - lost.
1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state - was rejected.
1854 Ran for Senate of the United States - lost.
1856 Sought Vice-President nomination at his party's national convention - got less than 100 votes.
1858 Ran for U.S. Senate again - lost again.
1860 Elected president of the United States. Lincoln was a champion because he never gave up. In life, NEVER give up!
If you put a buzzard in a pen 8 feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be a prisoner. A buzzard always begins flight from the ground with a run of 10-12 feet. Without space to run, he won’t even try to fly, but remain prisoner for life in a small jail with no top. Ordinary bat flies at night, remarkable nimble creature in air, but can’t take off from a level place. If it’s placed on floor or flat ground, it shuffles until it reaches some slight elevation from which to throw itself into the air. Then it takes off like a flash. But without elevation, it stays stuck on the ground.
A Bumblebee if dropped into an open glass will be there until it dies. It doesn’t see escape at the top, but persists trying to find way out through sides near the bottom. It seeks a way where none exists, until it destroys itself. In many ways, people like the buzzard, bat and bee struggle with problems and frustrations, not realizing the answer is right there ABOVE them, God. Jesus used His life to answer life's most perplexing problems. The Lord said, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher," Luke 6:40. Jesus is our EXAMPLE for LIFE.
A world survey was conducted; the only question asked was, "Would you please give your honest opinion about the solution to food shortage in the world?" The survey was a failure. In Africa they didn't fully understand what "food" meant. In Eastern Europe they didn't know what "honest" meant. In Western Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant. In China they didn't know what "opinion" meant. In Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant. What does life mean?
Plato said meaning of life is attaining highest form of knowledge. Aristotle was Plato’s apprentice and he taught life was for finding "happiness, well-being, flourishing, and excellence." Epicurus said life is about freedom from pain and fear. Naturalists say meaning of life is to care for the environment. Confucius taught life is for achieving virtue through strong relationships, reasoning and minimizing the negative. Islam teaches life is merely a test, determining one's afterlife. To Baha'i, purpose of life is spiritual growth and service to humanity. Hindu teaches spiritual development happens over many lifetimes and this life is to realize truth about yourself. Buddha speaks about human life to end suffering. "Sikh" means student, to spend lives forever learning. Tao says meaning of life is self-cultivation found only in ourselves. Shinto religion of Japan, says life is using free will to make good choices. Biologists say life is to evolve, survive and reproduce. If there were no God to give life real value, meaning, and purpose, life would be absurd. Aren’t you glad we have Jesus and He gives our life meaning and purpose?
A young teacher from an industrial city in England accepted a job teaching kindergarten to four-year-olds out in an isolated, rural part of north Wales. One of her first lessons was teaching the letter S so she held up a big colour photo of a sheep and said, "Now, who can tell me what this is?" No answer from 20 blank, wordless faces. "Come on, who can tell me what this is?" she tapped the photo, unable to believe the children were so ignorant. 20 faces became fearful as she continued to question them with mounting frustration. Eventually, one brave soul put up a tiny, reluctant hand. "Yes!" she cried, waving the photo high. "Tell me what you think this is!"
"Oh please, Miss," said the boy nervously. "Is it a 3-year-old Border Leicester female ewe?" Who was really ignorant? The 4 year old children or teacher? Many times we believe we know so much, but do we really? Should we be open to God’s leading, instead of thinking we have it all together? There are always different perspectives and ways of looking at things. A Minister travelled for days by train, car then boat to one of the furthest islands in the nation. As he surveyed the bleak but inspiring landscape, he turned to a local villager and said, "You're very remote here, aren't you?" She responded, "Remote from what?" He thought there was nothing there. She thought everything was there. It all depends on our VIEW of life.
A Japanese master received a university professor who came to enquire about wisdom. The master served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, then kept on pouring. The professor watched the overflow until he could no longer restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”
“Like this cup,” the master said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you wisdom unless you first empty your cup?”
When we come to Jesus, we must put aside our preconceived ideas and notions. We must pray for God to open our minds for us to understand and open our eyes that we might see His beautiful truth. If we cling to our own ideas, we remain without understanding. Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the LIFE.
SONG: I’LL WALK WITH GOD
A little wave, bobbing along in the ocean, was having a grand old time, enjoying the wind, until he notices other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore. “Oh my, this is terrible!” the wave says. “Look what's going to happen to me!” Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave looking grim and asks, “Why are you so sad?” The first wave says, “You don't understand! We are all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn't it terrible?”
The second wave says, “No, you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.” Romans 14:7-8, For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. This shows no man is an island alone. We all affect each other in ways that we don’t realize. In the church, we are all parts of Christ’s body. As we use our spiritual gifts to honor Jesus, we are PART of life that God designed.
A shopkeeper sent his son to learn meaning of life from the wisest man in the world. Rather than finding a saintly man alone, the boy saw hive of activity. People came and went, a small orchestra was playing soft music, a table was covered with delicious food. The wise man talked with everyone, and the boy had to wait two hours for his turn. The wise man listened attentively to the boy's explanation of why he came. He told the boy look around the palace and return in two hours. "Meanwhile, I ask you to do something,” said the wise man, handing the boy a spoon that held two drops of oil. “As you wander around, carry this spoon with you but do not let the oil spill.” Boy began climbing many stairways of the palace, keeping his eyes fixed on the spoon. After two hours, he returned to the room where the wise man was. “Well", asked the wise man, "Did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my hall? Did you see my garden that took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice beautiful parchments in my library?"
The boy was embarrassed and confessed he’d seen nothing. His only concern was not to spill oil. "Then go back and observe marvels of my world,” said the wise man. "You cannot trust a man if you don't know his home.” Boy picked up the spoon and returned to explore the palace, this time observing all. He saw gardens, art, and good taste with which everything was selected. Returning to the wise man, he spoke in detail of all he saw. "But where’s oil I entrusted to you?" asked the wise man. Looking down at the spoon, the boy saw oil was gone! Said the wise man, “The meaning of life is to enjoy beauty but also do responsibilities in life.”
For the Christian, Jesus brings BALANCE into our lives, for Jesus is wisest One Who ever lived. It only makes sense to ask "What is the meaning of life?" if we believe life was created for a reason. If there’s no Creator, no Master Designer, there can be no meaning of life.
The reason we are here is God created us to have relationship with Him, know Him, love Him, have joy in Him. King Solomon had wealth beyond measure, wisdom, hundreds of women, palaces, gardens, best food and drink, all entertainment. Anything his heart wanted, yet his life was meaningless without GOD. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end, Ecclesiastes 3:11. In our hearts we realize this world is not all there is. 1John 1:1, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched- this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life. Our Savior Jesus is LIFE. True Life can ONLY be found in Him.
SONG: ALL MY LIFE