Last week we talked about how there is a Drama to Life. This week we talk about setting goals and developing a plan to get through the game of life. Sometimes we try to cut corners, work half as hard and find the bare minimum that we have to do in order to get things done. Whether it is work, chores, trips we always try to do things as quickly as possible, unfortunately this happens with life as well. We try to figure out how to do just enough to get into heaven, so you find people often ask the same question a young man asks Jesus:
Mark 10:17-30
“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
– Jesus answered him…You know the commandments: ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.'”
An answer like this most would be pleased, for a lot of us we’ve never killed, steal, bear false witness, and we celebrate mother’s and father’s day. So to us living out the 10 commandments might be hard but not impossible.
– The young man agreed with this – He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”
But Jesus knows that this man had more work to do
– Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to (the) poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Jesus recognizes the young man still has flaws. Jesus recognizes the young man still has more to do. The young man realizes that he can’t do these things and walks away. He had too much to give up and he valued it more than following Christ. Many times we do the same, we find it difficult to follow Christ and it’s because we don’t have a plan. But there is a plan and it’s from God. Any plan from God makes winning possible. In fact Jesus told his disciples after the young man left:
– “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
So how do we learn of God’s plan? How do we get through life with God and make the impossible happen?
The Great Commandments
Mark 12:30-31 – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
– First thing Jesus tells us
Is to HONOR God
– Second thing Jesus tells us
Is to SERVE one another
The Great Commission
Matthew 28:19-20 – Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
– Before Jesus left the disciples he commissioned them to
REACH out to non-believers
CONNECT with other believers
GROW with others in faith
Jesus gave us 5 things that he wanted us to do because he knew that these five things would lead us to God and allow God to help us through life. Jesus knew that this was a winning plan that would help us earn eternal life. The reason this is a winning plan is because honoring God, serving one another, reaching out to non-believers, connecting with other believers and growing in our faith allows God to travel with us and make the impossible happen.
Reflect on this:
Do you have a plan for heaven? If so what is it and if not why not?
Do you believe in heaven and a hell?
Do you believe there is a right way and wrong way into heaven or can we cut corners and just slide in?
What is holding you back from God’s plan?