East End

6-29-08

Text: Hebrews 9:27

Have you ever gotten any news that just rocks your world? Something such as that for a woman she is pregnant for the first time, or you have cancer, etc. Many times it takes something this drastic for God to get our attention. Today’s text says, “and as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” For many people when they get shocking news it makes them sit down and reflect on their life. I can remember going to the hospital and finding out later that I had a small heart attack. Nothing shocked me more, but it caused me to reflect. However, my reflection didn’t last long and it didn’t change me for very long. As sad as this is, I don’t believe I am alone in this. I point to world events such as the tsunami is the Pacific, September 11^th, Hurricane Katrina, and other events as proof. The world takes notice of these events and changes but only temporary. We all like to say things such as “Remember 9/11” but the truth of the matter is that we simply don’t live our lives as though we remember that day. It is like someone saying around the new year “this year I’m turning over a new leaf.” The truth of the matter is, even if you turn a leaf over it is still a leaf. Yes it is a different side and it may change the scenery in the beginning, but when you get down to the core, it is still a leaf. The truth of the matter is that we are all going to die one day unless we live until God calls the church home. We all want to make our mark on our family and society. But for many of us we are going about it the wrong way. We serve on committees and attend every church service, wear the Christian t-shirts, say the popular slogans, but if we looked into our heart we wouldn’t see much change. We invest our time in things, not people. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19-20, “do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Paul would write in 2 Corinthians 4 that the things which are seen are temporary and the things that are unseen are eternal. Put another way, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:26)? Many of us are sacrificing our souls on the alter of work, hobbies, money, food, etc. The bible clearly tells us that anything we place before God is an idol. If we want true change in our life we must change who we are living for. Short of making Jesus your Lord and the Holy Spirit coming to live inside of you, you will never have real change. So if you want to change your life and the world the formula is simple, turn your entire life over to Jesus and work with Him. Real change is possible because the Bible says, “Greater is He who lives in you, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Let’s begin again, this time with Jesus leading the way.