Sermon Archives 3 - Trinity Fellowship

GIVING UP YOUR LIFE

Rick Trice

October 24, 2004

Scriptures:

Matthew 7:14; 16:24-26; 10:39

Mark 8:36

Luke 12:22-34

The Problem

(READ MATTHEW 16:24-26)

I was going to preach on the calling of God in our lives. But then I reflected on the fact that, this week, around coffee pots, dinner tables, and in the grocery lines, one subject has continually come up.

And I am sure that in pulpits all across this town right now, this one subject is being talked about:

A father in Raton has taken his own life, despairing of some choices he might’ve made and of what people might think of him

A week later, his son takes his own life, out of despair;

Then, a man with a longtime illness takes his life;

And another young man attempts to take his life.

I visited this week with a coworker; her sister is in despair; and she’s concerned for her life.

And possibly like some of you, I received phone calls and emails from concerned people in the community; calling for some type of “intervention”; an awareness; a raising of our community consciousness; an increase in our level of caring for each other.

Perhaps form a task force; to organize our efforts; to “stop” this from becoming an epidemic. To quote one person, “what sort of community lets this problem fester in its midst without doing something about it?” And the cry goes out around us, “we have to do something about this suicide problem!!!” …and all of this concern and alarm is so very true…

But what is the real problem here? And how are we to come really comes to terms with it? Another committee? Another meeting? Another group of well intentioned volunteers? Talking, and talking and talking?

Suicide is the result of a deeper problem

The first thing to realize is that suicide is a sympton of the real problem. And the real problem is that we don’t realize that everybody everywhere, all the time, daily, trade our lives for something else. We trade our lives for our possessions…for our money…for our reputations…for our families…for things that, in the end, fade away in their ability to make us happy.

And what are we usually left with? We’re left with despair.

And if we’re not careful what we’re trading our lives for, we will lose our lives in the process.

“…for whoever would save his life will lose it…what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his life? What shall a man give in return for his life?”

These are Jesus’ words.

What do we trade for (read matt 7:14)

You see, it’s real easy to live the way this world tells you to live: go to school, do what your parents say, learn some skills, have fun, get a good job, make some money, look up to the right people, dress like them, talk like them, think like them…

And when you’ve done all that…you still don’t have anything to fill up that empty feeling inside.

The world’s way is wide and easy…and ends in giving you up.

Jesus says, “my way is narrow, and few want to give up the world for it.”

You see, that’s what he means when he says, “deny yourself and take up your cross.”

He’s not saying to deny yourself the good things in life. But deny the path that the world tells you to take. Deny the lies they whisper in your ear.

And how do we deny? We put it to death on his cross, where he took them on in the first place.

We say, “yes, Lord Jesus…i acknowledge that you even put all that to death with you there, along with my sin.”

You see, it’s a sin for us to rely on the things of this world.

God told Moses, “ you will have no other gods before me.”

Do so, and it’s a sin.

That sin was crucified with Jesus.

To acknowledge the cross is to acknowledge that your reliance on the things of this world was put to death with him.

Take up that knowledge, that assurance, and follow him.

Put a line in the dirt today, and tell satan he can’t follow you over it, because from that line on…from this day on…you are following Jesus.

Putting anxiety and despair to death (read luke 12:22-34)

Anxiety adds nothing to our life

Life is more important than food and clothing.

If Jesus says he will provide for our food and clothing; then why can’t we rely on Him providing for our well being and peace of mind? Because we obsess over it; we worry over it.

In other words, we don’t turn it over to him to deal with.

So how do we turn it over? (luke 12:29-34); Stop relying on all this “stuff” you’ve accumulated.

“for where your heart is , there is your treasure.”

Christians need to hear this

Folks, even Christians are susceptible to this despair.

The bible says the devil prowls and circles us, seeking to eat us alive. It’s talking about Christians in that passage.

You want to put a stop to a possible epidemic of suicide? We need to stop just talking about possible solutions, and start talking and living Jesus in our lives in this community.

You want people to have what you know is the truth in your heart? Quit talking despair out of your mouth.

“out of the mouth comes what’s in the heart.”

You see, we can choose to either give up our lives to Jesus right now, or give up our lives to a ravenous enemy later.

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