AT THE HEART OF IT ALL

Dr. Richard J. Henderson May 23, 2004

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Mark 12:28-34
Matthew 6:16-21

Introduction

Since there isn't a baccalaureate in Novi anymore, I wanted to use the sermon this morning to fulfill that role. The more I thought about my comments to this year's graduates, the more I realized they weren't just for eighteen year olds.

Sometimes it's helpful to step back and take a look at the big picture. We spend time trying to understand the Holy Spirit, or the importance of forgiveness, or the meaning of worship, but sometimes we need to look at life in general, and some basic principles for Christians.

I want to look at three principles today: Live for something bigger than yourself, give back more than you have received, and allow God into the center of your life. As we will see, these are not in the right order.

I

Live for something bigger than yourself. We live in a self-centered world. We are not only permitted to think of ourselves first, we're encouraged to.

So much attention has been showered on us, we can feel that we are the center of the universe. The big questions are, "What do I want?" "What will please me?" "What will make me happy?"

We can fulfill all of our wishes and desires and end up with a lot - and nothing. We may be comfortable, well off, and surrounded by stuff, but have a life that is hollow - pretty on the outside, empty on the inside.

The world famous poet, Thomas Lynch, who happens to be a funeral director in Milford, Michigan, won the American Book Award for his book, The Undertaking. In that book he talks about how his mother taught her children a different way to live. She taught them they were not on earth to see how much comfort and pleasantness they could pack into one life, but that suffering had meaning. Suffering for other people had special meaning. Lynch says she taught that:

"Nature passed suffering out in big doses, random and irreverent, but faith and grace made suffering a part of the way by which we make our journey back to God. Atonement meant to be 'at one.' And this return, this reunion in heaven, this salvation, was the one true reason for our being, according to my mother. This opinion put her, of course, at odds with everything the culture told us about 'feeling good about ourselves' and 'taking care of numero uno,' or the secular trophies of 'happiness, validation and self-esteem.' Hers was a voice crying in the suburban wilderness that we were all given crosses to bear - it was our imitation of Christ - and we should offer it up for the suffering souls." ¹

Lynch's mother made a lasting impression on him because what she said went against the grain...and because it proved to be so true. For our lives to be meaningful, they have to stretch beyond our own self-interest and ourselves.

II

Give back more than you have received. You and I have received an enormous amount. I don't mean just wealth, cars, houses and toys; we have been given opportunities. We have families that care about us - our education, health, and growth. People stand behind us who support and encourage us.

We've worked hard, but we have also been given a great deal. Some of what we have, we haven't earned at all. For example, we were born in the United States, rather than Sierra Leone, where twenty-eight percent of all children die before their fifth birthday. Your place of birth was a gift.

We have a good education. We can explore our talents and build on our natural abilities. All of our graduates this year are going to college. This opens the door to opportunities that most people, even in the United States, don't have (less than one third of all Americans have graduated from college).

We have been given a lot.

The question is, "What will we give back?" We have received so much, some of it based on nothing more than where we were born, so what will we give for others who haven't had the luck we had?

Keep asking yourself, "What am I giving back," all through your life. Whether we make ten thousand dollars or ten million dollars we have something to offer, because it isn't just money that people need. We can offer support, encouragement, hope, and most importantly - caring.

Jesus said, "Those to whom much has been given, much will be required." Our giving back isn't charity, it's fulfillment of God's demand.

I saw an interview with one of our most famous billionaires. He was asked why he wasn't giving away much of his immense fortune. He said, "I will begin giving part of it away after I reach a certain level." I wondered how many billions we should cling to before we can safely part with some of it.

Give back more than you received. That may be the hardest thing you ever do, because when you give yourself for other people, most of the time you get far more than you give. We have learned over and over again on mission trips that even though people are so grateful for what we have offered, we always come back with more than we could ever give.

III

Allow God into the center of your life. This is actually the starting point. This should be number one on our list. It's really hard to do the other two we have talked about, unless you have allowed God be at the heart of your life.

For us it is a question of opening up our lives. As we've said before, it isn't that we need to search all our lives to try to find God, God is here asking to be let into our lives.

Do you remember that picture of Jesus standing outside a door, holding a lamp and knocking? It's a hokey picture, but that's what it's like - Christ wants to be let into your life. The catch is he wants to be at the core of your life. On the periphery of life isn't good enough. Being "a significant influence" won't cut it. God's place is the center.

Every action we take, every dollar we spend, every plan we make, is affected by God. God is the CEO of our lives.

When God is the heart of who we are, the will of God is a lot easier to do.

Conclusion

As I think of these comments - Live for something bigger than yourself, give back more than you have received, and allow God into the center of your life - I think of the lives of Millard and Linda Fuller. He was a very successful attorney, who made huge amounts of money. He wielded power; he was highly respected. He had everything.

One day he came home and his wife told him she was leaving him. His magnificent world suddenly caved in. Fortunately, he knew what was of value - he wasn't willing to lose his wife - so he left his job, and he and his wife went to Koininia Farm in Georgia. There they began each day with devotions together. They talked with the leader everyday about their faith, their relationship and what to do about their lives.

Everyday they studied the Bible. The nagging passage that kept haunting them was Jesus saying, "Go and give all that you have to the poor, and come follow me." They took Jesus words literally; and that's exactly what they did. They gave their fortune away.

Together they formed an organization to help build affordable housing for people in need - a group called Habitat for Humanity. That was in 1976. Today they have helped more than 150,000 families around the world move into safe, clean, affordable houses.

Live for something bigger than yourself; give back more than you have received. You will be able to do those two if you allow God into the center of your life. God can do fabulous things with you.

Amen.

Footnotes:
1. (Page 97)

©Richard J. Henderson 2004