Live Worthy of the Price
Memorial Day Sunday 06 – Live Worthy of the Price Colossians 1:9-14
OS: 1 Gettysburg Address – Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863 / (Lincoln followed a 2 hr. speech by one of the great speakers of their day)Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.----- ------The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; TS] Why is this remembered? These words speak a truth that we all know deep down inside. A memorial is more than a ceremony or piece of stone bearing an inscription.I. 2 A memorial brings to mind and validates an investment event - Cause for Action, motivates, inspires, challenges – intended to make us do something. A. On April 29, 2004 the WWII Memorial was opened to the public 1. THEY FOUGHT TOGETHER AS BROTHERS-IN-ARMS.
THEY DIED TOGETHER AND NOW THEY SLEEP SIDE BY SIDE.
TO THEM WE HAVE A SOLEMN OBLIGATION. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz 2. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Memorial Day, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – 1963 “ We keep a vigil of peace around the world. …--so that those who died here on their native soil shall not have died in vain.”B. A memorial brings to mind and validates an investment event for the purpose of inspiring us to be devoted to protecting and continuing on the task that cost so much. 1. To insure that their death – investment was not in vain. 2. We all have an obligation to make this country the best it can be.C. 3 Universal / timeless truth – When the ultimate investment is made that we benefit from we are obligated to keep that investment alive and well. II. This is one of the basic foundations for God’s scheme of redemption.A. Paul put it like this: 4 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 1. Because of the investment made we are compelled (obligated) to make the investment ourselves! 2. The wellbeing of God’s Kingdom, the spread of His message, the business of people is the task at hand. 3. Consider the investment of Jesus – He gave Himself that we might live. – Physical? Separation from the Father.B. The Tragedy is when the investment has no return. 1. The death of Jesus was in vain pertaining to every person who lives and dies not knowing Him. (tragedy) 2. That is why worship is centered on the memory and celebration of Jesus’ investment. – Lord’s Supper (obligates, separates the important from the trivial, etc.) 3. Weekly – focus / Brings us back to the obligation III. The Colossian church face a critical time, and that’s why Paul wrote this letter.A. Danger – losing sight of the mission. 1. Sidetracked – trivial matters. 2. 5 Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.B. Entire letter can be summed up in the Supremacy of Christ.C. As we read – look for mentions of how we can live up to the obligation that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus place on us.D. Text – 6 7 8 Colossians 1:9-14TS] 9 How do we live worthy? How is it that we do justice to the investment Jesus made? (Ephesians 4:1, “live a life worthy of the Lord” / Phil 1:27, “conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” / 1 Thess 2:12, “live lives worthy of God”) How do we make good on the investment of Jesus – we invest ourselves!I. 10 Bearing Fruit in every good work.A. Context: (1:6) Bearing fruit has to do with the expansion of God’s kingdom. 1. Remember: One person leaving this world without knowing Jesus is an utter tragedy. 2. The investment of Jesus doesn’t have their return.B. That is why our investment in this work is the best investment you can make. I may not be the greatest evangelist in the world but I can be a part of this team using the talents God gave me. 1. Money, time, energy, effort, ideas, labor, 2. We are all in this together investing for a return for God, ourselves, and those who will come long after we are gone. 3. We are indebted to many who have gone on.C. Mission – Help people know Jesus, grow to be like Him, and show Him to the world. II. 11 Growing in Knowledge of God (not about God!)A. Bible knowledge is a good thing and we need to be students of the word 1. Last week’s discussion of its power.B. It is through this Word and prayer that we come to know God Himself.C. A failure to know God results in playing leapfrog in the game of life. 1. Illu – baseball – big little league game – outfielder’s playing leap frog! 2. Everything becomes urgent, urgent, urgent! And we bring crises on ourselves because we have neglected the important. 3. That is what is going on in Colossi. III. 12 Strengthened with all power.A. Connection with God is where our strength comes from. 1. Walking worthy and making good the investment of Jesus is all wrapped up in knowing His will and allowing Him to work through us to bring it about. 2. We put to much pressure on ourselves. B. John 15 1. “I am the vine and you are the branches” 2. “apart from Me you can do nothing”C. notice, “that you may have great endurance and patience” 1. In what? 2. One another, and the building of His kingdom – the work of His investment. IV. 13 Giving Thanks.A. What better investment can you make with your life? 1. “who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”CS: 14 Jesus invested in qualifying us to share in His Kingdom. To live worthy of such a price paid we are indebted offer ourselves to be used by God to protect, build, maintain, and grow His Kingdom. We want everybody to hear this gospel – we want every one to know Jesus, grow to be like Him, and show Him to the world. We want to live worthy by: Bearing fruit, growing in our knowledge of Him, being strengthened in power, and giving thanks for such a wonderful cause to invest our lives in.Just think – our son died for a man like that.