Life is a Learning Curve

Curtis Pryor

PURPOSE • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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The secret to winning in the steep learning curve of life is to stay close to the Lord, whose purposes never fail.

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Proverbs 19:21 NIV

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:1 NIV

Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

Pre-sermon scripture:

Proverbs 19:21 NIV

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Genesis 50:20 NIV

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Series Big Idea: Assuming what your life is worth, or how it will turn out, or how much of a failure you are, is not helpful at all. Let’s pursue God’s purpose for us as individuals, families, and church community.

Introduction:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives

Sermon Introduction:

Scripture reading:

Genesis 37:1–11 NIV

Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob’s family line. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.” His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said. Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Genesus

Prayer

Life is indeed learning curve — we never stop learning. A lot of times we are forced to learn lessons we didn’t even know we needed.

I’ve been learning the art of smoothie making. I am not very good at it but I have found the ones that I like.

This situation in Joseph’s life was a time of learning for all of them. These first few verse, in my opinion, paint the picture of the perfect conditions for something bad to happen.

Another way to describe it is by using the term, “adding fuel to the fire”. More fuel, more heat…too much heat or fire and something will be destroyed.

Just like mixing in a bunch of bad ingredients can turn into a bad smoothie...

Big Idea: The secret to winning in the steep learning curve of life is to trust the fact that God’s purpose never fails.

Transitional: Even through our imperfections God will see His purpose accomplished

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives

IMPERFECTIONS DO NOT HINDER GOD’S PURPOSE

Exposition:

Jacob was well past middle age by this time — all of his 12 sons were with him

Leah bore him 6 sons

Rachel bore him 2 sons

Rachel’s maidservant bore him 2 sons

Leah’s maidservant bore him 2 sons

In , the Lord renamed him Jacob Israel, which means “He struggles with God” — he wrestled with the Lord all night at Jabbok

So what do we know about Isreal and His sons? One thing we know with confidence is that they were imperfect…some seemingly more than others

Favoritism is wrong —yet it doesn’t derail God’s purpose

Genesis 37:3 NIV

Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him.

Gen 37

Favoritism is wrong — it doesn’t derail God’s purpose

Parents, if you do love one of your kids more than the others, don’t put a bulls eye on that kids back by treating him/her way better than the others

Looking at his life’s situation, I can understand why he loved Joseph this way and it is a natural thing to want to do something special for him…HOWEVER. The Bible teaches that God shows no favoritism ()

(talk about the coat if you have time)

Life is a learning curve…and even now, Israel was still learning (he would soon)

....Joseph’s brothers had a real problem with Him

Jealous hatred is wrong — yet it doesn’t derail God’s purpose

Jealous hatred is wrong — it doesn’t derail God’s purpose

This brief passage records 3 times that Joseph’s brother’s hated him

It even says that they could not speak a kind word to Him

In that culture it was a sign of huge disrespect not to greet someone with a proper greeting — Shalom

Life was a very steep learning curve for them....it took them 20 plus years to learn the lesson

TMI is wrong —yet it doesn’t derail God’s purpose

TMI — running off at the mouth — cutting off your nose to spite your face (a losing proposition)

I would have like to been a fly on the tent-flap back then — what motivated Joseph to share those dreams? He already had a target on his back — his coat probably had a bulls eye on it.

My feeling is that Joseph was a very good young man…so maybe sharing those dreams was an innocent thing…either way, it was important that they hear them, because years down the road they would be reminded of them.

Our sinful attitudes and actions are wrong — yet they do not derail God’s purpose

Our sinful attitudes and actions are wrong — they do not derail God’s purpose

I have made some foolish decisions in my life — as well as some selfish and sinful decisions at time — other times I have innocently opened my mouth and said things that put a target on my back.

More than once I wondered whether God really wanted to use me after a bad attitude or wrong decision.

Application

Sometimes we tend to keep adding one bad ingredient after another into the mix…and eventually we have a mess and we, along with others around us, suffer the consequences for a time

I am not encouraging you to have a bad attitude

I am not encouraging you to say or do sinful or wrong things

What I am encouraging you to do is this: Don’t give up just because it looks like everything has blown up on you

GOD HAS A PURPOSE AND HE WILL SEE IT THROUGH

Proverbs 19:21 NIV

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Transitional: We are imperfect…we have problems, issues, attitudes and weaknesses — that’s a fact!

IMPERFECTIONS HIGHLIGHT OUR NEED FOR GOD’S PURPOSE

God’s purpose means we have hope

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God’s purpose is always good

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Illustration

rOMANS 8:28

Years ago, I faced a tough decision as a pastor: I needed to terminate my youth pastor. He didn’t do anything immoral or bad. I liked him a lot — he was a very good man. However, I felt strongly that we needed to move a different direction. And I also felt very strongly that this man would soon lead his own church, but that he needed a little shove in that direction.

From my perspective, it looked like a good thing — I could see God’s plan for the future — to me it was pretty clear. But it took the youth pastor by surprise…it really knocked the wind out of his sails. He was upset. I explained to him what was in my heart about him and I encouraged him to start exploring a pastorate. Within a few months he had been accepted to a lead pastor position at a church plant. He flourished there. Last I knew he was still there doing a great job.

It was a learning curve for me b/c I had to basically fire him. It was a learning curve for him because he was forced to step into a new area where God was calling him. Even though he was upset, he trusted the Lord and kept believing.

Challenge

We can all agree on this: we are imperfect — to put it bluntly, we are prone to sinful and or selfish attitudes that, if left unchecked, can create the perfect storm for bad things to happen in and around our lives

Thank the Lord He doesn’t give up on us

Thank the Lord He doesn’ give up on us / He will not be deterred from accomplishing His purpose

Yes, life is a learning curve…it’s a steep one, but God is our instructor and He will give us just what we need when we need

Remember…it’s not all about you — your attitudes, words, and actions effect a lot of people…not just you. God will work through all things to bring His perfect plan to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

We will always face chapters in life where it seems like everything is going to blow up on us — all the right ingredients are there — it could blow any minute

Yes, life is a learning curve…it’s a steep one, but God is our instructor and He will give us just what we need when we need

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Isaiah 40:29–31 NIV

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Don’t give up when the storm seems overwhelming…God has a plan

Don’t try to look too far ahead…He has a perfect plan for you

Practice God’s presence

In the middle of pain, uncertainty — apply God’s truth to the situation

When you stumble and make a sinful or foolish choice — apply God’s truth to the situation

Worship Him during those times

When you stumble and make a sinful or foolish choice — apply God’s truth to the situation

Quote or simply summarize the truths of His word

Worship Him during those times

Philippians 3:13–14 NIV

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

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