Deckchairs on the Titanic

transcript

Sermon notes are available online at:

http://rdcramblings.com/

To do something pointless or insignificant that will soon be overtaken by

events

Are you...Rearranging

deckchairs on the Titanic?

events

This is my favourite “picture” of Jesus

Jesus regularly amazes me. The truth is that he should always

amaze me

Jesus invites you to follow him:

...total, exclusive, devotion to Jesus

Have you tamed Jesus?

Luke 12:15, 22,23 “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness,

for one's life does not consist in the abundance of

one's possessions

#1Are you rearranging

Luke 12:15, 22,23 “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness,

for one's life does not consist in the abundance of

one's possessions

...and as Lord-of-history (because they want order and purpose). but they don’t receive him as supremely and personally valuable for who he is. They don’t receive him the way Paul did when he spoke of “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. they don’t receive him as he really is – more glorious, more wonderful, more satisfying, than everything else in the universe. They don’t prize him, or treasure him or cherish him or delight in him. John Piper

…when these people “receive Christ,” they do not receive him as supremely valuable. They receive him simply as sin-forgiver (because they love being guilt free), and as rescuer-from-hell (because they love being pain free), and as healer (because they love being disease free), and as protector (because they love being safe), and as prosperity-giver (because they love being wealthy), and as creator (because they want a personal universe),...

...and as Lord-of-history (because they want order and purpose). but they don’t receive him as supremely and personally valuable for who he is. They don’t receive him the way Paul did when he spoke of “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”. they don’t receive him as he really is – more glorious, more wonderful, more satisfying, than everything else in the universe. They don’t prize him, or treasure him or cherish him or delight in him. John Piper

Jesus, Lk 19:45-46, And he entered the temple and began to drive out

those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of

prayer’, but you have made it a den of

robbers.”

#2Are you a person of

prayer?

Jesus, Lk 19:45-46, And he entered the temple and began to drive out

those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of

prayer’, but you have made it a den of

robbers.”

Luke 10:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and

with all your strength and with all your mind”

#3How do you love God?

Luke 10:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and

with all your strength and with all your mind”

Matthew 7:12, 25:40 “So whatever you wish that

others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the

Law and the Prophets…Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

#4Who do you serve?

Matthew 7:12, 25:40 “So whatever you wish that

others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the

Law and the Prophets…Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Luke 9:23-24, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him

deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

#5What are you

leaving?

Luke 9:23-24, And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him

deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Luke 15:7 there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents

than over ninety-ninerighteous persons

who need no repentance.

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was

said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your

enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and

pray for those who persecute you, so that

you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

#6Who are you

blessing?

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was

said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your

enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and

pray for those who persecute you, so that

you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

Mark 10:21 “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you

have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and

come, follow me.”

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be

anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body

more than clothing?

#7What do you lack?

come, follow me.”

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be

anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body

more than clothing?

come, follow me.”

Luke 4:1-2,4 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the

Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days,being tempted by the

devil….The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God,

command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,‘Man shall not live

by bread alone.’”

#8Are you living in Spirit

and Word?

Luke 4:1-2,4 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the

Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days,being tempted by the

devil….The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God,

command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written,‘Man shall not live

by bread alone.’”

Matthew 6:33, Seek first the kingdom of God and his

righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:21-22, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of

light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light

in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

#9 What Are You

Seeking?

Matthew 6:21-22, “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of

light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light

in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Hebrews 12:2-3 (The Message),

“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever...

And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

"The unsinkable Titanic left Southampton for New York on April 10th 1912.

Shortly before midnight on April 14th, the ship collided with an iceberg which pierced its hull. About two hours later,

the ship sank. Reportedly as the ship was sinking, the band played "Nearer My

God to Thee" on the deck, and a number of passengers either played cards or exercised in the ship's gym.

“The life of discipleship is different, and it requires us to change. And part of the joy of following Jesus is that we want

to change. But the change is not automatic. We can actually fight against the change in how

we walk. And, to our great peril, we can win.”

Bill Mounce

Thinking is indispensable on the path to passion for God. Thinking is not an end in

itself…But, thinking under the mighty hand of God, thinking soaked in prayer, thinking

carried by the Holy Spirit, thinking tethered to the Bible, thinking in pursuit of more

reasons to praise and proclaim the glories of God, thinking in the service of love – such

thinking is indispensable in a life of the fullest praise of God.

…if we are to glorify God fully, we must engage our mind in knowing him truly and

our hearts in loving him duly.

John Piper

Deckchairs on the Titanic

Spiritual