SHOULD WE GIVE 110%?FINDING THE BALANCE IN LIFE

WHCC High School Sunday SchoolSamantha DuAugust 25, 2013

110% = 100% + MORE…SAMANTHA’S PERSONAL STORY

GOSPEL TRUTHS

Religion: If we obey God, he will love us

Gospel: Because God has loved us through Jesus, we can obey

Religion: The world is filled with good people and bad people

Gospel: The world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant

Religion: You should trust in what you do as a good moral person

Gospel: You should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person to ever live

Religion: The goal is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control

Gospel: The goal is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace

Religion: About what I have to do. Hardship in life as punishment from God.

Gospel: About what I get to do. Hardship in life as sanctifying affliction that reminds us of Jesus' sufferings and is used by God in love to make us more like Jesus

Religion: Is about me

Gospel: Is about Jesus

Religion: Leads to an uncertainty about my standing before God because I never know if I have done enough to please God

Gospel: Leads to a certainty about my standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus on my behalf on the cross

Religion: Ends in either pride (because I am better than other people); despair (because I continually fall short of God's commands)

Gospel: Ends in humble and confident joy because of the power of Jesus at work for me, in me, through me, and sometimes in spite of me.

Religion: Is often based on a desire for righteousness; however, it is sought out by the power of our own self-righteousness and not the cross of Jesus, which enables righteousness.

Gospel: Is Jesus Christ, not self. On the cross, the righteous Jesus died in our place as a substitute for us unrighteous sinners. Amazingly, on the cross, Jesus gifted righteousness to us who are unrighteous. 

GOSPEL TRUTHS SUMMARY

It’s not about how much be give but how much we have received. It’s all about grace!

BEING CONFIDENT OF GRACE

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28 (ESV)

AND BALANCING LIFE…

16 Do not be overrighteous,    neither be overwise—    why destroy yourself?17 Do not be overwicked,    and do not be a fool—    why die before your time?18 It is good to grasp the one    and not let go of the other.    Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.-Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 (NIV)

DON’T TRY SO HARD

CAMP 2013

PHILIPPIANS 3:12-16 (NIV)

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

STORY OF THE ADOPTED SON

CHRISTIAN HEDONISM

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. –John Piper

IN SUMMARY

Learning to not try so hard has been the biggest lesson I’ve learned in life so far, even when it comes to religion. Not only do we rely more and more on God’s grace, but we should also avoid extremes.

OUTLOOKAs you start a new school year, don’t let the worries and stresses get to you. God is faithful even when we are faithless. (1 Timothy 2:13)

DISCUSSION Q’S

1. Have you been taught to give 110%?

2. What area(s) in life do you think you need to not try so hard in?

3. What Gospel truth stood out to you? If you don’t remember, what lesson did you learn from today’s class?