What if God wrote your Bucket List?
Text—Matt. 7: 21
I.
Introduction
A. Everyone has a bucket list
1. Things to do before you die (Kick the bucket)
2. Places to visit
3. People to see
4. Things to eat or buy
B. What about a Spiritual Bucket list?
1. Pray more
2. Read the bible more
3. Talk to people
4. Teach a class
C. What if God wrote your list?
II.
The List
(Counting Down)
A. 10. Prepare for Death
a. People prepare to die
i.
Say
goodbye to loved ones
ii.
Make
sure affairs are in order
iii.
Make out
Last Will
b. But what about beyond that?
i.
Where
will you end up?
ii.
What
will be said at your funeral?
iii.
Heb. 9:
27
c. Write your own eulogy—Eccl. 7: 1-4
d. Are you where you need to be?
i.
2 Cor.
10: 12 (Keeping up with Jones’)
ii.
Be where
God wants you to be—Matt. 7: 21
B. 9. Number Your Days—Ps. 90: 10-12
a. Appreciate the time we have on Earth
i.
Some
live to be 70 and some 80, Vs. 10
ii.
Let us
make each year count
b. By numbering our days…
i.
Know it
is brief—Jas. 4: 14
ii.
We
should work while it is day—Jn. 9: 4
iii.
Know
that all will die—Heb. 9: 27
iv.
Know
that everything will end—2 Pet. 3: 10
C. 8. Don’t put me at arm’s length
a. We want God in our life but not 24/7
i.
“He’s
down at the church building”
ii.
“I do
what I want”
iii.
When one
graduates and moves away, God is ignored.
b. God is everywhere/Knows your secrets
i.
Ps. 139:
7-10
ii.
Ps. 44:
21; Rom. 2: 16; Heb. 4: 13
D. 7. Stop giving excuses
a. Moses gave excuses to God—Ex. 4
i.
What if
they don’t believe me?
ii.
I’m not
eloquent of speech
iii.
Send
someone else
b. Our excuses
i.
Evening
service
1. No scripture to support
2. Too tired
3. Can’t drive
ii.
Helping
in Worship
1. Don’t know what to say
2. Not comfortable in crowd
3. Tone deaf
4. Fumble words
iii.
Doing it
for God—Rom. 8: 8
1. Pharisees—Matt. 6
a. Alms, sounding trumpet
b. Prayer, standing on corner
c. Fast, disfigure faces
d. To be seen of men
2. Paul wrote—Gal. 1: 10
3. Paul wrote—1 Thess. 4: 1
E. 6. Realize Your Self-worth
a. Moses—Ex. 4: 10-15
i.
Not
eloquent of speech
ii.
Didn’t
want to be bothered
b. Apostle Paul
i.
His
speech—1 Cor. 2: 1-5
ii.
His
handwriting—Gal. 6: 11
iii.
The
thorn—2 Cor. 12: 7-9
c. Jesus was a carpenter—Mk. 6: 2-3 (Ref.)
d. Disciples were fishermen—Mk. 1: 16-17, 19-20 (Ref.)
e. All are students, students can teach
i.
Who
taught you?
1. What convinced you?
2. Will it work for others?
f.
Leave
you comfort zone
i.
Lead a
prayer
ii.
Read
scripture
iii.
Lead a
song
F. 5. Count Your Blessings
a. Make a list of things
i.
Good—Physical
and Spiritual
ii.
Bad—Burdens
of life
iii.
Compare
lists
1. If bad outweighs good, rethink the good
2. Thank God for your blessings
a.
Eph.
1: 3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly
places in Christ”
b.
1
Pet. 3: 14; 4: 14, “But even if ye
should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear,
neither be troubled…(4:14) If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed
are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth
upon you.”
c.
Prov.
28: 20, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings;
But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be
unpunished.”
iv.
Gifts—Jas.
1: 17
G. 4. Pray for MY enemies
a. Hardest on the list
i.
Jesus on
the cross—Lk. 23: 33-34
ii.
Paul on
trial—2 Tim. 4: 16
1. Not enemy, brethren
2. Sometimes they become a problem
3. Pray for them as well
b. Pray for…
i.
ISIS and
all Muslims
ii.
leaders;
here and abroad
iii.
non-Christians
and unbelievers
iv.
Those
who wave the constitution and not bible.
c. Matt. 5: 43-45
d. Rom. 12: 17-21
H. 3. Take up Spiritual Arms
a. Contend for the Faith—Jude 3
b. Defend the Faith—1 Pet. 3: 15
i. We are at War!
1. Armor of God—Eph. 6: 10-18
2. Weapon of God—Heb. 4: 12
3. Pull down strongholds—2 Cor. 10: 3-6
ii. Our Common Enemy—Satan
1. Eph. 6: 16
2. 1 Pet. 5: 8
3. 2 Cor. 11: 14-15
4. Acts 20: 28-30
I. 2. Listen to Me!
a. People talk to God through prayer
i. Prayer is effective—Jas. 5: 16
ii. All denominations, all beliefs
iii. How many listen? Read His Word?
1. Faith is developed—Rom. 10: 17
2. Power to Save—Rom. 1: 16-17
b. Matt. 7: 21-23
i. If people listened, there wouldn’t be…
1. Denominations
2. Female Preachers
3. Same Sex couples
4. Transgender
5. Etc. Etc. Etc.
J. 1. Live Faithfully unto Death—Rev. 2: 10
a. Walk like a Christian—Eph. 4: 1
i. By the Spirit—Gal. 5: 25
ii. As wise—Eph. 5: 15
iii. As children of Light—Eph. 5: 8
b. Talk like a Christian—Col. 4: 6
i. Idle words—Matt. 12: 36
ii. Tattlers—1 Tim. 5: 13
iii. Men Pleasers—Gal. 1: 10; 1 Cor. 2: 1-5
c. Continue in study—2 Tim. 2: 15; 3: 16-17
Conclusion
Matt. 7: 21-23; Sermon on the Mount