big things

http://blog.bradleygauthier.com/jar-rocks-pebbles-sand/

Big ThingsAdapted from Lindeal Greer &

Raymond Perkins sermonshttp://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?SermonID=32795

http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?SermonID=42414

A professor took a jar and carefully place some large rocks in it. When he had put all the rocks that he could he

asked the class is the jar full.

Most said yes.


Then he begins to put some small rocks in the jar filling in the spaces

around the larger rocks.Again he asks is the jar full. What do

you think?

Next he took sand and filled the jar up.

Is it full now he asked?

Then he poured water into the jar.

Now it is full!!!


What is the lesson here?

We all have 24 hrs in a day and 365 days in a year. There is 60 seconds in one minute and 60 minutes in an hour or 3600 seconds in one hour, and…..

We only have so much time. The Jar is like time in our life. We must put big things in first or there will not be any room for them. The small things will fill up our time regardless of what we

do.http://blog.bradleygauthier.com/jar-rocks-pebbles-sand/

Water, Sand & Pebbles

Eating, sleeping, working, playing, etc. will fill up our days, our years till time

for us is gone.If we fill our lives with not so important things (Water, Sand & Pebbles) there

will be no room for the Important, Essential things.

Important things must come first if they are to be in our lives... we must

make room for them...!!http://blog.bradleygauthier.com/jar-rocks-pebbles-sand/


Matthew 6:31 ESV Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?'

or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek

after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all

these things will be added to you.


The Lord has appointed a time for us to remember him

Acts 20:7 ESV On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until

midnight.


1 Corinthians 16:2 ESV On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will

be no collecting when I come.


1 Corinthians 11:23 ESV For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24

and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body

which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."


25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this,

as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For as often

as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death

until he comes.


Hebrews 10:24 ESV And let us consider how to stir up one another to

love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see

the Day drawing near.Is this a big rock that is in your life?


The largest rock of all where God is concerned, The Gospel

2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV This is evidence of the righteous judgment of

God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for

which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,


7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the

Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming

fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.


9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the

glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his

saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our

testimony to you was believed.


Have you obeyed the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1 ESV Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which

you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless

you believed in vain.


3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance

with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.


How do you obey this?

Romans 6:3 ESV Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in

order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the

Father, we too might walk in newness of life…


…17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have

become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you

were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves

of righteousness.


This is the largest rock that you could have in your jar.

Matthew 16:26 ESV For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole

world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?


The gospel is more important than job, family, friends, hunting, fishing,

gardening, vacationing, sightseeing, & anything else that takes up your time.

What are you giving in exchange for your soul?

Whatever it is it is not worth it.


Mark 16:15 ESV And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the

gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will

be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.


The next big rock is family

In particular spouse, & children.

1 Timothy 5:8 ESV But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and

especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and

is worse than an unbeliever.


Ephesians 5:33 ESV However, let each one of you love his wife as himself,

and let the wife see that she respects her husband.


Ephesians 6:1 ESV Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is

right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first

commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers,

do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and

instruction of the Lord.


Titus 2:3 ESV Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not

slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and

so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own

husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.


God ordained only two institutions... the family and the church... these are

two big rocks that are important in your life.

Our work is important because it helps us to provide for our family. Also we

are to work so that we can eat.


2 Thessalonians 3:9 ESV It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to

imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this

command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear

that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.


12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus

Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 As for you,

brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with

him, that he may be ashamed.

This is the primary purpose of our jobs. We often put things in the wrong order, Job, family, entertainment, God,

rather than God, Family, Job. Entertainment and pleasures of this

life should certainly follow after these. God does not mention these in the bible because these are the little

things like sand and water that will naturally fill all the space that is left.


The Teacher, Solomon, tells us to first put in the BIG ROCKS, Fear God and

keep his commandments,.Ecclesiastes 12:13 ESV The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God

and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,

with every secret thing, whether good or evil.


Didn’t Jesus say essentially the same thing? Matthew 6:33 ESV But seek first

the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things

will be added to you.Another big rock is included in the

second greatest commandment. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.


Matthew 22:36 ESV "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is

like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two

commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."


Jesus addresses a problem every man, woman and child faces – what do

to with life.

The answer He provides them, and us, is twofold.


SEEK THE REIGN OF GODIN OUR LIVES

Control – life is all about control, at least for many of us. Self-determining,

self-preserving, self-motivating – these are the terms that dictate the

actions of many a man. Society demands those things in a person if that person is to succeed and being social animals we adopt the social

mentality.


Jesus challenges His audience, and us, to let go of self. In the text of

Matthew 6 Jesus is addressing the problem of worry, and not just any

form of worry but rather the form of worry that is tied directly to self-determination and self-direction.


The question is posed, And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? Matthew 6:27

ESVThe answer is none. Jesus goes on to

question the rationale of worrying about clothing, food, etc. A question is implied here: “Can any of these needs

be solved by a self-consumed life?" The answer again is none.


Human life is not determined by the things we own nor are the problems and needs connected to human life

solved by individual effort. It is solved by the power of God living in our lives.

This is what Jesus teaches when He says, "Seek first the Kingdom of

God…"


"Kingdom of God" as it is used here literally means the "Reign of God." If we want our problems solved and our

needs met we must submit to His guidance. He must be allowed to live large in our lives, be present in every

step we make, every decision we make and every action we undertake.


He must become our King. We must allow Him to rule our days and take

command of our lives from sun up to sun down.

Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved

me and gave himself for me.


1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.


SEEK THE WILL OF GODFOR OUR LIVES

"The Strong Willed Child" was a very popular book a number of years ago. It gave hope to many parents who were attempting to raise a son or daughter who was unyielding to discipline and

instruction.


Unfortunately some children never out-grow that Strong Willed child

stage. It continues into their adolescence and their adulthood.

These are the ones who must always have their way in every thing. Never relenting, never bending, constantly serving their own will and their own ways. (Bible says they are serving

their own lusts)


In Matthew 6:33 there is a second portion to the Lord’s command. Jesus says that we are not only to seek His

Kingdom/His Reign but His Righteousness. This means that if we intend to have God living large in our lives, helping to meet our needs and

solve our problems, then we must also bow to His will.


Seeking His righteousness begins with the realization that God desires to

work in us. God has a plan for His children. There is a divine will for

every life He creates. Now, granted many will never acknowledge that as fact and even many who do will never push themselves spiritually in order to

discover His Will.


Seeking His righteousness is completed by asking the question,

"Lord, what do You want me to do?" And then by throwing ourselves into

His service through the talents we possess. Take this under

consideration for a moment – Our talents, our abilities are gifts from/of

His will and we each have at least one. God has built in to every one of us a

predisposition to serve Him.


1 Peter 4:1 ESV Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves

with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of

God.


3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do,

living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties,

and lawless idolatry.


Paul implores us to do “the will of God from the heart.”

Ephesians 6:5 ESV Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and

trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-

service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will

of God from the heart,


7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this

he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or is free.


John 14:15 ESV "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

For those who stretch themselves out before the living God and surrender their lives into His hands, He will do great things with them and for them.

Here’s the question we must ask ourselves & truthfully answer,

“Is filling my life FIRST with the

BIG THINGSa priority?”

Or“Am I filling my days, hours, minutes, & seconds with all the pebbles, sand &

water so there is no room for theBIG

IMPORTANTESSENTIALTHINGS?”

big things

Spiritual