Text: Deuteronomy 34:1-12
OPEN:
When I preach a funeral, I often find myself trying to answer the question, "What mark has this life made?" When I think of my own, I ask the question: "What am I doing to insure that when I depart the world is in better shape than it was when I arrived?"
To make the world a better place -- this should be the goal of every believer. Often we're accused of being so heavenly minded that we're no earthly good, but to tell you the truth, I don't see that. In fact, those who have an eternal perspective on life are more apt to be devoted to making a difference here and now. I like what CS Lewis said:
"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this."
It is possible to create a life for ourselves that makes a difference for others now and forever.
I. THE OPPOSITE OF LIVING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IS LIVING FOR YOURSELF.
The opposite of living to make a difference is living for yourself -- and when you do this, you end up making yourself and everyone around you unhappy.
1. When you live for yourself, it's hard on everyone else.
The problem is that you won't care while everyone else around you does.
2. What ultimately happens is that you end up alone.
Living for yourself leads to isolation.
3. Living for yourself leads to missed opportunities.
When I talked about organizing your life, I talked about how lack of proper time management can cause you to miss out on opportunities. When you multiply this over the course of a lifetime, it adds to much more than just missing a good chance here and there; it adds up to a life that never reaches its potential.
The flip side of this is that when you live to make a difference you will reach your potential; you will experience deeper, fuller relationships; and you will make the world a better place.
II. YOU CAN MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
Today we read from the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy. It talks about the death of Moses. If anyone lived to make a difference, it was Moses. And look at the difference he made. He compiled and wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, he led the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage, he established God's law and God's covenant with God's people, and he is a central figure in the world's three dominant religions. Deuteronomy 34 tells us about his death and what happens next. In this chapter we can learn some things about living to make a difference. There are three things I want you to see. The first is a rather sobering truth. I want you to see that when your time comes...
1. You will be mourned when you're gone, but not forever.
And this is how should be. Listen to what was written about Moses.
(v. 7-8) Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.
No matter who it is that is gone, life goes on. Even when it's one of the greatest leaders of all time, one of the greatest men who ever walked the planet, life goes on. And that's the way it should be.
Now, I'm not trying to depress you. I'm trying to impress upon you a simple and sobering truth. You will be mourned for awhile no matter who you are. How much and for how long you are missed will be determined by the kind of life you build for yourself.
2. Devote yourself to a vision that will outlive you.
Right before Moses died, the Bible says that...
(v. 1-4) Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land-from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Mediterranean Sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it."
Why was Moses not allowed to enter the promised land? It goes back to a failure of leadership in his life. To be exact, a failure in obedience.
In Numbers 20 Moses was dealing with the complaints of the people of Israel. They were unhappy because they had no water. Once before God had told Moses to strike a rock with his staff and water would come out of the rock. This time God told Moses to speak to the rock. What did Moses do? He struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out. He also took credit for it, saying, "Must we bring water out of this rock?" And then God told him...
Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them. (Numbers 20:12)
This may seem like a harsh judgment, but it's the judgment God chose. And it brings us to another sobering truth. Your failures and your mistakes will limit what you can accomplish in life. There is not a person in this world who cannot look back on their life and see where they could have done more and they could have done better. "If only I had greater faith. If only I had been more obedient. If only I had been more committed. If only I had worked harder. If only I had taken more chances." It happened to Moses. It happened to David, too. He wasn't allowed to build the temple because he had been such a man of war. If it happened to these great men, it will happen to each one of us. Our failures and mistakes will limit what we are able to accomplish. There is a sense in which we will always see more than we hold, more than we touch. That's why it is crucial that you devote to a vision greater than you, to a vision that will outlast you.
Moses' leadership wasn't based on him. It was based on the vision that God had for his people. Even without Moses in leadership, the people were able to get to where God wanted them to go. It wasn't a case of, "If Moses can't enter the promised land, nobody can either, because we can't do anything without Moses." And yet, that's how many people organize their area of leadership -- in such a way that it can't survive without them.
Here's what I'm getting at. If you want to live to make a difference, you need to devote yourself to something that is bigger than you. Something that can outlive you and outlast you.
3. Invest in building those who will come after you.
(v. 9) Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses.
Among the most important work that Moses did in his entire life was that he prepared Joshua to take his place. In the same way, among the most important work that you do in your life will be the work you do building others. God's plan for his people is that we build up one another.
Paul said to Timothy...
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)
This is God's method. We are to pass leadership along. Like relay runners pass the baton to the next runner in the race, we are to pass on our knowledge and skill to others, and we are to give them our blessing as they move forward.
The truth is that you will accomplish more through the people who come after you than you will accomplish through your own efforts ... so devote your life to building others.
As a parent, as a coach, as a teacher, as a boss, your job is to help those you lead accomplish more than you accomplish. If you want to live to make a difference, invest your life in building people.
CLOSE:
It is possible to create a life for ourselves that makes a difference for others now and forever.
Do you want to make the world a better place? When your time comes, and you leave this world behind, life will go on. It's the cold sobering truth. Your greatest impact will be felt in what you accomplish through others. So I encourage you to ask yourself three questions.
• Am I living for something bigger than me?
• Am I inspiring others to keep moving toward greater things?
• Am I investing my life in building people?
(Dr. Dane Fowlkes)
No comments:
Post a Comment