UPGRADE: Taking Your Life to The Next Level Sunday - December 30, 2012 Well can you believe it? Christmas is already over! So how was it? Was it good, was it great or was it just alright? Now that it's done and it's all been put away, what now? Researchers predict that of all the retail sales combined this Christmas, you and I spent a whopping $440 billion dollars. Although this is down somewhat from what was spent in recent years, $440 billion dollars is still a lot of money. You see, money was spent on everything from clothing to electronics, toys to decorations, Christmas parties, and yes even on Christmas services. With all the money that was spent this Christmas and with all of the incredible cantatas, pageants and Christmas Eve services that were planned for, what do you think has happened to the spiritual health of our nation? Statistics show that over the last few years, we have seen a significant decline in total church attendance. It seems like people are more concerned with their physical health, their emotional health and their mental health than they are with their spiritual health. What's going on? What has happened? Here, when we just celebrated the Reason for the Season, The coming of the Messiah, The birth of the King of Kings. And yet there seems to be this epidemic when it comes to the spiritual health of our nation. Maybe it's because we treat Christmas like any other holiday - as an event rather than an experience. An event is something that happens for the moment, but an experience is something that changes you for a lifetime. I came across a poem written by Chuck Swindoll that s entitled: The Day After 'Twas the day after Christmas, When all through the place There were arguments and depression-
Even Mom had a long face. The stockings hung empty, And the house was a mess; The new clothes didn't fit, And Dad was under stress. The family was irritable, And the children no one could please; Because the instructions for the swing set Were written in Chinese! The bells no longer jingled, And no carolers came around; The sink was stacked with dishes, And the tree was turning brown. The stores were full of people Returning things that fizzled and failed, And the shoppers were discouraged Because everything they'd bought Was now on a half-price sale! 'Twas the day after Christmas The spirit of joy had disappeared; The only hope on the horizon Was twelve bowl games On the first day of the New Year! This morning we face the exciting prospect of a New Year -1 find it interesting that we all have the same amount of hours, the same amount of days, spread over the same 12 month period of time for us to experience endless opportunities and countless possibilities. So, what are you looking forward to the most? Some of us may not know it and may not realize it but our best days, our greatest days are still to come. I believe that as this New Year approaches, God wants to give you an upgrade in 2013. An upgrade is something we all are interested in Isn't it? In fact. America is one of the few places in the world where we will trade in something that works for something else that works. Think about it - we have something that's not broken and works totally fine but it's just not good enough! I was talking with my family the other night and we put together a list of Ways You Can Know For Sure It's Time for an Upgrade:
You might need an upgrade if you are still playing movies on a VHS player and watching them on a 25 in TV encased in wood that you call a console. You might need an upgrade if you still answer your flip phone by saying "What" s up - you know who you are. You might need an upgrade if a fancy date night consists of Supersizing your value meals at McDonald's You might need an upgrade if you take marriage advice from a Kardashian You might need an upgrade if you drive by 4 Redbox's looking for a Blockbuster - You just might need an upgrade. Let me be a little more real that was just for fun but really, really... You might need an upgrade... If your marriage is struggling, or if your kids are out of control, or if your parents don't seem to understand you any more - you probably need an upgrade. Or if your finances are depleted, or your debt is increasing, you might need an upgrade. You might need an upgrade if you don't like your job, don't have a job or lack a sense of fulfillment in your job, you might need an upgrade. You might need an upgrade if you feel depressed, or anxious, or stressed, or overwhelmed, lonely, sad, or bored with life. You might need an upgrade. Some of you came to this place this morning with an addiction - you may need an upgrade, you have a health concern - you may need an upgrade. Some of you have some pretty lofty New Year's Resolutions - you might need an upgrade. Others of you can't even come up with one good New Year s resolution - so you too may need an upgrade. The reality is this - the one thing that all of us have in common is that we share the need for an Upgrade Spiritually in 2013 and the Good News is that you have come this morning to the right place to get one. Let us Pray!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the excitement and anticipation of a New Year. We thank you so much for all the blessings during the previous 365 days in 2012. God I pray this morning that we will open our hearts and our minds to the plans you have for each of us and that we will be receptive to your Word this morning. Let our focus be on you. It's in your Son's name we pray. Amen! What is truly sad is that there are lot of people in the church who are on a spiritual walk that was established and set years ago but hasn't moved forward in 10, 20 or even 30 years. I mean you once prayed to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you were baptized you were once close to God and now as you look back at your past you say to yourself "I'm content with that - that was good enough." But listen to what Jesus himself said in John 10:10 "I have come that you may have life, and have.t to the full." (NIV) In other words, Jesus is saying I didn't come so you can live an average, ordinary, ho-hum, kind of existence. No, I came to give you real life, I came so that you can really live! So that you can find real satisfaction and fulfillment. Church we have to quit looking everywhere else for our upgrade. You won't find one in a relationship, you won't find one on TV, you won't find one from a hobby and you won't find one from a store. Instead you will only find one through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You see Jesus came to upgrade your life and mine. Today as we look forward with great anticipation to a fresh start of a New Year. I want to talk to you about 3 ways that we can upgrade spiritually. I. First is in order to experience an upgrade spiritually in 2013 we have to Develop a New MINDSET.
Ever since we were little most of us have had parents, coaches, and teachers instill in us the thought pattern that we can became or do whatever we set our minds to. Most of us remember the Story of the Little Engine that Could...the smallest of all locomotives l-think- l-can, l-thinkl-can,... Your behavior won't change until your thoughts begin to change. For some of us we are always negative, we are always down on life. Even when we see or hear of someone whose does something that's really good (pay it forward) or an inspirational story or event we are the first to put it down. There may even be people who know you extremely well that label you a "Negative Nancy," a "Debbie Downer," or a "Crabby Carl." When you truly believe in something - it will start to change the way you think. Turn with me to Colossians 3:1-2, "So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ - that's where the action is. See things from his perspective." (The Message) Proverbs 23:7 "As a man thinks in his heart - so is he." (Amplified Bible). As Christians we should constantly think on the best things. In Philippians 4:8 the apostle Paul tells us "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." (NIV) II. The second thing we need to do in order to experience an upgrade spiritually in 2013 is to Develop a New LIFESTYLE. Our behavior (the things we do) are directly impacted by what we believe. Colossians 3:10, "Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete." (The Message) As Christians we all have two natures: A worldly or sinful nature and a Christ-like nature.
It really comes down to this are you going to indulge your sinful nature or are we going to begin to look more and more like Christ by practicing self-control? It s not just enough to develop a new mindset - "What I believe" but it must be followed up with a New Lifestyle - "by the things I do." We all know people who say one thing and do another - don't we? We have become a society of experts at compartmentalizing our faith. We live by the motto - Do what I say not as I do! If we are going to develop a New Life style it has to line up not only with our beliefs but we have to follow through with our behavior as well! Matthew 5:16 "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (NIV) So how is your witness? III. And finally in order to experience an upgrade spiritually in 2013 you have to Develop a New WEAKNESS. We as a nation are fascinated with Superheroes. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Superhero movies are one of the largest grossing money makers at the Box-office over the last several years. But when you think about it even Superheroes have a weakness. Superman - kryptonite. Green Lantern - is susceptible to anything that contains the color yellow. Batman - is his own mortality - the realization that he can't live forever. Aquaman - is dependent upon water for his power and strength. Wonder Woman - if someone puts together her 2 silver bracelets she too becomes powerless like any other person. Nobody likes to admit their weaknesses do they? The hardest question for anyone to answer during a job interview is to make a list of their weakness or areas in which we can improve on. But church, isn't it time to admit our weaknesses? Listen to what the apostle Paul instructs for us to do according 2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me." (NIV) This coming year if we are going to receive an upgrade we need to stop relying on our own strength and instead rely on Christ's strength. This final point is key. Jesus should be the focus of our lives. If we don't focus on Him then we will never achieve what He has in store for us. Paul also says in Colossians 1:29 "To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me." (NIV) It's has to be all about Jesus Christ and His power that is at work within us! Philippians 3:13-14 is a great verse for you and for me in 2013. Maybe you need to highlight it, for others this maybe a great verse to memorize and take to heart, others maybe you need to get an index card write it out and put it in a place where you can always look at it. "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. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (NIV) And if we do that listen to God's promise to us in Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this that He (God) who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (NIV) In order to experience an upgrade in 2013 we must begin to realize that an upgrade begins first in your mind, extends to your heart, and finishes at your feet as you put into practice a new faith in Christ. It is my desire this coming New Year that God will do something so significant in your life that when you practice these 3 things that your walk with God will be at a level you've never experienced before. Author Dale Hanson Bourke in her book entitled "Embracing Your Second Calling" tells the story of a recent trip she took to Guatemala. One morning she was told by the group leader that they would be visiting the city dump. This was an area where industries would put their
chemical waste, hospitals would dispose of their garbage, and people from the city would take their left-over food, their trash and stuff they no longer wanted and just throw it away. She remembers being miles from the dump when they first encountered the smell. As they got closer she noticed small but distinct movements on the pile. The closer and closer they got she realized it was people walking on top of the trash in the dump. She saw adults pillaging through the dump for things they may be able to use or sell. She saw children sifting through the garbage in the midst of the stink and the stench trying to find something to eat. Bourke was dumbfounded and asked the guide why neither the city officials nor any of the missionaries were doing something about this - why they weren't getting people away from the dump? The guide very patiently answered her, saying "Listen, we have pulled thousands of people away from the dump - both adults and children. We give them clothes to wear, a warm bath and we give them food to eat. But the first time we turn our backs, they run back to the dump because it's familiar to them - it's what they're used to." I don't know about you, but it amazes me that people would rather live in the dump than enjoy a warm bed to sleep in or have food to eat or clothes to wear. But church, think about this question: how often do we choose to live in the dump of our lives - because it's familiar to us - rather than embrace the abundant life that God has to offer? This morning as we come to a time of communion I want us to remember that it is because of Christ s body and Christ's blood that was shed for us on the cross that we no longer have to let the garbage of sin continue to produce in us a stench that permeates every area of or lives. Let us pray! Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your love and faithfulness. We thank you that you are a God who gives good gifts. Lord I pray that we will begin to allow you to shape our perspective so that we too will
receive an upgrade spiritually in 2013. Thank you for bringing us life - so that we can live life to the full. It is because of you and you alone that our lives will be forever changed. Some of us have lived in the dump so long that we have gotten used to the smell. By now it really it really doesn't smell that bad... I want you to know that in 2013 and beyond that God wants to do something significant in your life. He wants to take our biggest mess and make it His greatest message... He wants to take the most difficult test you are going through and make it His most extraordinary testimony. I don t know about you, but I love new beginnings. This morning as we anticipate the beginning of a New Year why don't we start it out right by letting Christ take the place of the garbage in our lives?