Nothing to Lose

Intro: We see people every day that live like there is no tomorrow. They are totally devoted to getting as much as they can and then caning all they get for themselves without any regard for God. They will use any means to get what they want and run over anyone who gets in their way. Jesus has warned us about loving the things of this world more than God and craving things more than we do a close relationship with God.

We must be careful not to allow ourselves to get caught up in the system of this world.

People of the world are obsessed with being rich in the things of this world, not realizing that today may be their last day on earth. But there are some verses in the bible that bring us back to reality about priorities. There was a man named Job that was very successful in this life and had what most people strive to gain but he didn’t allow it to control him.

In one day Job lost everything he had except his wife and his own life. The Bible says in:

Job 1:20-21 (NLT) ²⁰ Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. It was a sign of deep remorse. Then he shaved his head (a sign of shame-losing his glory) and fell to the ground to worship. ²¹ He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

Job’s response is startling! He does not curse God and does not doubt him. Job realized he had nothing to lose in the first place. These scriptures state that we come into this world with nothing and we will leave with nothing. Anything we might gain here is a gift from God.

Thousands of years later, Job’s words were echoed by Steve Jobs, the late CEO and co-founder of Apple. During a commencement speech at Stanford University, Jobs told the graduates, “All external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure, these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. No reason not to follow your heart.” End of quote!

Job and Job’s both are making the same point. God is in control of everything we have.

Jesus also made this same point in God’s word and even sheds even more light on this truth. It’s found in Luke chapter 12:13 where someone asks Jesus to tell their brother to divide the Fathers estate with them. Jesus reply puts everything in the correct prospective.

Jesus gives us an example of someone who didn’t realize how naked he was.

Luke 12:14-21 (NKJV) ¹⁴ But He said to him, "Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?" 

¹⁵ And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." 

¹⁶ Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: "The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
¹⁷ And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?'
¹⁸ So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." '
²⁰ But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?'
²¹ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."

Death strips away things we have a tendency to think are important such as wealth, status, and power. We need to remember that only one thing is important and lasting, that’s our relationship with God. We should be more concerned about being rich in our relationship with God than being rich in what this world has to offer us.

We should listen to Jesus teaching from this parable when He says that a “fool is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Luke 12:21 (NKJV)
Invitation: Are you rich toward God? How would you classify your relationship with God? Are you richer in your relationship with God than things of the world? Do you know God at all on a personal basis? If not you are a loser! Call on Jesus to forgive your sins against a Holy God. Then invite Him into your life to take charge of you!You will be ever so glad you did. Then you will have nothing to lose!

What Kind of God?

Romans 12:9-11 (NKJV) 

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate [loving] to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

It seems that since God made humans in His own image, humans have been “returning the favor” by making God into an image that best represents their own personality. Have you ever noticed that mean people have a mean god, while judgmental people have a judgmental god, lazy people have a carefree god, just anything goes? There are many kinds of people who justify their character and actions by creating God into their image, thereby nullifying the truth of the scriptures. Scripture says God is working to conform us to Christ’s image, but we are busy conforming Christ to our image.

   When people meet you today, what kind of god will you represent? Will they see a loving and merciful God, patient and full of grace? Will they see a God who is willing to serve rather than be served? Remember our God in Christ washed human feet. I don’t know of any other gods that would do that. Many times it is our own unyielding personalities that become hindrances for the world to see Jesus who lives in us. They can’t see Him for us, they just see a non-conformed personality.

  The bible teaches that we are to be Christ like.

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV) ¹ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

The best way to behave like a Christian is to yield ourselves to what Scripture teaches us about Christ. When we become followers of Jesus, and His Spirit takes up residence in us, we have access to His divine nature. 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NKJV)
³ His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Conforming to His image will manifest itself as described in the scriptures we began with.

We will find ourselves on a mission, diligent, persistent about the Father’s business as we serve the Lord every day, where ever we are and whatever we are doing.

The bible says in; 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV)
²⁰ We are ambassadors [representatives] for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

 We are to show people the correct image of a loving, merciful, gracious and forgiving God. Let others see Jesus in you!

 Prayer: Dear Jesus, help me represent You well to everyone I meet. May others know that You are real by my actions and attitude. Teach me how to be more like You. Please empower me to love the unlovable, be kind to the unfriendly; and be merciful and gracious to those who may not know You. And above all, help me speak the truth in love. In Your name Jesus I pray!

Invitation: What kind of God do you represent in your everyday words and actions, attitude? Do others see Jesus in you? Do you need to repent of your actions? Do you need salvation? if so ask Jesus to forgive your sins against God and ask Him to save you. Then invite Him into your heart to live in you. Go to church and be baptized! You will be ever so glad you did.