SERMON: GIVING IT ALL

Preached by Gregory W. Lee
24 September 2006

I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Col 3

23. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
24. since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

-- several years ago I took a job in Tennessee and I was convinced that it was time for me to get in shape -- I was recently out of school and I had allowed myself to get out of shape -- and so I went down to this local gym in the town where we were living
-- they told me that if I joined the gym, they would guarantee that I would lose 20 pounds and be more physically fit in as little as six months -- so I joined the gym -- and it wasn't cheap -- it cost quite a bit, but I figured, "Hey, it's worth it to get back into shape"
-- when I started their they weighed me and took all these physical measurements on me -- six months later, they did it again -- and I had actually gained several pounds and not gotten into any better shape
-- when I complained to the manager, they said, "Well, how often did you come and work out?" -- I was dumbfounded -- they never said I actually had to do anything -- all they said was that if I joined, they would guarantee that I would lose weight
-- that is when I remembered a valuable principle -- you only get out of something what you put into it -- I had put absolutely nothing into getting into shape, so I got nothing out of it

-- every one of you out there knows that that is a true statement -- we learn that early on as kids, don't we? -- I remember one time when I was younger I went to the store with my mother -- and there was something I wanted -- some toy that I just had to have
-- well, my parents tried to instill in us the value of money at an early age and encouraged us to work around the house to earn some money to buy the things that we wanted -- so when I asked for this toy, my mother said, "Do you have enough money to get it?" -- I didn't have any money with me so I couldn't get it -- but then I remembered, I had my piggy bank at home
-- I went home and got my piggy bank and got my money out of it and I went back to the store and bought that toy -- I was able to get money out of my piggy bank because I had put money into it

-- you only get out of something what you put into it -- that is true with piggy banks -- and with buying toys -- and getting into shape -- and everything else in life -- I don't care what it is -- whether we're talking about relationships -- or education -- or jobs -- or clubs -- or athletics -- it doesn't matter what it is -- you only get out of it what you put into it

-- that holds true for our spiritual lives as well -- you only get out of your spiritual life -- out of a church -- out of a worship service -- out of a sermon -- even out of your relationship with God -- what you put into it
-- if you invest in your life -- if you invest in your spiritual life -- then you are going to get something out of it -- but if you don't, then you aren't going to get anything out of it

II. Scripture Lesson
-- in this passage, the Apostle Paul gives us some great words of advice -- writing to the church at Colosse, Paul has been giving them specific instructions on how to live as Christians --
at home -- at church -- in the marketplace -- everywhere they go
-- and in these verses, he points to this same principle that we have been talking about -- if you want to get anything out of life -- whether it's your physical life or your spiritual life -- then have to put something into it -- look back at verse 23

23. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
24. since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

-- "whatever you do" -- whatever you do in life -- whether that's your job or taking care of your family or going to school or trying to get in shape or trying to strengthen your relationship with God -- Paul says, you should "work at it with all your heart"
-- No matter what you do, you need to do it wholeheartedly -- you don't need to just try to get by -- you need to give it your all -- give it your best -- do all that you can do -- to put into life as much as you can, so that you can get as much out of life as possible

-- we all know people who get by in life without giving it their all -- I see them every day at work and I'm sure you see them, too -- they slack off on their jobs -- they slack off on their responsibilities -- they just don't do what they are supposed to
-- oh, if they're slick, they can get by -- if they see the boss is coming, they can look busy -- or if the neighbors come over, they can be the best husband or wife in the world -- but when the boss turns his back and the neighbors go home, then they go back to their old ways
-- they pretend to be investing in life, but they aren't really putting anything into it

-- Paul says a Christian should never do that, because we are called to a higher calling -- he says that we shouldn't be trying to just get by in life -- but that we should be giving it our all -- because of Jesus
-- Jesus expects us to give our all for Him -- to put in a full day's work at the office -- to fulfill our responsibilities to our families -- to do what it takes to build our relationship with Him
-- Paul says that our ultimate boss -- our ultimate judge -- is Jesus Christ -- and we should be putting all that we have into our lives and into our spiritual lives because Jesus gave His all for us -- He died that we might live and that we might bear spiritual fruit for Him -- it is Jesus that we are serving -- and it is Jesus that will hold us accountable for what we did or didn't do at the end

-- there was a story in Reader's Digest one time about this couple who had done really well in their lives financially -- they had worked hard and both of them retired early -- when they moved from the Pacific Northwest to Punta Gorda, Florida, the husband was 59 years old and his wife was only 51
-- the article said that they spent their days cruising on their 33-foot boat and playing golf and picking up seashells along the beach -- their entire lives were wrapped up in the pursuit of leisure -- in the pursuit of pleasure
-- they had quit investing in life and were now reaping the rewards -- I guess they had misread Ephesians 4:1 -- in that verse we are urged to live a life worthy of the calling -- of the vocation -- that we have received from God -- I guess they got "vocation" and "vacation" confused
-- their earthly bank may have been full -- but their spiritual piggy bank was still empty -- they had neglected working wholeheartedly for the Lord -- and one day they are going to have to stand before Jesus and give an account of their life -- and what are they going to say then, "Look at my seashell collection?"

-- Paul tells us here that as Christians -- we need to remember who we are actually working for -- that it's o.k. to invest in life here, but to not neglect our spiritual life in the process -- we should never forget that it is Jesus that we are ultimately working for -- Jesus didn't die so I could retire to Punta Gorda and enjoy life picking up sea shells -- He died so I might inherit eternal life and so I might bear spiritual fruit for Him

-- flip over to Ephesians 2

8. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9. not by works, so that no one can boast.
10. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

-- do you see how these verses go along with what Paul was saying in Colossians? -- you were created in Christ Jesus to do good works -- God prepared you to serve Him by doing these things -- and you are called to work at it with all your heart -- to make an investment into your spiritual life as well as your physical life

-- do you want to know how full your spiritual life is? -- then ask yourself these questions -- how often do you come to church and leave thinking, "I didn't get anything out of that sermon?" or "I didn't get anything out of that worship service?" or "I wasn't moved when we sang those songs?" -- how often do you read the Bible and think, "I didn't get anything out of that passage?"
-- sometimes sermons are flat -- sometimes worship services aren't moving -- but if it happens a lot, you really need to ask yourself, "What have I been putting into it?" -- have I been investing in my spiritual life?

-- what do you do to get ready to come to church? -- do you prepare your heart? -- do you seek God through prayer? -- do you listen to inspirational music? -- do you try to move closer to God? -- or do you just come to church trying to get something out of an empty bank?

-- you only get out of life what you put into it -- if you aren't investing in your spiritual life -- whether that's church or Bible study or prayer or anything else -- then you are not going to get anything out of it

-- salvation is a free gift from God -- but if that is all that you get out of Jesus' death and resurrection, then you are short-changing yourself -- Jesus died that we might have life and have it to the full -- He not only desires us to be saved from Hell but He desires us to become sanctified -- to become more like Him in our lives every day -- to grow in grace
-- when you are growing, there is movement -- if there is no movement, there is death -- Louis Chester once told me that if you look out in your yard and your dog is not moving, then he might just be asleep -- but if you look out there and the dog hasn't moved in several days, then you need to go bury it before it starts stinking because it is dead -- life is defined by movement and by growth
-- think about the Dead Sea -- that is a perfect example of what we are talking about -- you only get out of something what you put into it -- the Dead Sea is a stagnant body of water -- there is no life-giving flow -- there is no water going in and water going out -- it is not alive and growing -- it is dead -- nothing lives there

-- you only get out of life what you put into it -- if you don't constantly invest in your spiritual life, then you are not going to get anything out of it -- you are not going to grow in grace -- you are not going to become more like Jesus -- you are going to be dissatisfied with your relationship with God
-- you need to invest in your spiritual life -- and that means more than just coming to church once or twice a week

-- there are 168 hours in each week -- in a given week, we spend about 40 hours working -- 56 hours sleeping -- 29 hours eating and taking care of ourselves and our families -- 41 hours on leisure activities -- and only two hours on spiritual activities, including church
-- that's not investing in our spiritual lives -- that's not working with our whole hearts as to the Lord Jesus -- that's not putting much into our spiritual banks -- and we wonder why our churches and our prayers and our spiritual lives are so devoid of power
-- you only get out of something what you put into it -- and if you never put anything in, then you aren't going to get anything out

III. Closing
-- as I close, I want you to think about where you are in your spiritual life -- are you satisfied with your spiritual life? -- are you getting as much out of church as you could be? -- are you seeing responses to your prayers -- victory over sin -- are you growing in grace and becoming more like Jesus every day?
-- what can you change in your life that would yield enormous spiritual results -- what if you spent an additional 30 minutes a day reading the Bible -- or praying -- or helping the needy -- or ministering to someone -- what would giving God an additional 3-1/2 hours a week yield in your life?
-- you only get out of life -- you only get out of church -- you only get out of your relationship with God -- what you put into it
-- if things aren't right, then maybe it's time you start investing in your spiritual life
-- we're going to start by sharing in Holy Communion this morning -- out of all the means of grace, this is one of the most powerful ways for us to share in God's grace and experience His presence