"Exiting or Living"
January 2, 2005

The New Testament Lesson: John 1: 1 - 18

Have people commit to live life as God has intended—fully alive!

I.  Life is much more than the number of years we’ve lived
   A. Yesterday, we marked the start of a New Year.
        1. Did you do anything special?
            a. Some people have parties.
            b. Some stay up ‘til midnight to mark the change.
            c. One of the advantages of Utah is you can still go to bed at 10!
        2. You do realize that there are many opportunities to mark the year?
            a. You can make celebrate the same thing on your birthday
            b. You do it on anniversaries (another year together)
            c. At the end of the school year, and at the beginning.
        3. Unfortunately, not everyone is celebrating another year of life.
        4. Some people are merely celebrating another year of existence
   B. Existence is something all living things share.
        1. 1 definition of life is a creature takes in nourishment and reproduces.
        2. That’s what is necessary for survival.
        3. Every person you know is living in that sense.
        4. But you also know that some of them aren’t doing much with life.
            a. They may be having lots of fun.
            b. But they lack a real meaning or purpose in there life.
        5. such people are exiting, but their life is not living!
   C. Living is when we are fulfilling God’s intention for us.
        1. John tells us that in Christ is life!
            a. He meant a lot more than simply existence.
            b. He is not saying that we are alive because of Jesus (though that’s true!)
        2. In a poetic way, he is saying that Jesus in the source of living!
            a. His was the power at work in creation.
            b. But more, his is the power that is at work in all living creatures.
            c. We owe our existence to him.
        3. The next step, however is that Jesus illuminates that existence.
            a. He becomes not only the life, but the light of all people
            b. He shows us the very purpose behind existence.
            c. That incredible gift turns existence into living!
        4. It is in Jesus that our existence becomes abundant life.

II.  How do we move from existence to living?
   A. The first step is to discover to what extent you are living.
        1. There are few who are merely existing and few who fully live.
        2. most lives are a mixture of the two.
        3. some of the things we do are done from mechanical habit.
            a. Ever eat breakfast in a haze?
            b. Things done in this way are done without a sense of purpose.
            c. We do them because they are on the schedule.
            d. drive to work, eat a meal, do the wash, pay the bills.
        4. Other things are done with a sense of their importance.
            a. We do them fully recognizing that it is part of our contribution.
            b. We stumble onto a friend, find them weeping, and are suddenly embroiled in consoling them.
            c. We make out a check for disaster relief.
            d. We throw a surprise party for a dear friend.
        5. The question: how aware are you that your actions are important?
            a. Do you often have a sense that you are fulfilling God’s purpose?
            b. Is that thought only an occasional and fleeting reflection?
   B. The second step is to ask yourself why you do the things you do.
        1. Is there are real belief that this is part of the will of God?
        2. Many of those things we do mechanically can be that important.
            a. We would not function very long without eating and sleeping.
            b. In order to accomplish our eternal purpose, we must survive.
            c. We can invest the details of life with significance
        3. But we do that when we are clear of our eternal contribution.
            a. There must be activities in our life that have true meaning.
            b. Our worship of God is one of those gifts.
            c. Our service for others is another.
            d. Our witness to the saving love of Jesus is a key component.
        4. To the extent that we know we are making a difference, everything we do takes on value and meaning.

A poem that has been around for a while gives flesh to these ruminations.  Eric Aronson presented it originally as part of his motivational work and it has often been used as a part of eulogies.  However, it is much more appropriate for those who are trying to figure out how to live… 

“Dash” by Eric Aronson

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone "From the beginning...to the end."
He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth....
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house... the cash
What matter is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard...are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand the way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile...
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.
So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash....
Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

And as you go from this place, may you walk in the way of Christ Jesus and May God always find you faithful!