Keys To Being Great

 

INTRO: Before I start today, let me say I missed being with you last week. It is good to be home. Today is Hulon's birthday. I miss him very much, as I know many of you do too. He was and is a blessing to my life. His life was not in vain, he was great in the Lord.

Also, I am happy to have my parents back home again in Indiana. I know the circumstances are not the greatest. I am not happy for that, but I see this as a time where I can spend some time with them. That I look forward to doing.

Let's get started… Can you name some great men? Usually we think of people like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or Winston Churchill. Maybe we would think of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, U. S. Grant, Sherman, Robert E. Lee, Patton, MacAuthur, etc. Maybe we will think of people like Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Jim Thorp, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, etc.

Some might think of ones like Helen Keller, Florence Nightingale, Susan B. Anthony, or Harriet Tubs. Maybe ones like Ghandi, Dr. Livingston, Jim Elliot, Martin Luther Ling, are great to some.

Maybe even a Sunday school teacher -- I think of Clyde Hinds -- a pastor, a Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, Dwight L. Moody, C. H. Spurgeon. Maybe Moses, Daniel, David, Abraham, Samuel, etc.

Maybe the first one you would think of is the Lord Himself. Still to many of you it might be your mom or dad, maybe an uncle or aunt, maybe a grandparent that shared with you the Lord as well as their love.

Today, I want to look at what it takes to be great. You see, in our eyes many different things bring greatness. There may be many different degrees of greatness. Sometimes greatness is not seen or known until years later. Not known until historians or people have time to reflect on one's life. But I am not talking about man's greatness, nor man's measure, but God's. How does God see you? How does God see your greatness? Are you great? Do you want to be? Can you be? Will you be?

There is a saying I want you to think about as we apply greatness to our lives. Here goes…"If a tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around, does it still make a sound?" I know, you may think, "How does that apply to greatness?" Let us rework the words a bit…"If a great tree falls in the forest, and there is no one around, is it still great?" If we are to have greatness, we need to share greatness. Not just be a legend in our own minds, but great in the sight of God and our fellow man.

Have you ever looked at a key? Have you noticed when you look at the end of the key, it's design will only work in the right keyhole? But you just can't use any key that will fit the slot, it has to match elsewhere to turn the tumbler. When you look at a key down the side you can see little peaks and valleys. They have to match up to work. This is what I want to do today, look at what it takes to be great with the Lord. There are some things we need - the peaks, and some things we don't need - the valleys. If we have the right combination, we can do much for the Lord.

 

 

Mark 9:33 - 37 33And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?

34But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest.

35And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.

36And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them,

37Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

 

 

 

If we are to be great, we must first…

Trust in the Greatness of God - grace

Ephesians 2:4 - 10 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.


Toss out the greatness of self - works

Vs. 5, Vs.9

 

 

 

Turn the pages of God's Word - read/study

Acts 17:10 - 12 10And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

12Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Turn your face to the wall - prayer

Rev. 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Trash the ungodliness in your life - sin

Quickly, we might grab the 10 commandments - it is much more

Lying - fibbing

Covetness - adultery - porn

Greediness - gambling

Murder - hatred - envying, strife, not honoring parents, elders, etc.

Let go, let go, let go!

Take time out to praise God - worship

He needs to be first in your life

We need to give Him our first fruits - more than money

Psalms 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.

Rev. 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Try your best for the Lord - commitment

Psalms 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test the "waters" and say yes - volunteer

Isaiah 6:8 - 11 8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

 

 

Teach your greatness to others - example

Train up your children

Train your "Timothys"

Trade your "Old lamps for new" - Alladin

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 081306am