With a little bit of short notice I managed to put together my "No regrets" Sermon about my life journey from a while back. Fit very neatly into the readings for the day. Very, very neatly...
No Regrets.mp3
Hebrews 10:22
" let us draw nar to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience"
Pray.
" Lord, let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight oh Lord our Strength and Redeemer, Amen."
Personal Testimony.
- What did you want to be when you were young?
5 or 7
- Baker: pound the dough.
Fireman, Policeman
Growing up on the farm Gaeta, and going to Gin Gin high school
Grade 8:
- Architect: drawing house plans. Designing space.
Grade 9:
- Didn't want to be a farmer.
- used to the work and the lifestyle, but there seemed to be much more interesting things to do.
- Slept in & missed the bus.
- Dad seemed a little annoyed, but not as annoyed as I thought
- worked all day
- never missed school bus again.
Grade 10. Guidance officer
- Become an Architect?
- taken graphics & liked it.
- Discussing at home
- Words that would change my life
"Don't regret the choices you make in your life"
- warning against wasting opportunity
- you don't know what doors you will shut. Keep your options open.
- my understanding:
accept that the choices you made were the best at the time.
- So, the choice of a career?
- Through year 11
- more discussion with Dad
"What about something in computers?"
"Yeah, but that's just a hobby. It's too much fun to be real work"
"not everyone thinks they are easy"
- confirmed with Guidance officer
- less entry requirements
- more job prospects
- win win!
- No regrets
- happy with choices I made were the best at the time. Looking back at my high school years wih no regrets.
- Through University
- Don't look back on a decision and think you should have done something differently, make the effort up front to get the decision right in the first place!
- STudied a bit, played a lot more
- failed a couple of subjects, still happy with my decisions.
- Time is precious. Each decision you make of how you spend your time is important.
- No Regrets.
- Focusing more and more on getting the right decision.
- Meticulous in getting all the facts right before making a decision.
- Paralysed by fear of making the wrong decision
- No decision is a decision in itself
- Limited time to act: Kid about to be hit by a car
- Decisions made for you.
" Failure to act is just as bad as an inappropriate action"
- Realisation that all choices are with imperfect knowledge.
- We can still accept that we made the best choice with the information that was available, but it still may be the wrong choice.
- Dawned on me
- God knows everything. Trust God
- Been a christian all my life, but never really let god in on my decisions.
- Computer Games: Football Manager
- Star coach setting out instructions but aren't being listened to.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
- God has this perfect plan for my day. All I have to do is open up and trust!
- No regrets
- Story ends there? Trust god? The perfect solution?
- I know it, but I still don't do it
- My own arrogance and pride.
- Keep thinking that I know better.
- Off I go again booting the ball into my own goal when Jesus is sitting on the sidelines with his head in his hands.
- No Regrets
- Looking back
- I can still look at all my failings and accept the decisions I make, even if they are wrong. I can live with that.
- God can't
- Clearly states that his world, his being, cannot abide mistakes.
- There is no place with God once you have sinned.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, .... but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- it's not us that gets the sack from the team, Jesus, our coach, our perfect coach, takes the blame.
- Jesus accepts the conseques of our actions, Jesus takes the wrap for our poor decisions, our imperfect lives.
- Why? So that we might continue to play.
- Hopefully in the way he wanted us to play.
- He sees our potential.
- He sees what we CAN be.
- The slate is clean.
Hebrews 10:19-22
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.
True cleansing. No Regrets. Our mistakes wiped clean. Amen
"Lord, you offer us liberation from our guilt through the sacrifice of your Son. Instill in us the ability to seek your word and trust your guidance, so that we might live our lives in a manner pleasing to you."
Notes for the sermon:
Hebrews 10:22
" let us draw nar to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience"
Pray.
" Lord, let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of our hearts, be acceptable in your sight oh Lord our Strength and Redeemer, Amen."
Personal Testimony.
- What did you want to be when you were young?
5 or 7
- Baker: pound the dough.
Fireman, Policeman
Growing up on the farm Gaeta, and going to Gin Gin high school
Grade 8:
- Architect: drawing house plans. Designing space.
Grade 9:
- Didn't want to be a farmer.
- used to the work and the lifestyle, but there seemed to be much more interesting things to do.
- Slept in & missed the bus.
- Dad seemed a little annoyed, but not as annoyed as I thought
- worked all day
- never missed school bus again.
Grade 10. Guidance officer
- Become an Architect?
- taken graphics & liked it.
- Discussing at home
- Words that would change my life
"Don't regret the choices you make in your life"
- warning against wasting opportunity
- you don't know what doors you will shut. Keep your options open.
- my understanding:
accept that the choices you made were the best at the time.
- So, the choice of a career?
- Through year 11
- more discussion with Dad
"What about something in computers?"
"Yeah, but that's just a hobby. It's too much fun to be real work"
"not everyone thinks they are easy"
- confirmed with Guidance officer
- less entry requirements
- more job prospects
- win win!
- No regrets
- happy with choices I made were the best at the time. Looking back at my high school years wih no regrets.
- Through University
- Don't look back on a decision and think you should have done something differently, make the effort up front to get the decision right in the first place!
- STudied a bit, played a lot more
- failed a couple of subjects, still happy with my decisions.
- Time is precious. Each decision you make of how you spend your time is important.
- No Regrets.
- Focusing more and more on getting the right decision.
- Meticulous in getting all the facts right before making a decision.
- Paralysed by fear of making the wrong decision
- No decision is a decision in itself
- Limited time to act: Kid about to be hit by a car
- Decisions made for you.
" Failure to act is just as bad as an inappropriate action"
- Realisation that all choices are with imperfect knowledge.
- We can still accept that we made the best choice with the information that was available, but it still may be the wrong choice.
- Dawned on me
- God knows everything. Trust God
- Been a christian all my life, but never really let god in on my decisions.
- Computer Games: Football Manager
- Star coach setting out instructions but aren't being listened to.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
- God has this perfect plan for my day. All I have to do is open up and trust!
- No regrets
- Story ends there? Trust god? The perfect solution?
- I know it, but I still don't do it
- My own arrogance and pride.
- Keep thinking that I know better.
- Off I go again booting the ball into my own goal when Jesus is sitting on the sidelines with his head in his hands.
- No Regrets
- Looking back
- I can still look at all my failings and accept the decisions I make, even if they are wrong. I can live with that.
- God can't
- Clearly states that his world, his being, cannot abide mistakes.
- There is no place with God once you have sinned.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, .... but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- it's not us that gets the sack from the team, Jesus, our coach, our perfect coach, takes the blame.
- Jesus accepts the conseques of our actions, Jesus takes the wrap for our poor decisions, our imperfect lives.
- Why? So that we might continue to play.
- Hopefully in the way he wanted us to play.
- He sees our potential.
- He sees what we CAN be.
- The slate is clean.
Hebrews 10:19-22
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (22) let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.
True cleansing. No Regrets. Our mistakes wiped clean. Amen
"Lord, you offer us liberation from our guilt through the sacrifice of your Son. Instill in us the ability to seek your word and trust your guidance, so that we might live our lives in a manner pleasing to you."
