Hillcrest's sermon series in May is based on John Ortberg's recent book The Me I Want to Be. I recently read the book and was reminded of Ortberg's personal and yet challenging style when it comes to our spiritual lives and following Jesus. Here's some of my takeaways:
• I know: memorization scares us. But I also know people who have memorized every episode of the television show ‘The Simpsons’ without trying.
• People would rather debate doctrine or beliefs or tradition or interpretation than actually do what Jesus said. It’s not rocket science. Just go do it. Practice loving a difficult person or try forgiving someone. Give away some money. Tell someone thank you. Encourage a friend. Bless an enemy. Say ‘I’m sorry’. Worship God. You already know more than you need to know.
• It is easier to be smart than to be good. You don’t need to know more from the bible; you just need to do what you already know.
• Yet far more human beings spend their lives in offices than in studies. Most adults spend about half of their waking lives at work. Your work is a huge part of God’s plan for your life, and God intends the Spirit to fill and energize workplaces. Work that gets done in offices and elsewhere- building up people, creating teams, managing the resources of creation, desperately requires the guidance and energy of the Spirit.
• I have often heard sermons designed to make people feel guilty about not keeping the Sabbath, but I have never heard a sermon designed to make people feel guilty about not honoring the six-day work week. The point is not how many days or hours we are punching the clock. The point is that just as God made and loves the Sabbath, so he also made and loves work.
• God isn’t at work producing the circumstances you want. God is at work in bad circumstances producing the you he wants.
In the Sioux Falls area on Sundays in May? Check us out at 9 or 10:30 and pick up a free copy of the book!
