Luke 12:13-21
(sermon outline for Sunday Feb. 8)
Central idea: Followers of Christ can recognize and embrace simple gifts that enable us to live a meaningful life that honors God.
Introduction:
1. Simplicity is something we often long for, but seldom obtain. Perhaps the best way to enjoy life’s simple gifts is to practice the discipline of simplicity.
2. You might need to re-visit the discipline of simplicity if…
- You spend an excessive amount of time wanting things you don’t have while ignoring the things you do have.
- You are a chronic worrier, frequently worrying about things over which you have no control.
- You feel like your life is overly complicated.
- You experience flutters of despair about the current recession.
- In the busyness of life, you sometimes lose your spiritual center and need to return to ground zero.
3. In between Jesus warning his followers about the hypocrisy of the religious legalists and cautioning his followers about the dysfunction of chronic worry, Jesus tells a story about a foolish man’s pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake. In that story Jesus stressed that life is not measured in the abundance of possessions.
Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke
4. We live in a culture where prime importance is placed on material possessions. But many are so dismayed at their own personal situation, they seem to be reevaluating the value of possessions. Are you possessing your possessions, or are your possessions possessing you?
5. Possessions can bless us or imprison us. Richard Foster contends that Simplicity is freedom. Duplicity is bondage. Simplicity brings joy and balance. Duplicity brings anxiety and fear.
Outline:
1. A life of simplicity is based on a profound covenant of trust.
o Simplicity begins by placing childlike faith in God.
o Simplicity is realized when you live out of a deep covenant of trust in God who will provide for your needs and guide your decisions.
2. The discipline of simplicity enables us to focus on our gifts and our passions.
o Your true wealth is your character, your unique giftedness, and your personal passion.
3. Simplicity counters our cultural inclination toward materialism.
o You need to recognize that our culture currently propels us toward materialism.
o Materialism leads you to erroneously confuse your material wealth with your true self-worth.
4. Simplicity uproots distractions.
o Distractions are things like worry, discontent, anxiety, self-pity, envy, apathy, and workaholism.
5. Simplicity enhances the abundant life.
- Encourages us to live with intentionality.
- Enables us to aim at the right target.
- Empowers us to know “indescribable joy.”
Summary: Embrace the simple gifts in life and honor God with your attitude and your actions.
Without presuming to pass judgment on the lifestyle of any other person, how can you practice the discipline of simplicity? Would you take the simple gifts that you have received from God and use them to bless and encourage others?
