A look in the wrong direction

Sermon notes from Sunday 14 May 2017 pm

Luke 12 verses 13 – 21

A look in the wrong direction

This young man was looking for something to satisfy his soul yet couldn’t find it because he was looking in the wrong direction.  He asked Jesus to speak to his brother so that his brother would divide an inheritance they had.  Jesus in reply referred to ’a man’s life’ in verse 15 and had something to say that was very positive.

The void that is in a man`s life.  Here’s a man amongst a crowd of people.  The Lord was in the presence of this young man teaching and preaching.  Somehow the young man’s mind is closed, fixed on one thing – on the inheritance he had been cut off from.  Is your mind already closed to the things the Lord would speak to you about?  “Except you be born again ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.”  Somehow you are confused, you think you are on your way to heaven and home.  You don’t need this new birth but there is a void in your way.  It is a space that the natural things cannot fill.  It is not in the things we have, the riches of this world.  Your soul lies in the very balance.  That is why Jesus came into the world, that he would die on the cross, shed his blood, to give his life for your sin.  Can you imagine the preciousness of your life tonight?  Man was made and created for something very special.  He was made of the dust of the earth.  God breathed into him and he became a living soul.  God came down and had fellowship with man.  That communion was however broken and it has left a void in our hearts.  We were conceived as sinners.  A broken relationship with the eternal God.  When God came down to the Garden of Eden he couldn’t find Adam – where art thou?  Adam had to confess he was hiding from the one who created him, the one who made him.  Ever since then there has been a great aching void in every man because we are cut off from God.  Are you without Christ?  Then you are without hope and without God.  There is that void in your heart.  You can try as you like, as much as you want.  “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth.”  Jesus told the story of the parable of the farmer.  He had everything he could ever possibly want. Did it bring happiness and joy to his heart?  He only thought of things that were to come, the leisure he would have, the pleasure he would have.  It didn’t bring satisfaction to his soul though.  When he departed this world he had nothing, he was in poverty.  Is there a void in that soul of yours?  You are trying to fill it up with possessions, friends, places, trying to fill that gap.

The value of a man’s life.  The young man wanted the inheritance more than anything else.  That would not bring him happiness or joy.  Having his sins forgiven and being reconciled to God, made anew in Christ, having heaven as his home in the future would however.  This young man in the crowd had the wrong idea of life.  He was looking in the wrong direction for satisfaction.  James described life as a vapour that appears for a short time but then vanishes.  The life span of man could be valued at three score years and ten but what about your lifestyle during that time?  Have you ever come to that place where you have thought about the day when you close your eyes in death?  Come to the cross of Calvary, look on Christ, the one who took every sin, died to satisfy the God of heaven in the salvation of your soul.  What is the value of your soul?  Even the very hairs of your head are numbered.  Not one of the sparrows will fall to the ground but God in heaven knows about it.  God values your soul more than these.  You could have all the wealth of the world but for what?

The vision for the life of man.  Jesus speaks to this man in the crowd.  He is steering him away to the right way, trying to take him away from the thoughts he would have, steering him to the right pathway.  Jesus talked of the broad and narrow way.   He was trying to point people to that narrow way.  This young man had everything he thought he would ever need.  Jesus told a story of a farmer who had as he thought a life time to enjoy his crops but all was taken from him that very night.  The farmer boasted of having so much.  The God of heaven came to him and said “this night thy soul is required of thee.”  Not tomorrow or the next night but this night.  He boasted of having many years before him but that very night his life was taken from him.  This man had to leave everything and so will you.  It doesn`t matter how much of a gain you make in this old world.  Moses was brought up in the education of Egypt.  He made a decision one day to leave the riches and splendour behind.  He would take his stand with the downtrodden people of God.  He gave up all those riches for the God of heaven.  What are you prepared to give up to take Christ as your own Saviour?  God was not willing that any should perish.  Jesus stands with outstretched arms, he does everything to prevent you going to a lost and Christless hell.  Jesus himself said “you will not come that you might have life.”

The victory for man`s life.  It is at the close of Calvary Jesus died to reconcile mankind unto himself.  He came into this world.  He was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.  We need a right relationship with God, to know our sins forgiven.  “He breaks the power of cancelled sin and sets the prisoner free.”  For the child of God at the end of life God draws very close.  He is looking over that child about to come into his presence. What about it tonight?  Are you like the young man standing in the crowd, having closed your mind about everything else and are thinking of things eternal?  Can you claim the cross of Christ?  Will you trust Christ tonight?  Will you give him your life and soul?  He asks you to come and trust him this very moment, don’t miss out on God’s salvation.