Notes, quotes, and paraphrases from a sermon by John Piper entitled: "Don't Waste Your Life"
"When horrific events take place we need to ask: What would Jesus want us to learn from this, about not wasting our lives? I think Jesus would say, just as in Luke 13:2-5: '... Unless you repent you will all likewise perish...' Jesus is compassionate and kind, He weeps," and He comes to display Gods love and salvation, "but His goal is not to make everyone happy! He doesnt need to make excuses for Gods actions. Are you astonished at the magnitude of this calamity, don't be. You should be astonished that you are not among the ones who died- for we all deserve to die and perish! If we are alive, we should question what it is that The Lord desires of us."
John Piper went on to mention Job and his reaction to the destruction of his children: "Blessed be the name of The Lord, He has given and He has taken away." He went on to mention Hannah, who desperately wanted a child and she acknowledge God as thenone who holds life and death in his hands. And so he concludes: If any of us lives through the night, or if I do, it is only by grace!
"Your life is in God's hands. He never does anyone wrong. Whether he takes your life or lets you live: you belong to God! Therefore He knows what life is for- and the only way not to waste your life is to key off of the Almighty and to know what he would have you be."
"Jesus has something to say about this because He is really jealous that you don't waste your life today. Jesus is jealous for you! I think He would say to you: 'a person's life does not exist in the abundance of his possessions.'"
"Who knows when God will say: "this night your soul will be required from you." Your life is not about accumulating things! No sane person on his deathbed ever comforted himself with his possessions that his life was well spent."
Matthew 16:24-25, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
"It is possible to waste your life. Few things make me tremble more than wasting my life. As a child I would wake up and run into the kitchen and see this sign: "Only one life, twil soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." And it communicated to me very early on that a life could be wasted. Don't waste it! I decided early on that I did not want to waste my life, and I cried out to God about it."
"What a tragedy in America that billions of dollars are invested every year to waste the rest of our lives: it's called retirement. For some it goes like this: "you worked for it, enjoy it" and so they live in relaxation, comfort, and ease. While so many are still in need," not just physical need but spiritual need. "We are going to join them, and be sucked in, unless we decide that our treasure is Christ- it will take a massive measure of grace to rescue us from this culture!"
"So now the question is: what is an unwasted life? What would that be? How can I not waste my life, this text is the answer: Philippians 1:20-21."
"Make Christ look great, that's why you exist. This is Paul's all consuming passion. My expectation and hope is that Christ will be shown great in me and in my body whether in life or in death."
Philippians 3:7-8. How does Paul make Christ look great? By experiencing Christ as such a treasure that every thing else in His life was as loss compared to knowing Jesus Christ."
"How do you make Christ great in your life? Money, food, clothes, friends, and family are given to you so that you may live in such a way that it will be plain to the world these are not your treasures- Jesus Christ is! Use all that you have been give to show the world that you treasure Jesus Christ above all things! Get it- and if you dont get it yet, then pray! Pray that you would treasure Jesus Christ above everything else in life!"
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." -Philippians 1:21
"If death is to be gain, Christ must be more precious to you than everything you leave behind. Then when the world looks on, they will be able to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is valuable! Life and death are given to you- they are gifts- in order that you may display the supreme glory of Jesus Christ."
"This treasuring of Him... is most clearly seen in what you are willing gladly to risk and sacrifice, if He calls, in order to have more of Him! "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Do you want more and more, is He your treasure? Labor in prayer for authenticity!"
"'Magnifying Christ by being satisfied in Him' was the passion in Paul's life- it was not the American dream of escaping hardship. He wanted to make Christ's life more vivid for all to see! Are you going to buy into the American dream or live by the cross, and treasure Jesus beyond all else?!"
"'Always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.' - 1 Peter 3:15. Has anyone asked you about your hope lately? Maybe it's because it looks like your hope is in the same thing as everyone else, worldly goods and possesions and not Jesus Christ."
"Embrace Christ, embrace suffering, and embrace the reward of knowing Him! If your passion is to display Christ then my prayer is that, your life will have the words 'this life was not wasted for Jesus' written all over it. May you hear the words at the end of your life: 'well done good and faithful servant.'"
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