Your Place in the Universe

2 Cor 3:17-18

 

 

 

Lisa gave me a book last Christmas by Max Lucado called, “It’s Not About Me.”  I’m still not convinced that she bought it because of the title rather than the fact that I like reading Max’s material.  As I read it, I realized that many of the chapters would make good sermon ideas on this theme.  So for the next few weeks I am going to present several lessons based on his Book.

 

The first chapter sets up the whole premise of the book by reminding us that we have gotten off track in our views about ourselves and God.  We need to understand our place in the universe.

 

PRAYER

 

I.       Center of the Universe

A.   A lesson from History

1.                 For most of man’s history, we taught that the earth was the center of the universe.

2.                 Everything revolved around us.

3.                 Then in the mid 1500’s a couple of men came along and messed everything up with the facts.

4.                 First Copernicus and then Galileo showed how the earth revolved around the Sun.

5.                 They were so well received that the government threw them in jail and the church excommunicated them.

6.                 They were messing with putting us out of our rightful place in the center of the universe!  

B.   King of the world

1.                 Several years ago a line was make famous by Leonardo DiCaprio as he stood in the bow of the Titanic and screamed, “I’m the king of the world!”

2.                 How many of us feel the same way?

a)                Be honest, you really believe the world revolves around you.

b)                I know my kids think so, and I have to keep reminding them that the world doesn’t revolve around them… It revolves around me!

3.                 Most of us feel we are the center of what it’s all about.  We don’t like the idea of being demoted to a lesser orb revolving around someone else.

C.   Opinion Doesn’t Change Fact

1.                 I can feel that I’m so important that it’s all about me as much as I want, but it doesn’t change reality.

2.                 Mr. Lucado made an excellent point in his book when he said “God does not exist to make a big deal out of us.  We exist to make a big deal out of him.  It’s not about you.   It’s not about me.  It’s about Him.

3.                 Somehow we convinced ourselves that our earthly possessions are all about us rather than all about God.

4.                 Somehow we have convinced ourselves that our time is all about us rather than about God.

5.                 We are the king of our world and no one can tell me differently.

6.                 It’s kind of like me saying I am the president of the United States and 1113 Jackson Blvd is the center of National government.  I can create my own presidential seal.  I can believe I am the president with all my heart, but that doesn’t actually make me the president. 

7.                 My opinion doesn’t change the fact that the real president is someone else and the real presidential residence is somewhere else.

8.                 We can think all this around us is all about us, but the reality is that it’s all about God.

II.    God is the True Center

A.   God is the True center of everything

1.                 READ Eph 1:20-22

2.                 Once begin to realize this truth, our reason for being changes.

3.                 We don’t seem to like that idea, but think about it.  If God existed for our happiness, shouldn’t we be happy all the time?

4.                 I forget that truth though.

5.                 I want things and situations that make me happy.

6.                 I want to be the center of the universe, I want to be king of the world, and I want to be God.

7.                 Reality check: It’s not about me; it’s about God.

8.                 It’s not about you either; it’s about God.

B.   We need to be moons

1.                 Okay, let’s get our 3rd grade science back in our minds.

2.                 As you know the moon doesn’t produce light.  Without the Sun it is simply a big chunk of rock floating around the earth.

3.                 However, when positioned correctly, it reflects the light of the sun and appears as light to us!

4.                 Without God we are nothing, but when positioned correctly the light of God is reflected in us and we appear as light to those without God.

5.                 Our job isn’t to be the center of spiritual attention but to reflect who God is to the world around us.

C.   A God Centered World

1.                 We have tried to be a self-centered world for so long and it just doesn’t work.

a)                We run all over the place chasing things that are all about us and when we catch them, we realize it isn’t what we were after, after all.

b)                Our families are a mess

c)                 Our nation is a mess

d)                Imagine being part of an orchestra, and each musician played whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.  Would you want to be a part of that?

e)                 Neither would I.

2.                 When God is the center, there is harmony

a)                Just like the orchestra that follows the Maestro makes beautiful music, when we follow God it just all make more sense.

b)                Let me tell you something that might surprise you.  If your live revolves around God instead of yourself, you will be much more content.

c)                 You won’t be as stressed out.

d)                Life will make better sense.

3.                 A God-centered world is simply a better world.

4.                 How do we make that transition from a self-centered life to a God-centered life? 

5.                 See his glory

6.                 Over the next few weeks we will learn how we can see his glory better and understand our place more fully.