“FULLNESS OF LIFE FOR THE BELIEVERS”. EJC STEWARDSHIP DAY Sabbath, October 21, 2017.

1. THEME: “FULLNESS OF LIFE FOR THE BELIEVERS”. EJC STEWARDSHIP DAY Sabbath, October 21, 2017.

2. Topic: Successful Living (Living for Time and Eternity)

3. Songs and Texts: Opening Song: 286 Sing them over again to me. Text: John 17:3, Matt. 6:33 Closing Song: 308 Wholly Thine

4. OBJECTIVE & DELIVERABLES: Main Objective: To share with each worshipper in Church today that God’s desire for us is to experience fullness of life which is successful (faithful) living for time and eternity.

5. OBJECTIVE & DELIVERABLES: Deliverables: At the end of this sermon today, you should be able to: • Explain the meaning of the fullness of life and success. • State whose way always leads to success. • State at least three things that successful living involves. • Share Jesus and Paul’s views/concerns about success. • Name three (3) Bible writers’ advice for successful living. • Share Jesus’ lifestyle for successful living. • Share the challenging food for thought and respond to the Appeal.

6. CONTENTS OF SERMON • Fullness of Life and success • God wants His people to succeed. • Successes hailed by the world • God’s success and recognition of God • Ellen White’s formula for success • Jesus’ & Paul’s views/concerns about success • Other Bible writers’ advice for a successful life • Jesus’ Lifestyle & Advice of Successful Living • A Challenging Food for Thought • Summary, Conclusion and Appeal.

7. 1. Fullness of Life and Success a) What is fullness of Life? Abundant life is the term used to refer to Christian teachings on fullness of life. It is more that the acquisition of wealth, education, status, and power.

8. 1. Fullness of Life and Success a) What is fullness of Life? It means to live a meaningful and purposeful life with Christ at its centre. It is a faithful and balanced life where the spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and social prowess are in harmony with each other.

9. 1. Fullness of Life and Success b) What is success? • At the very basic level = the accomplishment of a goal. • But not all goals are good goals, so not all success is good success. • Ideal definition: Phil 2:5 = To think and to act as God would in any (and every) situation in life; wisdom from God.

10. 2. God Wants His People To Succeed! Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do. Deuteronomy. 29:9

11. 3 John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

12. GOD’S WAY ALWAYS LEADS TO SUCCESS.

13. 3. Successes Hailed by The World • Politics – Holding power • Business- Amassing wealth • Sports- Gold medals, many titles • Entertainment- fame • All these end in the grave!

14. 4. God’s Success and Recognition of God God measures success differently Failure for us might be success for God. Success for us might be failure for God. Moses ----Hebrews 11:24-28 Joseph---------Genesis 37-50 Paul -------- Philippians 3:4-7 True success includes the eternal

15. a) Recognition of God,Essential for God’s Success “Young friends, the fear of the Lord lies at the very foundation of all progress; it is the beginning of wisdom. Your heavenly Father has claims upon you; for without solicitation or merit on your part He gives you the bounties of His providence; and more than this, He has given you all heaven in one gift, that of His beloved Son.”

16. “In return for this infinite gift, He claims of you willing obedience. As you are bought with a price, even the precious blood of the Son of God, He requires that you make a right use of the privileges you enjoy. Your intellectual and moral faculties are God's gifts, talents entrusted to you for wise improvement.” {MYP 39.1}

17. b) God’s Will “God asks us to be true to Him….His will must be made our will in all things. Any departure from this standard degrades our moral nature. It may result in lifting us up, in enriching us, and in seating us beside princes; but in the eyes of God we are unclean and unholy. We have sold our birthright for selfish interest and gain, and in the books of heaven it is written of us, Weighed in the balances… and found wanting.” (Signs of the Times, Jan. 21,1897)

18. a) Diligence and Regularity “Men and women of God must be diligent in study, earnest in the acquirement of knowledge…Through persevering exertion, they may rise to almost any degree of eminence as Christians, as people of power and influence… People of business can be truly successful only by having regular hours for rising, for prayer, for meals, and for retiring.” (Gospel Workers, p. 278)

19. b) Economy “Much might be said to the young people regarding their privilege to help the cause of God by learning lessons of economy and self-denial. Many think that they must indulge in this pleasure and that, and in order to do this they accustom themselves to live up to the full extent of their income. God wants us to do better in this respect.” {MYP 299.1}

20. c) Put away our selfish desires “We sin against ourselves when we are satisfied with enough to eat and drink and wear. God has something higher than this before us. When we are willing to put away our selfish desires, and give the powers of heart and mind to the work of the cause of God, heavenly agencies will co-operate with us, making us a blessing to humanity.” {MYP 299.2}

21. d) Giving leads to success None need fear that their liberality would bring them to want. Obedience to God's commandments would surely result in prosperity. (Ministry of Healing, page 187)

22. It is the duty of all who touch the work of God to learn economy in the use of time and money. Those who indulge in idleness reveal that they attach little importance to the glorious truths committed to us. They need to be educated in habits of industry, and to learn to work with an eye single to the glory of God. {Messages to Young People, p. 300.1} e) Manage time and money

23. 6. Jesus’ view About successLuke 12:15, 20, 21.(Beware of covetousness) • Take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. • Covetousness---the desire for benefit for self’s sake (Ellen White) The Prosperous Farmer • Thou fool…. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. • Mere possession of great amount of material things is not success!

24. i) Jesus’ Concern “The Deceitfulness of Riches” Matthew 13:22 “A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:23).

25. ii) The Danger of Wealth Corroborated Hoarded wealth is not merely useless; it is a curse. In this life it is a curse to the soul, drawing the affections away from the heavenly treasure (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 352).

26. iii) Storing up Riches Provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. Luke 12:33

27. iv) Earthly versus heavenly riches Wealth fails from time to time in different ways. There is no security in anything human or earthly. Heaven’s riches are secure because they will last forever.

28. Wealth in and of itself is not evil; but those who chase it are exposed to many dangers. v) Our Approach We should NOT aim to be rich. We should work hard, follow sound financial practices, and God will make us rich IF He sees that we can handle it. Matt. 6:33 – Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God & His righteousness…. all these things shall be added

29. 7. OTHER BIBLE WRITERS’ ADVICE FOR A SUCCUSSFUL LIFE

30. i) David’s Advice For A Successful LifePsalm 34:8-14 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Taste and trust the LORD -- 8 Fear and seek the LORD – 9,10 Keep thy tongue from evil -- 13 Depart from evil and do good -- 14 Seek peace and pursue it -- 14

31. ii) Solomon’s Advice Proverbs 3:5-10 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase. (Result:) So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

32. iii) Malachi’s Advice Malachi 3:8-10 “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings (plural).” “…Bring ye all the tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of host, (Result:) if I will open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

33. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful Life1 Timothy 6:12 Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. • With all our material accumulations, life would be a failure without salvation. • All our energies should be devoted to obtaining eternal life.

34. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful Life What is great gain for Paul?1Timothy 6:6 “Godliness with contentment is great gain”. Great possession without contentment makes one miserable.

35. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful LifePhilippians 3:4,5,7. 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

36. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful LifePhilippians 3:8,10. 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

37. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful LifePhilippians 3:13,14. 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

38. iv) Paul’s Recipe For A Successful Life Warning against seeking riches: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” (1Timothy 6:9)

39. Conclusion: Evidences Of Success Blessings in trusting God. (David: Psa. 34:8-14) Trusting/honouring the Lord fills barn. (Solomon: Prov. 3:9-10) Honesty with God brings overflow of blessings. (Malachi: 3:10) Godliness with contentment is great gain. (Paul: 1 Timothy 6:6) Better is little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure and trouble therewith. (Solomon: Proverbs 15:16) Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me. (Solomon: Proverbs 30:8)

40. Conclusion: Evidences Of Success Success is Having What you need When you need it.

41. Conclusion: False Success For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mark 8:36

42. 8. Jesus’ lifestyle of successful living (Luke 2:52 and Meaning): Wisdom = Perfect mental development as a man and equality with God. John 10:30. Stature = Physical development; influence, reputation, prominence. In favour with God = Spiritual development In favour with man = Social development and balance. He glorified His Father while on earth. John 17:3-5 ESV. "Emotional Wellness & the Family" by Waldon WRIGHT 2017-Sept.-9

43. JESUS’ ADVICE Matt. 6:33. But seek yefirst the kingdom of God and hisrighteousness;andall these things shall be added unto you. "Emotional Wellness & the Family" by Waldon WRIGHT 2017-Sept.-9

44. 9. A Challenging Food for Thought "How much owest thou unto my Lord?“ “Shall we receive every blessing from the hand of God, and yet make no returns to Him,--not even in giving Him our tithe, the portion which He has reserved unto Himself? It has become customary to turn everything out of the true line of self-sacrifice into the path of self-pleasing. But shall we continually receive His favors with indifference, and make no response to His love?” {MYP 306.1}

45. 9. A Challenging Food for Thought “Will you not, dear youth, become missionaries for God? Will you, as you have never done before, learn the precious lesson of making gifts to the Lord by putting into the treasury of that which He has freely given you to enjoy? Whatever you have received, let a portion be returned to the Giver as a gratitude offering. A part should also be put into the treasury for the missionary work to be done both at home and abroad.” {MYP 306.2}

46. 10. Summary, Conclusion & Appeal • Fullness of life means a “meaningful and purposeful life with Christ at its centre,” while success is “thinking and acting as God would in any situation in life.” • God wants all His people to succeed but only obedience to His way leads to successful living. • Successful living is not the result of chance, abundance, self-centeredness or covetousness. • It involves hard work, following sound financial principles and honestly seeking God first and His righteousness.

47. 10. Summary, Conclusion & Appeal v) Ellen white and many Bible writers including Jesus provide advice for a successful life. vi) The successful Christian who lives for time and eternity keeps all of God’s commandments, faithfully and honestly brings God’s tithes and offering into God’s storehouse and receives an overflow of God’s blessings. vii) Like Jesus who demonstrated a lifestyle of successful living, we will help others via having the mind of Christ to likewise enjoy successful living for time and eternity.

48. APPEAL (TAKE A STAND WITH ME) Believers: IF it’s your desire by God’s grace to experience successful living, living for time and eternity. Others: • If you have not yet made a decision to be a follower of Jesus, or did so but fell away, but I want to experience living for time and eternity.

49. Thank You The End Contacts: Email: donwal1982@gmail.com Telephone: 371-1910