by Lakepointe Church on Apr 01, 2024
Today, I shared a message about the pursuit of meaning and significance in life, and how it often leads us down a path of endless striving, much like riding a stationary bike. We pedal hard, chasing after various things—wealth, success, relationships, appearance—hoping they will fulfill us. Yet, like Solomon, who had all the wisdom and wealth one could desire, we find that these pursuits are like "chasing after the wind" (Ecclesiastes 1:17). They offer no lasting satisfaction.
I recounted the story of Solomon, who started his life with a God-given purpose but lost his way, consumed by his own desires. His book of Ecclesiastes reflects on the emptiness of life without God. Similarly, I shared about the Samaritan woman at the well, who sought fulfillment in relationships, only to find true purpose when she encountered Jesus (John 4). Jesus offered her "living water," a life of eternal significance that only He can provide.
I emphasized that we are all God's masterpieces, created for a purpose that can only be found in Him. We are valuable not because of what we have or do, but because of who we are in Christ. Our worth was demonstrated on the cross, where Jesus paid the ultimate price with His life, showing us that we are loved beyond measure.
The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. It is the hope we celebrate on Easter, the assurance that life is not an endless cycle of striving. In Him, we find the true meaning and significance we've been searching for. It's time to get off the stationary bike of life and embrace the new life that Jesus offers.
Key Takeaways:
- The pursuit of meaning in life is a universal experience, but without Christ, it is like riding a stationary bike—full of motion but leading nowhere. True purpose is not found in the things of this world but in the One who created it. [40:10
- We are all masterpieces in the eyes of God, created with intrinsic value and purpose. This understanding should transform how we see ourselves and others, moving us from a self-centered existence to one that seeks to fulfill God's original design for our lives. [01:03:29
- The story of the Samaritan woman reminds us that no earthly relationship or pursuit can quench the deep thirst within our souls. Only Jesus, the living water, can offer the eternal satisfaction and purpose we long for. [52:45
- Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of our worth to God. He gave His life not just to save us from sin but to restore us to our intended glory as His beloved creation. This act of love invites us to find our identity and worth in Him alone. [01:07:15
- The resurrection is not just a historical event; it is the cornerstone of our faith and the source of our hope. Because Jesus conquered death, we too can experience new life and freedom from the endless cycle of searching for meaning in things that cannot satisfy. [01:00:02
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. **Ecclesiastes 1:17** - "And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind."
2. **John 4:13-14** - "Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"
3. **Ephesians 2:10** - "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Solomon describe as "chasing after the wind" in Ecclesiastes 1:17? How does this relate to the sermon’s analogy of riding a stationary bike? [45:12]
2. In John 4:13-14, what does Jesus offer the Samaritan woman at the well, and how does it contrast with what she was seeking? [52:45]
3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what are we described as, and what purpose does this description serve in our lives? [01:02:48]
4. How did Solomon’s life change from the beginning to the end, and what did he ultimately conclude about his pursuits? [44:05]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Solomon refer to his pursuits as "chasing after the wind"? What does this metaphor suggest about the nature of human endeavors without God? [45:12]
2. How does Jesus’ offer of "living water" to the Samaritan woman redefine her understanding of fulfillment and purpose? What does this imply about the sources of true satisfaction? [52:45]
3. What does it mean to be God’s masterpiece according to Ephesians 2:10? How should this understanding affect our self-worth and actions? [01:02:48]
4. How does the resurrection of Jesus provide hope and change the cycle of endless striving described in the sermon? [01:00:02]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life. Are there areas where you feel like you are "chasing after the wind"? How can you shift your focus to find true purpose in Christ? [45:12]
2. Jesus offered the Samaritan woman "living water" that leads to eternal life. What are some practical steps you can take to seek fulfillment in Jesus rather than in temporary things? [52:45]
3. Knowing that you are God’s masterpiece, how can this truth change the way you view yourself and others? What specific actions can you take this week to live out this identity? [01:02:48]
4. The sermon mentioned that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross demonstrates our worth to God. How can you remind yourself daily of this truth, especially when you feel unworthy or unloved? [01:07:15]
5. The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith. How does this event influence your daily life and decisions? What changes can you make to live more fully in the hope of the resurrection? [01:00:02]
6. Think about a time when you were striving for success, wealth, or relationships to find meaning. How did that experience compare to finding purpose in Christ? What lessons did you learn? [48:14]
7. Identify one area in your life where you need to "get off the stationary bike" and embrace the new life Jesus offers. What specific steps will you take this week to make that change? [40:10]
Day 1: Discovering True Purpose Beyond the World
The pursuit of meaning is a quest that occupies many hearts and minds, yet it often leads to a sense of futility when anchored in worldly achievements. The truth is, the world offers a myriad of paths that promise fulfillment, from the accumulation of wealth to the pursuit of success and relationships. However, these are transient and ultimately unsatisfying, as they are akin to "chasing after the wind." The real journey to purpose begins when one turns away from these worldly pursuits and seeks a relationship with Christ. It is in Him that one finds a purpose that is enduring and deeply fulfilling, for it is rooted in the eternal rather than the temporal. This shift in focus from the finite to the infinite transforms the quest for meaning from a fruitless cycle to a journey of genuine discovery and growth. [40:10]
"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:7-8a ESV)
Reflection: What worldly pursuit have you mistaken for your ultimate purpose, and how can you begin to shift your focus towards finding your true purpose in Christ today?
Day 2: Recognizing Our Divine Craftsmanship
Every individual is a unique creation, a masterpiece crafted by the divine hand of God. This understanding is transformative, as it shifts one's perspective from seeking value in personal achievements or societal standards to recognizing the intrinsic worth bestowed by the Creator. As masterpieces, individuals are not defined by what they possess or accomplish but by their identity in Christ. This realization calls for a life lived with intention, one that seeks to align with God's original design and purpose. It is a life that looks beyond the self to the broader canvas of creation, where each stroke, each color, each form has its place and significance. Embracing this truth leads to a life of purpose, service, and fulfillment. [01:03:29]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
Reflection: How does recognizing yourself as God's masterpiece change the way you view your worth and the worth of others around you?
Day 3: Quenching Our Thirst with Living Water
The human soul has an innate thirst for something greater, a deep longing that cannot be quenched by any earthly source. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well illustrates this profound truth. She sought fulfillment in relationships, yet it was only in her encounter with Jesus that she found the "living water" she truly needed. This living water—Jesus Himself—offers eternal satisfaction and purpose, fulfilling the deepest desires of the heart. It is an invitation to step away from the wells of temporary pleasure and drink deeply from the source of everlasting life. Only through Christ can the soul find its true rest and contentment. [52:45]
"Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (John 4:13-14 ESV)
Reflection: What are the "wells" you have been going to in search of fulfillment, and how can you start drawing from the "living water" that Jesus offers?
Day 4: Valued Beyond Measure by the Cross
The cross stands as the ultimate testament to human worth in the eyes of God. Jesus' sacrifice was not merely a historical event but a personal demonstration of love and value. It is a profound reminder that worth is not earned by deeds or status but is inherent because of the price Jesus paid. This act of love invites individuals to find their identity and worth in Him alone, liberating them from the endless quest for validation through worldly means. In embracing the cross, one finds a new identity as a beloved child of God, restored to the intended glory of His creation. [01:07:15]
"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 ESV)
Reflection: How does the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross shape your understanding of your own worth and the way you live out your identity as a child of God?
Day 5: Embracing Resurrection as the Source of Hope
The resurrection of Jesus is more than a historical event; it is the cornerstone of faith and the wellspring of hope. It signifies the triumph over death and the promise of new life for all who believe. This transformative power frees individuals from the endless cycle of searching for meaning in things that cannot satisfy. In the resurrection, there is an assurance of a life that transcends the temporal—a life marked by freedom, joy, and the fulfillment of God's promises. It is an invitation to step into a new existence, one that is defined by the eternal victory of Christ. [01:00:02]
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God." (Colossians 3:1 ESV)
Reflection: How does the reality of the resurrection influence your daily life, and what steps can you take to live in the freedom and hope it provides?
**Praise**
Oh, you may be seated. Let's just continue in prayer. God, may we not lose that Spirit from you today. Would we trust you and follow you deeper today? Our Living Hope, amen.
Well, welcome! We are so glad that you're here today. You know, I mentioned those connection cards earlier. If you didn't hear, it's honestly the best way that we know how to stay in touch with you. Also, if there's any way that we can be praying for you, we would be honored, and we would love the opportunity to do that. We take it very seriously here because we believe that God listens to every prayer, every whisper that He hears, and He has something for you today. We believe that.
So, this being the final of our third services, we've just seen God move in so many incredible ways. I didn't get the last service, but how many in the last service? So, about eight people have given their lives to Jesus during this time. Isn't that wonderful, church? Is that just so good? We're going to need to start serving espresso, man, the 11 o'clock. Man, we're going to be okay. Actually, we should start serving espresso. Can I put that request in? What's the paperwork?
Oh, today you are going to be encouraged and blessed by what our pastor has to say as we spend about the next hour together. But if you check out those programs again, we see that there are so many different opportunities for you to serve and for you to be blessed and loved on and have a part of it. And I would love to pray for you right now before we get to hear the preaching of the Word of God.
God, we trust you. We know that you have something wonderful for every person here today. We ask you, Lord, that they would be encouraged and closer to you. And we ask you, God, that truly every person here would just know how much you truly love them, so much that you died for us all. So, God, speak to us now. Be with our pastor. Fill him with passion and with truth, and help us to hear your Word with open ears. It's in the name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Hey, good morning! We're so glad that you're here. Happy Easter! Happy Easter! Hey, have you all been blessed by the worship and Pastor Tim and the team? This is the third service, and I'm telling you, every service, you know, from last night and earlier this morning, they just brought their game. And I believe they saved the best for last. I'm serious, that was amazing.
And so, thank you for all the hard work from our team just the past several weeks getting ready for today. And man, what a gift! I hope that you have just been able to take that all in and enjoy the worship. My name is Pastor Scott, and I'm just so glad to have you here.
And listen, I just want to say thank you. You probably passed a dozen churches on your way from your house to here, and we're honored that you chose to worship with us and to celebrate Easter, you know, to be here with us this morning. And so, thank you for being here. Some of you, this is your first time, and I'm getting to meet some of you as you came in. And again, I hope, I sincerely hope that you will stop by after the service. You make a point to come by and see me. I love to meet you, give you a free gift, and just thank you for being here.
Next Sunday, we have two services, you know, like always at 9:15 and 11:00 on Sunday morning. And I'm going to be starting a brand new master series on the fruit of the Spirit. And here's what I was thinking: I was thinking, you know, the fruit of the Spirit, spring, it's like a spring kind of idea. And I thought, man, it'll be great. It's not spring yet. I mean, it's supposed to be spring, you know, but you know, we're going to get there, right? So, we're going to will it. We're going to will it with this series. We're going to get spring.
But man, it could be the fruit of the Spirit. So, next Sunday, you got to be here, and we're going to start that new series. I hope you'll be a part of our services in the next several weeks. But again, we're just glad that you're here.
And today, I want to kick off this message with a story. You know, for many of you, if you don't know, I grew up here, not far from here. And I moved to Florida, and when I moved to Florida, I moved in the Panhandle of Florida in a town called Pensacola.
And the best way to describe the area, oftentimes people, when they ask me where I lived at the time, I would tell people that I lived in La. People say, "Oh, Los Angeles?" I said, "No, lower Alabama." The Panhandle was known as the redneck area. It's redneck everywhere in the Panhandle, and Pensacola was the capital city of all the rednecks everywhere.
And so, this is where God had placed me in ministry for quite some time in Pensacola. And I thought, you know, being this yankee boy, I need to figure out a way to minister to rednecks, so I have to try to be a redneck. And I'm serious, I went through the school of redneck, you know, my own personal school, and I learned how to say the word "y'all." You know, say, "Hey, y'all, how you doing?" And I said that everywhere. I mean, I was trying to fit in the redneck world, y'all.
And when I moved back here, I kept saying that. You know, I had to get it out of my system because people gave me the weirdest look. "Who are you, and why are you saying y'all?" You know, but down here, hey, I was working it. If there was somebody that was really dumb, I wouldn't say, "What a dummy." You know, a redneck would say, "Bless your heart." And I would just say, "Bless your heart." You know, you do it with a smile on your face, and in the back of my mind, I said, "What an idiot." But I didn't say it, right? Not going to say that. We just bless your heart, you know.
And I was invited to go out to lunch by a fellow redneck down in Pensacola. He said, "Hey, can I take you out to lunch?" I said, "Yeah, let's go out to lunch." And he said, "Where do you want to go?" And I'm thinking Applebee's, you know, Chili's, Five Guys. And he said, "I want to take you out to lunch at the Groovin' N." The Groovin' N? Wait a minute, isn't that a gas station? Yeah, it's the best food in town. Are you serious? I said, "Yes, we're going to meet at the Groovin' N."
We go to the Groovin' N, which is a gas station, but in the back of the gas station, they have a little walk-up, and they have all the soup and fried cooking food that they have there. And they have about maybe three booths, and we had lunch at the Groovin' N. And it was so good that I said, "Man, if I'm going to be a redneck, I need to make this a regular habit." So, every week, I ate at a gas station. Best food around. Best food around. It's still there, Groovin' N.
You know, it's funny to me because Bies, how many of you have been to Bies? Okay, Bies, you know, they tried to carry on this idea. If you want to go to Bies, you're going to get that redneck flavor. I mean, you know, the only problem with Bies is that they promote themselves. They promote that they have the cleanest bathroom, and rednecks, you know, they don't care about bathrooms. Okay? I mean, so, you know, they got to, you know, there's no clean bathrooms in the South. Okay? I mean, just all disgusting, not the redneck way.
Okay, all right. But, you know, so that's the thing. So, I'm trying to be a redneck, and then to really get baptized, to be baptized by the redneck world, you have to go to a race car track. You've got to go and immerse yourself into the race car world. And I thought, man, if I'm going to be a redneck, because everybody down there roots for a NASCAR driver. Everybody, you know, everybody's got a t-shirt with their favorite race car driver. You know, I mean, it's this whole thing.
And so, I'm trying to figure out, okay, if I'm going to, I gotta buy me a t-shirt. I got to have a guy. So, first of all, I looked for a guy that had a winning record because I'm a winner, right? I want to be a winner. I want to find a guy, you know. So, I looked around, and there were a couple of guys, and I found a guy named Mark Martin. You know, Mark Martin was, you know, the reason why I picked him is because he drove a Ford, and my dad, my grandfather, and my great-great-grandfather, I mean, they all worked at Ford. I got to stay in the family, right? And I got Ford man Mark Martin, and he was my guy.
All right, now, the minute I picked him, he never won another race. I mean, it was bad. And about three years later, he retired. But, you know, that was my guy. I was rooting for Mark Martin, you know, and everybody would be like, "Who's the guy?" I said, "Mark Martin's my man." "Oh man, he's good." I know, but he never won.
And so, but anyway, there was a racetrack in Pensacola, and it was one of those that almost became, you know, a NASCAR circuit, one of those major racetracks, but it got beat out by a racetrack in Alabama called Talladega. But there was still a racetrack there. It was like a AAA of NASCAR driving, and they have a real big race every year in December called the Snowball Derby. And it's huge. It's a big deal. R everywhere come to this race, and I got a free ticket. Someone said, "Hey, you got to go to the Snowball Derby." I said, "Oh, I'll go." You know, I mean, I need to become an official redneck. I got to go.
And so, I'm all hyped up. I got my Mark Martin shirt on, you know. I go, and there's rednecks everywhere. I mean, I was like, "Whoa!" You know, this is crazy. I get in there, and this Snowball Derby, this racetrack is 300 laps. It's a half-mile lap. Each lap is half a mile, so you know, 150 miles. And it's a real short track, you know, compared to, you know, some of the bigger tracks. It's a short track.
And I'm really into it. My first race, and I'm sitting there. People are so excited, and I'm trying to get excited too. And they shoot the gun, the green light happens, and race cars start racing. And for two and a half hours, this is what we're doing. I'm like, "What am I doing here?" I mean, they're just nonstop. There's no breaks.
And then, after a while, the first place starts passing the last place, and I'm like, "Who's in first? Who's in last?" And it sounds like a comedy bit, and I just was so confused. And at the end, about the 40th to 50th lap, I'm like, "There's enough 250 laps of these things." And I started checking out because it got old really, really fast, going around and around and around. I didn't even know who was chasing who.
And I began to think about this week, and I think about so many people in our world. This is where we're living. We're living life. We're just going around and around and around. By the way, that was my last race I've ever been to. I determined from there on I was not a redneck. This is where we're at, going in circles. You're wondering why I brought a bike up here. Is it sometime in life, it's like a stationary bike. We're just kind of going through the motion.
You know, we get on here. Don't y'all mind if I do a little workout while I preach? Burning some calories, you know. People thought, "Man, oh, somebody played a joke on me. You tighten this up." Come on now. All right, I don't know who that was. Haha, show on you.
So many people just living on a stationary bike, going through the motion, like going nowhere. It might be good for a 30-minute exercise, but this is where some of you, this is where you live. An endless pursuit, going around and around and around, chasing after something with someone that could give you purpose, dignity, significance, worth in your life. Because the day you were born, you were born with this hunger. You were born with that hunger to pursue meaning and purpose.
And sin came into the world and messed the whole thing up. We're born sinners. We were born broken. We were born with a flaw, and we're trying to find a way to restore what is broken, right? We're looking for that thing, and we're just going through the motion. So many people just going through the round and around and around the track with no end in sight.
And sometimes we pedal extra hard, saying, "Man, if I pedal harder, I'll get somewhere. I'll get to where I'm supposed to be." I'm in that worth and that value. We work and we work, and we go and we go, and we're adopted because we get something, and it might bring some satisfaction for the moment, but then it's not enough.
There's a guy in the Bible in the Old Testament, the wisest man of all time. His name is Solomon. He was the king. He was the son of King David. One day, he asked God for wisdom. God gave him wisdom. He wrote the Book of Proverbs, full of practical truth principles. Great God would bless him. He wrote the Book of Song of Solomon, the book on love.
And then his life went sideways. He forgot the purpose and meaning and where it came from and started pursuing his own things. He got on a stationary bike. The Bible said that he had 700 wives. Whoa! 700! And on top of that, 300 concubines or mistresses. I mean, the guy was, I don't know what he was looking for, but he was paddling. He was trying to find satisfaction. He was trying to find purpose and meaning and value and worth.
And you know, he had the whole world, and that wasn't enough. It's interesting that Solomon wrote a third book called Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is the end of his life, and it was like he went through the dip, right? Where he went through this life, he started well, doing what God wanted him to do, and then he got away, got away from what God wanted to do, did his own thing. He thought he could outperform God and out-pursue God and realized that it's an endless pursuit.
And so, now he's at the end of his life, and he writes the Book of Ecclesiastes. I like to call the Book of Ecclesiastes the book of regret. He's looking at the mirror of his life and just looking back, and over and over and over again, we see that he talks about how he just missed it. He said, "Man, I missed it. I was here, and then I went and did my thing. I started pursuing things."
I started using the phrase, "I started chasing after the wind." He said, "You could chase after the wind and chase after the wind, and you're never going to catch it. You're just going through the motions of life. You're not going to get there."
It's interesting, a couple of these verses he said in Ecclesiastes chapter 1:17. This is him, this is Solomon looking back. He said, "I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly, but I learned first-hand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind."
He said in chapter 2, same thing. He said, "As I look and examine everything that I've worked so hard to accomplish, it was also meaningless, like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere. Nothing worth it. I'm just not finding my worth in this life."
Chasing the wind. I was hoping to find more worth and more dignity and more significance. It was just like chasing the wind. How about you? What are you chasing after?
If you're taking notes, you like to take notes here at L Point. Got notes, hand out notes in your program. Maybe some of you are chasing after appearance. By the way, it's not a wrong thing to have a healthy lifestyle, but some of you, this is your pursuit, and you're not satisfied until you get the perfect body.
Here's the thing: you'll get there, but it won't last. You got one thing going against you: you got the thing called age. It's going against you. Here's another thing that's going against you: it's called gravity and wrinkles. You can't stop it.
And so, if you're looking for dignity and worth in your appearance, it's fleeting. Some of you, you're chasing after wealth. Again, nothing wrong with money. You need money for food on the table and a roof over your head. But if you're only looking for the almighty dollar to give you satisfaction, if you're looking at money as a scorecard in life, then you're never going to get that satisfaction you're looking for with the endless pursuit.
You're going to go around and around and around. It's just going to be going through the motions. It's true when they say, "More money, more problems." It's interesting to me, you think about some of the richest people in the world: Elon Musk, Bill Gates. They're always driving to be number one. They get there, and they can't stay there. It's never enough.
Some of us, we're chasing after success. You're not satisfied. You don't find dignity, your dignity and your worth and significance until you get the corner office, until you make the team, until you become the captain, right? And then you get there, and then it's not enough. You're like, "Okay, I made it here. Great." It's satisfied for a short little bit, and then you're hungry, you're thirsty again.
Some of you, you're chasing after relationships. You hope one day, you know, you hope to find the perfect man and the perfect wife. If you're single, that's what you're looking for. News flash: good, no such thing as a perfect man or a perfect wife.
I tell singles when I was a singles pastor in Florida, just, "Hey, Pastor Scott, I'm looking for a low-maintenance woman." No, that thing, marriage is high maintenance, right? Let's be honest. I mean, I tried to tell Karen before she married me, I said, "Karen, I'm a mess. You know, I can't hear. I smell. I mean, you don't want to marry this. Are you sure?" She said, "No, you're perfect." I don't know about that. I tried to get her off the hook, and she married me, and you know, no regrets, right? All right, there we go.
You know, one day she was talking about the mistakes and failures and just feeling real down, and I just told Karen, I said, "Karen, here's what you need to do. You just got to embrace your mistakes." She said, "Okay." She gave me a hug. Not true, okay?
But we end this pursuit thinking, "Man, meaning and worth can be in relationships." And at the end of the day, it falls short with chasing after worth. You know, there was a man named Jesus 2,000 years ago. He showed up and said, "I've got a solution." And that solution is me. I am the hope that you're looking for. I'm the purpose that you're looking for. Only Him and Him alone can bring the meaning and significance and purpose that you're seeking.
It's interesting to me that in John chapter 4, there was a, Jesus was walking through Samaria, and He stopped at a well. And He's with the disciples. The disciples are hungry, so they leave Jesus alone. They go to town to, you know, to go through a McDonald's drive-thru, and they're doing everything. Jesus is hanging out by Himself.
And while He's hanging there, there's a woman, a Samaritan woman, that showed up. And a couple of things in that culture in that time period: men and women didn't talk to each other unless they knew each other. But then, number two, Jesus was a Jew, and this woman was a Samaritan, and the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. They were like water and oil.
So, she approached the well. She sees Jesus. She tried to avoid making eye contact, and Jesus speaks. She said, "Hey, I'm thirsty. Can you give me something to drink?" She's shocked. I said, "Wait a minute, why are you talking to me?" This is so countercultural.
And He starts having a conversation about life. Come to find out that this woman had been chasing relationships for meaning and purpose. Jesus said, "You've had five husbands, and now you're living with a guy." And her eyes are just wide open. She said, "How do you know?"
Jesus said, "I am the Messiah. I am the one that can give you significance and purpose in life." And it said in John 4:13, He said, "Everyone who drinks this water," He pointed to the well, "will be thirsty again." But it said in verse 14, "But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
And this woman, who's like, "Wow, I want this." He said in verse 15, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty, so that I can get off this stationary bike, so that I don't have to keep coming back to this anymore. Give me that water."
The Bible said that she received the water of life, that she recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and it changed her life. It impacted her so much that the Bible said that she ran into town and told everybody, "You've got to come see a man who changed me for eternity. He is the one that I've been looking for. He gave me dignity and worth and significance."
And at night, this empty life, this stationary bike that I've been on for so long. It's interesting, Jesus, in a couple chapters later, John chapter 6, verse 51, He talked about Himself being a living bread. He said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
And Jesus lived for 33 years here on earth, a sinless, perfect man. The religious leaders, they hated Him. They couldn't stand the guy because Jesus was messing up the status quo. Why? Because the religious leaders of that day had everybody on a bike, chasing that religion, chasing after rules. You got to do this, do that, because that's what religion is. You got to do this, do that to get closer to God.
And Jesus comes in and says, "Hey, it's not about the rules. It's about a relationship, a relationship with me." And the religious people, the religious leaders, they were like, "Man, you're messing this up because people are following after Jesus, and we're changing their lives."
They started to trump up fake charges, false charges against Him. They had Him beaten and whipped. They spat on Him. They mocked Him. The Bible said that Jesus, you could hardly recognize Him. They put a crown of thorns on His head and blood flowing down from His face. The whipping that He received, 39 whips, the cat of nine tails, with at the end of each whip were nine tails with a sharp metal or a bone or a piece of glass that would rip His body apart. They would do that 39 times. They stopped at 40. It was considered most of them wouldn't survive the 40th whip.
The Bible said He laid down His life. You know what? With one word, He could have called angels down, could have had all that, but He willingly laid His life down. They nailed Him to the cross, and He hung there for hours for the whole world to see. He said these two words on the cross. It's interesting. He said these two words. There were several things He said. Two words I want to highlight. He said the words, "I thirst."
And I get to think about that. I mean, "I thirst." He was giving up His satisfaction on that cross so that you can be most satisfied in Him and through Him. The old goes like this: "I thirst," yet He made the rivers. "I thirst," yet He made the thorns. "I thirst," said the King of the ages in His great thirst. He brought water to me. For this water, our Lord had to die.
He died. The body of Jesus, lifeless. He didn't fall asleep. He wasn't in a coma. He died. They took the limp body of Jesus down from that cross, and they put Him in the tomb. They rolled the tomb doors, they sealed it, covered it up. And three days later, some ladies showed up at the tomb to mourn, to grieve. When they showed up, they noticed that the tomb doors had been opened.
And they walked in the tomb. They walked in the grave, and nobody was dissecting. Nobody had no body. It was empty. Of course, the ladies were confused. They were like, "What happened to our Lord? Who took the body away?" They stepped outside the grave. They stepped outside the tomb, and there were angels sitting at the tomb doors and said, "Hey, hey, hey, don't be afraid. He is not here, for He is risen. He is alive!"
A dead man, a dead man came back to life just as He said He would. Listen, if a dead man comes back from the grave without medicine, without, you know, without, I mean, He's been dead. He's been dead for three days. And if a dead man comes out of the grave and He has something to say, listen, I'm all ears because whatever He says, He's got my attention.
He said He was going to come back from the grave, and He did. And only He, because of what He did on the cross and because He rose again, only He can give you the purpose and the significance of life that you've been seeking.
And maybe you're here today. This is where you're at. You've been paddling and paddling for so long. My friend, it's time for you to hit the stop button and say, "God, I give up. I've been paddling looking for worth, meaning, and purpose."
Today, I recognize that You and You alone can offer that. I'm going to give you two thoughts if you're taking notes. Number one, if that's where you're at, you got to realize that you are a masterpiece. Oh man, you are a masterpiece. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2 that we are God's masterpiece. He created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do good things that He planned for us long ago.
We are His masterpiece. You're a wonderful kind. You are valuable. You are a Picasso, a Monet. You were made by Him. You were made for Him. That's who you are. And if you're here today and say, "I don't know about a masterpiece," it's because you've got to stop seeing the way you see yourself.
You got to stop seeing the way that other people see you, and it's time for you this morning to start seeing the way God sees you. Here's how God sees you: For God so loved the world. God so loved you. You can put that word in. You can put your name right there. For God so loved Scott Blanchard. For God so loved Karen. For God so loved Shelly. For God so loved Brad. For God so loved you. You're a masterpiece.
You said, "Well, I got broken." Well, we're broken because of sin, but you still matter to God. And only God can take what is broken and restore it to its original masterpiece. You are a masterpiece. Get that in your mind. Your dignity is found in no one else but Him and Him alone.
Here's the second thing that matters: you're bought with a price. You are bought. See, some of you here today, you're like, "Man, God, I am a no count. I'm unloved. I'm unworthy. No one cares about me."
My friend, you're wrong because you're bought with a price. For God so loved the world, He didn't just say He loved you. He showed it because He said that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life. He loves you so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for you.
I love it. Romans chapter 5:8, "But God demonstrates His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, that while we were running this dictionary by pursuing this, pursuing that, Christ died for you."
First Peter chapter 1, it said this: "For you know that God paid a price, a ransom, a ransom to free you, to save you from this empty life, the empty life that you inherited from your ancestors, your parents, your grandparents, great-grandparents. You go all the way back to the first man, Adam. You've inherited an empty life because of sin. He paid a ransom, a price for the empty life that you're living, and He said it's not paid with gold and silver. There's not enough gold and silver in the world to pay you for this."
This is how He paid for it. Verse number 18, verse 19, "They were defined by the precious, precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." That's how He bought you. No one else wanted to buy you because you're broken. The Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus so that He can pay you outright, so that He can bring you back to its original masterpiece.
And only He can do that. Only He can do that. We are bought with a price. He loves you so much. So, you're valuable. And here's how valuable you are to me: I'll die for you. Three days later, He rose again. We celebrate Easter today because He gives us hope.
See, the resurrection of Jesus, it changes everything. Changes everything. But today, some of you need to trade in your worth for His worth. Some of you this morning, you need to change in the old. And they said, "Where you at?" You make it an old, going around and around and around, tired. Time to change the old for the new. Time to change, make the greatest change of the stationary bike for a Savior.
In just a minute, I'm going to pray. The choir, the worship team can come back. They're going to sing one last song. I want you to contemplate on the words of this song. Perhaps you're already a follower of Christ. You're not living here anymore. If I give you a moment to praise and thank God for what He's done and for the price that He paid, there are going to be some of you looking at a defining moment of your life, a defining moment.
Do I get off the bike and trade it in for a Savior? And after the song, I'm going to come back up. We offer you the invitation to do exactly that. But T by and I close.
God, we thank you today. We thank you that you love us so much, that we are a masterpiece created by God, created for God, and that you give it new meaning and purpose that can only be found in you. God, I pray that maybe there's someone here today in just a few minutes that they will make that decision to make the great change at the cross, the stationary bike, the meaningless life that we've been chasing for a Savior that gives us new purpose, new meaning, and new significance.
God, we thank you for the resurrection. We thank you for the precious blood that was shed. We thank you for the next few minutes. Speak to our hearts. In Jesus' name, I pray, amen. Would you stand and sing with us?
"Here's the thing, you'll get there but it doesn't last. You've got something going against you, it's called age, it's going against you. Here's another thing that's going against you, it's called gravity and wrinkles, you can't stop it. And so if you're looking for dignity and worth in your appearance, it's fleeting." [47:05
"Some of you, you're chasing after wealth... but if you're only looking for the almighty dollar to give you satisfaction, if you're looking at money as a scorecard in life, then you're never going to get that satisfaction you're looking for with the endless pursuit. You're going to go around and around and around, it's just going to be going through the motions." [47:42
"You're a masterpiece. You are valuable. You are a Picasso, a Monet. You were made by Him, you were made for Him. That's who you are. And if you're here today and say, 'I don't know about a masterpiece,' it's because you've got to stop seeing the way you see yourself, you got to stop seeing the way that other people see you, and it's time for you this morning to start seeing the way God sees you." [01:03:29
"For God so loved the world, He didn't just say He loved you, He showed it because He said that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life. He loves you so much that He sent His son Jesus to die on a cross for you." [01:05:52
"Jesus said, 'I am the hope that you're looking for. I'm the purpose that you're looking for.' Only Him and Him alone can bring the meaning and significance and purpose that you're seeking. It's interesting to me that in John chapter 4, there was a woman, a Samaritan woman, that showed up and Jesus said, 'I am the Messiah. I am the one that can give you significance and purpose of life.'" [52:45
"Jesus in a couple chapters later, John chapter 6 verse 51, He talked about Himself being a living bread. He said, 'I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' And Jesus lived for 33 years here on earth, a sinless, perfect man." [54:55
"Going in circles, you're wondering why. I bought a bike up here because sometimes in life, it's like a stationary bike. We're just kind of going through the motion... So many people just living on a stationary bike, going through the motion, like going nowhere. Might be good for a 30-minute exercise, but this is where some of you, this is where you live, in an endless pursuit going around and around and around." [40:10
"He died, they took the limp body of Jesus down from that cross and they put him in the Tomb... three days later some ladies showed up at the tomb... they noticed that the tomb doors had been open... 'He is not here, for He Is Risen, he is alive.' A dead man came back to life just as he said he would." [01:00:02
"Maybe you're here today, this is where you're at, you've been paddling and paddling for so long. My friend, it's time for you to hit the stop button and say, 'God, I give up. I've been paddling looking for worth, meaning, and purpose. Today, I recognize that you and you alone can offer that.'" [01:02:07
"You got to realize that you are a masterpiece. Oh man, you are a masterpiece. Bible says in Ephesians chapter 2, that we are God's Masterpiece, He created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do good things that He planned for us long ago." [01:02:48
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