HOW CAN YOU DETERMINE IF YOUR LIFE WAS WORTHWHILE?

I started thinking weeks ago, wondering what the one thing we should be doing every day? Encouraging each other, yes. Helping people, yes. Serving others, yes. Loving others, yes. Caring about others, yes. Everything we do should be “leading others to Jesus Christ.” But why don’t we? I am sure there are many reasons, but the main reason is not our top priority.

At the end of your life, if you were asked, “How can you determine if your life was worthwhile?” How would you answer that? You come to the end of your life and start reviewing it, and you say, “Did my life count? Did my life make a difference, an impact?”  What are you going to look for? Wealth? Fame? Popularity? Pleasure? Experiences you had in life.

Who are you investing in? Family, friends, people you work with, or people you go to school with. Scripture teaches us to tell others about Jesus Christ. And while sharing the gospel is impressive, it is simply not enough. We should continue to encourage and invest in new believers. Many do not know where to begin reading in the Bible or how to spend time with their heavenly Father.

Of course, God takes each person's spiritual journey seriously, and He will not leave a seeking heart unsatisfied. At the same time, we have a responsibility to invest in the lives of spiritual brothers and sisters by sharing our understanding and experience. We do this every day at Carolinas Cornerstone, through Life Groups!

This type of teaching is called discipleship, and it is both an honor and a great responsibility. As you commence this type of relationship, consider the following points:

• Make sure to continually spend time with the Lord so that you are growing and in tune with His Spirit.  
• Be prepared with a plan. Your friend needs to understand the basics, such as how to read the Bible, what prayer is, and where to find fellowship. New believers will have questions;--answers are important, as is your ability to find resources when you are unsure of how to reply.
• Help the individual understand generally what to expect as he embarks on his Christian walk.

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

In Mark 10, we meet a man known as the Rich Young Ruler. He is a good man, a religious man, and he recognizes something unique in Jesus. He humbles himself and asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. That is not a typical question for a wealthy young person; his heart is bent toward God. He tells Jesus he has kept the commandments, and Jesus says, “Then you are only lacking one thing. You need to sell your things and follow me.” It is the same invitation that Peter, James, and John received. But the young man went away saddened because he was wealthy and thought the invitation was too costly. Did Jesus need his wealth? No. He was giving him an invitation to a life far beyond what his earthly riches could provide. The man was thoroughly invested in time and had a small imagination of eternity.

Think about it this way:, what you do now on earth will impact you for all eternity. Where are you sowing your seeds? Where, what, and who are you investing in? There are people on their way to hell right now, and as servants of Christ, it is our job to do all we can to reach them. They are our investment. Witnessing to the lost with our lives, as well as our words, is how we will truly build up rewards in heaven. 

For people in your life, you may be the only Jesus they ever see. In other words, our obedience to Christ’s call to reach them may be the only thing that can bring them to Him. What they do once we reach them is up to them. Do not assume you know how they will react to Christ’s call on their life. Instead, ask yourself if you are remaining obedient to Christ’s call in yours.

Most of us learned, struggled, and learned some more before we began to understand the basics of life in Christ. Godly mentors can be a tremendous help. And remember, no matter how long we have believed, we never stop needing advice and encouragement from those farther along in the journey.

How are we investing our: 

• Energy
• Time
• Emotions – in our relationships
• Resources
• Name – our reputation
• Intellect
• Talents
• Your Soul

In John’s gospel, you see an amazingly simple yet profound practice that Jesus employs in order that his mission will continue after his death and resurrection: the practice of invitation. In John 1:35-51, Jesus first invested in people; He extended the invitation to Andrew, Peter, and Phillip by simply calling them to “Come and See” and “Follow Me”.  Although these would-be disciples have no idea what is in store for them, they drop what they are doing and begin the journey of learning from Jesus.

If your aim is to make disciples, this practice is essential for you as well. I believe the simple and intentional practice of extending an invitation to another person to teach them the truth of Christ and model for them a life in Christ is what is often missing in our attempts to make disciples.

Who are you investing in? Who’s lives are you making a difference in?   

Make Every Day Count!

Pastor Barry Yates

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