Pastor Tony Ashmore continues the series "Reel Life" with the movie "Evan Almighty" in this Sunday service.
Reel Life Part 2
Pastor Tony Ashmore
Sunday, July 11, 2010
www.churchatmirrorlake.com
Sermon Notes:
Evan Almighty
1 Samuel 15:22 “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”
Big Idea:
Obedience is the key to unlock God’s dreams in your life and many times obedience precedes understanding. Sometimes it just doesn’t make sense to our logic or the world’s systems.
Significant Quote from movie: “You want to change the world. So do I.” (God speaking)
Point: You want your life to be significant. You want the world to be better because you are here. Wouldn’t it be smarter to partner with God in His plans for you?
3 Ideas to Take Away from the Movie:
1. Evan was a good man, living a good life. He wasn’t a despicable character. But his life was not accomplishing what it could be. Doing good things does not provide fulfillment. Doing God things does.
Example: Naaman—a good man, admired by many, but it took obeying what didn’t make sense for him to find wholeness and life.
2 Kings 5:9-14 - So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” 11 But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! 12 Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” 14 So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child’s, and he was healed!”
2. When we live a life of obedience, when we truly hang around with God, we are noticeably different.
Example: Jacob wrestling with God. From then on he walked differently.
Deuteronomy 4:5-7 “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him?”
3. Our choice to live a life of obedience will not only benefit us, but those in our circle of influence, and ultimately the world around us.
Example: Abram, who became Abraham.
Genesis 22:18 “And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”
Final Thought:
Romans 4:13-16 “Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless…So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift…”
Our salvation is not a result of obedience. It is a gift we receive, not because we obeyed but because we believe Him who promised it. Our eternal security is a gift. Our obedience will effect our influence, our effectiveness for the Kingdom, and how much of the God-kind of life we live here on this planet.
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