The Missing Piece in Your Life Story

So what makes your story meaningful? This generation seems to be looking in some of the same places as our forefathers in the 1960's - as in 'if-we-all-just-get-along-and-don't-contribute-to-global-warming'... people will then listen to my story.

I hate to break bad news to you, but that dog won't hunt. From one perspective, you're just one of 6,602,224,175 people on this planet. In a few years you won't see 98% of the people from your school who currently make such a difference in your life. In ten years you'll be just another link in the American work force chain. In 100 years you'll be gone, and in 200 years no one will even remember your name.

How's that for happy thoughts?!?

Again, I said from one perspective...but there is another. This perspective is one that doesn't even ask if anybody is going to listen to your story, because it knows that Someone already is - and that makes all the difference in the world. That Someone is Jesus Christ, and here is the way he describes this perspective:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

Jesus is pointing out two things here. The 'thief' He refers to is Satan - and his goal is to 'steal, kill, and destroy.' How? By convincing you that nobody is going to listen to your story, so it's OK to follow the world's way of filling the hours with sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll.

Or maybe these days it's more like friends with benefits and social networking. Either way, it's an express lane to a meaningless life. That's why Jesus offers a better way. He offers life - and not only in an eternal sense in heaven, but in a 'full' sense here on earth right now.

The word for 'life' here means 'real life' - as in authentic and genuine. The word for 'full' that Jesus uses means 'above and beyond' - as in beyond what you'd expect.

So in other words, Jesus is saying you have two choices with your story. One is to be fooled by Satan the thief and to listen to the world's way of doing things. Do that, and you'll end up like a lot of 60's era folks - burned out and forgotten.

The other is to realize that Jesus Christ is already listening, so you can serve Him and live life above and beyond anything you could imagine. Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, the soundtrack of your life will be a melodic collage of love, meaning, purpose, value, authenticity, contentment, and other tracks you never thought possible.

Join us this week as we discuss how we can all be sure that the story of our life isn't missing the most critical, eternal piece.

See you at The Refuge!

Special thanks to Dare 2 Share Ministries for resource material used in this week's lesson.