Let's Go!

“My life is out of control!” 

Sheri desperately describes how she feels. She goes on to say, “I have everything you would want. A good income, nice home, children, and a good husband. Who could ask for more. But there is this feeling I can’t explain. An emptiness inside.” 

So many people feel that way. 

Your living the “good life” but there is something missing. The journey starts but soon there are curves, rolling hills, and bridges. We are going to look at what is missing and how to have a fulfilled life.

Let’s Go! The Journey starts!

From the very start we can know that God wants us to have what the Bible calls a “rich and satisfying life.”

We are going to take a look at four steps that are needed for a safe journey:

God’s Original Plan for us was to have a smooth ride.

“I (Jesus) came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” John 10:10 CEB. He wants us to have a life that is worthwhile. He has a plan for you and me that is fulfilling. Its not a get rich scheme. You can have all the riches in the world and still have a emptiness.

How do we have this life? Through God’s love for us!

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”  John 3:16 NLT.

Why don’t we experience this type of life?

The bridge is out.

There is a scene in the 1994 movie Speed When the police officer “Jack is notified that the freeway contains a large uncompleted overpass [bridge], but he and Annie [the driver] work together to successfully jump it.” That is the way our life is. Their is a gap in the overpass (bridge). The problem is in real life we can’t make the jump. The Bridge is out!

For all have sinnedⁱ and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3.23 NIV

We were created to have a relationship with God. But something happened - the bridge was washed out. It has caused us to have a headstrong self-willed life. We have chosen to be independent from God and our relationship with Him is broken. This severance is what the Bible calls sin.

For the wages of sin is death… Romans 6.23 NLT

I know that this doesn’t sound good. Sin has generated a tsunami that wiped out the bridge. No matter how hard we try we cannot repair the old bridge. There is only one way we can get across the ravine. So read on and find out how God’s love works.

He built a new bridge

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5.8 NLT

Jesus built a new bridge with His life. He died in our place. I love this verse because it shows me that while I am a sinner He made the provision for my life. He did not wait for me to be perfect.

...Christ died for our sins... He was buried...He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500...1 Corinthians 15. 3-6

Jesus rose from the grave. Because of the resurrection I can now experience a relationship with Him. Now I can participate in God’s love and plan He has for me.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14.6 NLT

The only way is to go across the bridge He built.

The Bridge is finished

There was an event that took place 2000+ years ago. It was not an impressive, awe-inspiring, red ribbon cutting event. Yet it is the most powerful, influential, and life changing event in history. It was Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

If we leave His Death, resurrection, and life in the past treating it as just a historical event we loose out on the life He wants to give us.

We must accept Christ and invite Him in.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1.12 NLT

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.. Ephesians 2.8-9 NIV

He gives each one individually His grace. There is nothing we can do to earn it. “it is a gift.” It doesn’t matter how much you try - it is only through faith you are saved. But they are nothing compared to the grace He gives us.

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3.20 NLT

He gives us a personal invitation to receive Him into our lives.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12.2

You can fill that emptiness inside through Jesus Christ.

How does that “new person” look like?

What is your story? How did you become a “new person”?