When I was a teenager, I thought it was funny to say,
“aim low, you’ll never be disappointed.”
I thought it was kind of clever.
Depressing, discouraging and devoid of hope… but clever.
I was more interested in being clever than being courageous.

We might not openly and intentionally think this way, but subconsciously, I wonder whether we’ve settled for aiming low. We’ve let our culture write the story, direct the narrative and set out what is normal.

But to believe we can be saved by grace is to believe in the impossible.
To believe we can have life in Jesus is to believe in miracles.
To believe that we as a church can have impact in this community is to believe in the supernatural.

WORTH NOTHING

In Acts chapter 20 Paul makes the remarkable statement,
“I consider my life worth nothing to me.”

That’s a bold claim, does he mean it?
Is his life worth nothing?

Paul doesn’t think he’s worthless,
He knows his value but he’s not holding on to it.
He’s willing to give it up, give it away for the sake of something even more valuable.

There’s no aiming low there;
similarly, nothing half-hearted or fake.

Paul is compelled and I am too, because
what I see in Jesus is far and beyond what I see in me.
However, the reverse is also true…
what Jesus sees in me is far and beyond what I see in myself.

As a result, each one of us can be courageous and aim high.
If you are gripped by the gospel
and sustained by the Spirit,
then you too can say with confidence, boldness and faith:
“I consider my life worth nothing to me;
my only aim is to finish the race.”

You can listen to whole sermon here, entitled “Compelled.”