AN ATTITUDE OF OPTIMISM (SELECTED VERSES)

SERIES: THE ATTITUDES DISCIPLES REVEAL, PART 7

GCEFC: FEBRUARY 15, 2009

INTRODUCTION

1. As you know, we’re exploring the attitudes that should characterize disciples of Jesus Christ. Attitudes that disciples should reveal because they’re disciples.

2. We’ve looked at 5 attitudes so far. The attitudes of:

a. Humility

b. Thankfulness

c. Wonder

d. Teachability

e. And last Sunday we looked at the attitude of Dependence.

3. Today we’re going to consider the attitude of optimism. Some of you will not be happy about that. That would make you a pessimist.

4. I read a true story the other day about a man named Brian who lives in Provo, Utah.

a. Brian’s day started off with a broken pipe in the apartment above his own, which resulted in his apartment being flooded. I can relate.

b. So the manager of the apartments told him to go out and rent a wet vacuum so the water could be vacuumed up.

c. But when he went out to his car, he discovered that he had a flat tire, so he went back inside to call a friend for help.

d. As he was making the phone call, he was standing in water, which caused an electrical shock. The shock so startled Brian that he ripped the phone from the wall.

e. Just then his neighbor was trying to get into the apartment, but the water had caused the door to swell, so it had to be kicked down.

f. While all of this was going on, Brian’s car was stolen, even with the flat tire. But the car was so low on gas that it had to be abandoned a few blocks away. So Brian had to push the car to a gas station.

g. That same evening, Brian attended a military ceremony at Brigham Young University. He had tossed his bayonet onto the front seat of his car earlier, so when he got into the car, he sat down on the bayonet—requiring several stitches.

h. While gone, wet plaster from Brian’s apartment ceiling fell down on top of his 4 canaries, crushing them all to death.

i. When Brian got home, he slipped on the wet floor and severely injured himself.

j. Brian later said at this point he began to wonder “if God wanted me dead, but kept missing.”

5. We all have our fair share of bad days. And we have many good days too. But regardless of what the percentage of good to bad or bad to good may be—disciples should be characterized by an attitude of optimism. I’ll tell you why in a moment.

6. Optimism is: A disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.

7. Now, one can be a pessimist or an optimist under identical circumstances and conditions. One can be utterly pessimistic in the face of overwhelmingly positive circumstances.

8. Or one can be utterly optimistic in the face of dire circumstances.

9. It seems to me that there are 3 basic ways of approaching events and circumstances characterized by 3 types of people. Let me illustrate it with a picnic.

a. Three people are considering going on a picnic. The first person is an optimist. The optimist says: I’m really looking forward to the picnic today. It’s going to be a great day…sunny, warm, a pleasant breeze, and not a drop of rain. The optimist hasn’t even heard the weather report and doesn’t care. You couldn’t dissuade him anyway.

b. The second person is a pessimist. He’s convinced the day will be horrible. The pessimist says: My picnics are always ruined. It will probably rain today, snow today, be too hot today, or an asteroid will strike the park. The pessimist hasn’t heard the weather report either, but doesn’t care. He already knows the weather will be bad.

c. The third person let’s call a realist. He’s not artificially positive nor is he unjustifiably negative. He’s heard the weather report and it’s favorable, so he’s hopeful and optimistic. If the weather report was unfavorable, he might be less inclined to go on the picnic, but he might go either way.

10. My suggestion is that true disciples of Jesus Christ should have an attitude of optimism. Not as a result of positive thinking seminars. Or reading a lot of self-help books. Or learning how to do upbeat self pep talk.

11. I suggest that disciples have an attitude of optimism because the circumstances are favorable for every true disciple. We’ve heard the weather report and it’s very good.

12. For the next few minutes I’d like to give 6 reasons why every true disciple should have an attitude of optimism. These apply to every true disciple—not just the spiritually elite.

A. OUR ULTIMATE DESTINY

1. The first reason every true disciple of Jesus Christ should have an attitude of optimism is that the question of our ultimate destiny has been settled.

2. There are many important issues in life. Very important matters that matter a lot. But none is more important than our eternal destiny.

3. That’s why Jesus said what does it profit a person if he gain the whole world and yet forfeit his own soul in the process?

4. I read the other day that a Tampa-based treasure-hunting company discovered the wreck of the British ship, Victory, which sank in the English Channel in 1744.

a. It’s estimated that the ship may have been carrying 4 tons of gold coins.

b. Do you know how much 4 tons of gold coins are worth? A measly billion dollars! Bill Gates is worth 58 times that much.

c. And the U.S. government considered a financial stimulus package of nearly $1 trillion. Now that’s real money!

d. But compared to the wealth of the entire world, it’s chump change. It’s to the world’s wealth that Jesus compares the value of our ultimate future. The wealth of the entire world pales by comparison to the worth of an assured eternal destiny.

5. If you’re a true believer in Jesus Christ. If you are a true disciple who has said “yes” to his call to follow. Then you have the assurance as solid as God’s promise that your eternal destiny is settled and secure.

6. And if you’ve never made that commitment, the assurance CAN BE YOURS if you will.

7. Because the eternal destiny of the true disciple is a settled issue—the true disciple should have an attitude of optimism. Our most important and lasting need has been met.

B. THE MOVEMENT CAN NEVER FAIL

1. A second reason we should have an attitude of optimism is because we’re part of a movement that God has promised can never fail.

2. Jesus promised his original disciples and all future disciples that there is nothing that will be able to withstand the progress nor prevent the victory of the church.

3. There may be temporary setbacks, but ultimate victory is assured. Jesus said that not even death will stop the advance of the church. Death has already been defeated forever.

4. And as Jesus met with his disciples for the last time before leaving the earth, he promised that he would be with his disciples in their work until the very end of the age.

5. I don’t know about you, but I like knowing that I’m on the winning side when the battle is still being waged. This gives me an attitude of optimism. It should give you one too.

C. GOD REDEEMS ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE

1. A third reason for an attitude of optimism is that God redeems the good and the bad.

2. ROM 8:28 says: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

3. Literally it says: to the ones who love God He works all things together unto good.

4. Sometimes the things are good and sometimes the things are not good. It doesn’t matter. God works within both good and bad circumstances to accomplish his divine purpose.

5. He does this in the lives of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

6. God’s purpose is for us to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. God’s purpose is our spiritual maturity.

7. When things happen in our lives as disciples, whether good or bad, God will take those things and use them to develop us into the people he desires us to be.

8. This means that no matter what happens in our lives, we can be confident that God will use it to accomplish his good purposes.

9. We don’t need to fight against it. We need to yield to his purpose. That’s what those who are called according to his purpose that love God actually do.

10. Knowing God uses even the bad things in our lives to transform us into his desired image should cause us to have an attitude of optimism.

D. GOD STANDS READY TO FORGIVE

1. The fourth reason disciples should be optimistic is that God stands ready to forgive.

2. Even when we fail, God stands ready to forgive us, heal us, encourage us, and equip us for tomorrow—no matter how many times we’ve failed before.

3. All it requires is recognition that we’ve failed and admission that we’ve failed.

4. Two of the most encouraging verses in the Bible are in 1 JN 1. There it says: If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

5. These verses reveal 2 very important truths. First, that sin is inevitable, no matter how hard we fight against. As if I needed to tell you that.

6. And second, even though sin is not only possible but inevitable, we have an advocate when we do sin. And the advocate is the very one we have sinned against!

7. But God is not a wimp. He’s JUST when he forgives us—not sentimental. He forgives us because he’s paid the price for our sin already. We only need to profess and confess.

E. WE’RE SURROUNDED BE FELLOW TRAVELERS

1. The fifth reason I suggest for an attitude of optimism is that we’re surrounded by fellow travelers on the journey.

2. As true disciples, we’re surrounded by fellow travelers, and inspired by those who have traveled before us.

3. That’s why the second element of our mission statement is about community. We grow better and deeper when part of a community that’s traveling the same way we are.

4. None of us is as strong as all of us. That’s why Solomon said: Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

5. We learn from each other, we’re held accountable by each other, we’re encouraged by each other, and we should be motivated by each other.

6. Knowing I’m not making the journey alone helps me make the journey.

F. A SOURCE OF TRUTH

1. The last reason I mention this morning, though more reasons could be cited, is that we have a source of truth by which to live.

2. We have a reliable, trustworthy, and practical source of spiritual truth to which we can anchor our lives.

3. We don’t have to speculate about what God has said—he’s revealed it to us in his Word.

4. 2 TIM 3:16 says: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

5. The Word of God is useful for teaching—that is, what IS RIGHT. It’s useful for rebuking—that is, what’s NOT RIGHT. It’s useful for correcting—how to GET RIGHT. And it’s useful for training in righteousness—that is, how to STAY RIGHT.

CONCLUSION

1. So there we have 6 reasons why as true disciples we should have an attitude of optimism.

a. Our eternal destiny is a settled matter.

b. We are part of a movement that can never fail.

c. No matter what happens, good or bad, God will redeem it for our good and use it to transform us.

d. God stands ready to forgive us when we fail.

e. We’re surrounded by fellow travelers and inspired by previous travelers.

f. We have a source of truth to which we can anchor our lives.

2. I hope these 6 and many more you’ve discovered will strengthen in you an attitude of optimism. True disciples of Christ should be the most optimistic people in the world.