Life Apps, part 1

This post is the first sermon in our new series called: " Life Apps: there is an app for that".
I spoke this message on Sunday, Feb. 19th. 2012. Enjoy, and I welcome your comments.

            I’m stoked to begin our new sermon series today. It’s called “Life Apps”.

            Just so everyone is all on the same page, an “app” is the shorter version of the word “application.”

An application is a program or a device or tool that makes life slightly less complicated, and a little more fun…

            As you can probably tell, this series is based on a wonderful little device—or a BIG device in this case, called an iPhone.

(Which, by the way, looks AWESOME. Huge thanks to Justin who built it, to Ron for donating the lumber)

ILLUSTRATION- I am an iPhone fan. I’ve had one for years, and it has to be one of the coolest inventions of man has ever come up with.   

            Somehow, a generous bunch of individuals of this church discovered that I wanted an iPad for Christmas.

       I can’t figure out how they knew this, but they did, and it’s one sweet machine.

            I love my iPhone and my iPad. I use them constantly.

       I’m either reading the something, playing a game, or using it to preach from.  The fact is that I love these wonderful little devices.

            When I received my iPad, I wasn’t completely sure how to use it.

        Sure, I had an iPhone, and this is a bigger version of an iPhone, but there is so much more one can do with an iPad, so I needed to figure out the best way to use my iPad.  

       So I went out and purchased this book. (Show)

             This book showed me all the things I could do with my iPad; because having an iPad and not knot knowing how to use an iPad is pointless, it would be better if I didn’t have an iPad.

            But I do know how to use my iPad, so, sorry to disappoint you, we’ll not be giving one away this week…

            I wanted to get the most out of my iPad, so I consulted an owner’s manual because “application makes all the difference.”  

            You know, this statement: “application makes all the difference” is true for most, if not all things, in life.

ILLUSTRATION- Our eldest daughter, Emma, had an ear infection this week.

        The doctor gave us medicine for this ear infection and in order to know how much medicine to give her, I had to read the label.

            It wouldn’t do Emma any good if I gave her as much—or as little—as I wanted.

        In order for Emma to get over her ear infection, I had to give her the right amount of medicine, because “application makes all the difference.”

ILLUSTRATION- When I purchase a new power tool—which hasn’t happened for a long time I might add— but when I purchase a new power tool, I take at least 5 minutes and consult the owner’s manual.

            I want to know how to get the most out of my new tool. I do this, because: “application makes all the difference.”

ILLUSTRATION- When we purchase a new car; most of us will look at the owner’s manual at least once to find out an important detail about our new car.

         We do so, because: “application makes all the difference.”

            If this is true in our physical world—if application makes all the difference—can we assume that God has an application for life? Does God have an app for that?

            The short answer is yes!

·      If you’re struggling with stress- God has an app for that- (Submission to God)

·      If you’re struggling with sin and shame, there’s an app for that (forgiveness)

·      If you’re struggling with a lack of patience, there’s an app for that. (patience)

·      If you’re struggling worry, there’s an app for that (prayer)

            For everything that you face in this life, God has a corresponding application for your life.

            But here’s the kicker: We must apply God’s application to our lives.

        It simply isn’t enough for us to be aware of God’s fix for our problems, we must apply that fix to our lives.

            It isn’t enough just to have an iPad, I need to know how to use the iPad because application is everything. 

            Andy Stanley reminds us that: “doing is what makes the difference—not believing, not hearing, not listening, not note taking, not elbow poking, not, yeah, yeah, yeah, I ought to—doing is what makes all the difference.” (Life apps sermon #1, page 11)

            Most of us in this room are Christ-followers. That being the case, we must look into God’s instruction manual to find the specific application that we need to apply to our lives.

Self-help books may offer some assistance; religious gurus may have a nugget of truth to offer; but we will only find answers to our most pressing needs by looking at—looking in-- God’s Book: the Holy Bible.

            And the New Testament teaches us that application makes all the difference.

            Both Jesus and His brother James, weigh in on this issue. James tells us in chapter 1:22: “…don’t just listen to God’s word.” (1:22a, NLT2)

            James was telling the followers of Jesus, “don’t let the word of God go in one ear and out the other”

ILLUSTRATION- My mother used to say this to me frequently. She would tell me something and I wouldn’t pay attention to what she was saying. I would let her words go in one ear, and they would come out the other ear.

            James was telling the followers of Jesus to do more than just hear the Word of God. It’s not enough just to hear it. Something more has to be done.  

James was telling the followers of Jesus to: “Do what it says.” (James 1:22b, NIV)

It’s not good enough for us to just hear the Word; it’s not good enough for us to just come to church and hear from some guy with a cool belt buckle say some interesting words.

It’s not good enough for us to hear that we need to change our life, something more has got to be done.

Don't just hear the Word, Do the word.

            Just so we don’t miss what James was trying to tell us, he goes on to say:

            “Those who hear God's teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a mirror.

²⁴ They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they looked like.” (James 1:23-24, NCV)

Who is it that looks at themselves in a mirror and then once they walk away from that mirror forget what they look like? The person who doesn’t practice the word of God.

As we apply God’s word to our lives, we will discover that God has an app for that, and James reminds us that application makes all the difference:

“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James 1:25, NIV ‘11)

As we apply God’s truth to our lives, we will live in bondage… oh, right, freedom.

Living God’s way always leads to freedom.

it might not feel this way at the present time, but living God's way always leads to freedom.

You see, Application makes all the difference.

Some of us have heard God’s word for a length of time now. You could probably recite what you can do and what you can’t do.

You may have heard God’s word but are you applying God’s word?

You see, it isn’t enough just to hear what you ought to do; it isn’t enough just to acknowledge that you’ve got some things to change.

Knowing about God’s word and applying God’s Word are two different things. Application makes all the difference.

Don’t just hear about Jesus; apply Him to your life. He makes all the difference.

Speaking of Jesus, let’s hear what He had to say about this issue:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

²⁵ Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” (Matthew 7:24-25, NLT2)

Jesus said that if you hear and apply His word to your life, when your whole world comes crashing down, you can stand tall, because application makes all the difference.

“But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.

²⁷ When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (Matthew 7:26-27, NLT2)

It’s not enough to hear the Word of God; we must apply the word of God to our lives, because application makes all the difference.

            Someone once said: “Unapplied truth is like unapplied paint. It doesn’t do anybody any good. The value is in the application.” (Lane Jones, life apps, sermon#1, Andy Stanley) 

            Simply hearing about Jesus won’t change your life. Receiving Jesus will not only alter your afterlife, but He will change your present life too.

            Jesus said: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (Jn. 10:10, NIV)

            Jesus is saying that we can have our best life… right now. We don’t have to wait until we’re dead, we can live life to its fullest, right now.

            But we’ve got to do more than just hear the word of God; we’ve got to apply the word of God.

You see, Application makes all the difference.

            Some of you have been coming to the Ridge for a length of time. You have heard about Jesus, but you have yet to respond to Jesus.

            In order to receive all that God has for you, you must apply His truth to your life.

            Remember, following Jesus isn’t only a decision you make, it’s a lifestyle you chose, so if you want all that God has for you, you must start by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

            You must apply His blood to your life, and receive His forgiveness for your sins.

            Jesus invites you to build your house on a solid foundation, because application makes all the difference.  

            If you would like to receive Jesus this morning and all that He has for you, I encourage you to come to the front of the church and receive God’s forgiveness.

            For those of us who have received Jesus, don’t think that you are out of the woods just yet.

            God has a specific truth from His word that He wants you to apply to your life as well.

            Over the next few weeks, we’re going to look at specific applications and see why, and how, applying them to our life will make all the difference.

            If you would like to receive Jesus, or if you would like to pray about something that God has spoken to you about, you come as we sing a new twist on an old song.