Messages For A New Year: 5.Recognizing How Big God Is - Zac Poonen
Summary
The speaker advises that instead of measuring success by worldly gains like salary increases or promotions, believers should measure their progress by becoming more Christlike. He draws from the Rich Young Ruler narrative to emphasize that true spiritual wealth involves relinquishing self-sufficiency and earthly attachments to follow Christ. Ultimately, the most valuable thing we can lose is time, as God cannot restore wasted years.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What is the true mark of God's blessing?People in the world look for salary increments, promotions, and bonuses at the end of a year, but believers should evaluate their lives by spiritual growth and Christlikeness.
Evaluating our true excitementIf worldly gains like a child's job or marriage excite us more than spiritual progress, we are living as earth-dwellers without an eternal perspective.
The Rich Young Ruler and what we lackJesus loved the Rich Young Ruler who had kept commandments from his youth, but pointed out the one thing he lacked by telling him to sell his possessions and follow Him.Mark 10:17–23
The difficulty of entering God's kingdom with wealthJesus noted that it is hard for wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God because having more than others tends to make us proud, whether in money or intelligence.
Time cannot be given backGod can restore lost money, health, or a job, but even Almighty God cannot give back wasted time if we fail to pursue Christlikeness.
The camel and the eye of a needleJesus used vivid exaggeration when He said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter God's kingdom.
Staying small in our own eyesWhen we first come to Christ we are small like an amoeba and can easily pass through the eye of a needle, but as God blesses us we often grow big in our own estimation.
Comparing ourselves with God, not peopleThe wisest person compares themselves with God and sees they are a nobody, whereas foolish people compare themselves with one another.
Daily renewal of the inner manApostle Paul did not lose heart because even though his outer body decayed, his inner man was renewed day by day.2 Corinthians 4:16
The root sin of discontentmentThe first sins of Lucifer and Adam stemmed from being discontent with what God had given them, a poison that continues in human flesh today.
Learning to be content in all circumstancesPaul learned the secret of being content whether he was well-fed or hungry, having plenty or suffering need, because he saw God as big and himself as small.Philippians 4:11–13
Living within our means and avoiding debtBelievers should learn to live with what God provides rather than borrowing money to keep up with others, following the biblical principle to owe no man anything.
Jesus' example of utter contentmentJesus had nowhere to lay His head and faced rejection without complaint, modeling complete contentment and unbroken fellowship with the Father.
