What Are Your Big Rocks? by Phyllis Enzor
Priorities:
Professor Example
I recently saw an article about an expert in time management who was lecturing to a group of bright-accomplished students, he said, “ It’s time for a quick quiz.” He pulled out a wide-mouthed gallon jar and set it on a table in front of him. The he produced a several large-sized rocks and dropped them one at a time into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked,” is this jar full?”
Everyone in the class said “yes”
“Really?” the man asked. He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He poured some gravel into the jar and shook it, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the rocks. The he asked the group again, “Is the jar full?” By this time the class was onto him “probably not.” On of them suggested.
“Good”, he replied. And he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, “Is the jar full”
“No,” the class shouted in unison. Once again he said “Good” Then he picked up a pitcher of water and poured it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, “What’s the Point of this demonstration?”
One student raised his hand and said, “The point is no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things into it”
“No,” the speaker replied, “that not the point at all.
• The lesson is this: If you don’t put the big rocks in first you’ll never get them in at all”
What are your big rocks? Where is your heart?
Have you examined your covenant?
• The bible says in Proverbs 23:7, “ For as a he thinkth in his heart so is he.” Where is your heart today? What are your priorities? By definition, priorities are the goals, concepts that we deem important. Your priorities may be: Your family, your goal for your work, and a closer relationship with the Lord.
• Let’s focus in on one of those big rocks. No doubt the largest rock: your relationship with the Lord.
• Relationships are personal. Our relationship to the Lord is a personal commitment we make to Him to serve Him.
Wedding illustration:
On December 2, several years ago a beautiful couple got married it was a lovely ceremony. The pulpit was full of poinsettias. Weddings are a public display of the love and commitment two people share. Commitment is just another word for Covenant, an agreement.
At their wedding, they wanted to do something that would remind them each year of this day and the commitment they made to each other:
I’ll read from their actual ceremony, the minister said:
“Today Rhett and Phyllis begin a new tradition, a custom which now becomes uniquely their own. Rhett you will present a rose to Phyllis because as it grew from a tiny seed, becoming stronger and larger until it burst into a flower, it symbolized the way your love for her has grown. Each year on your wedding anniversary you will give Phyllis another rose. And in doing so, you will remember this day and renew the vows you have made.
Phyllis you will present to Rhett your vase of water, because as water is the element without which we would perish it symbolized the important of his love in your life. Each year on your anniversary, you will refill this vase, offering it to Rhett as a symbol of your ever-renewing love.
Without the water the rose would die and without the rose the vase of water would not be beautiful. As you give and receive the rose and the water each year, remember with joy this day when you pledged your love and your lives to each other.”
• That was my covenant with my husband, our covenant to each other. Each year I offer him the same vase with water and he put a beautiful red rose inside as we renew our vows.
• The Bible speaks to God’s covenant with His people— a new covenant
Jeremiah 31:
31 "The time is coming," declares the LORD,
"when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah.
32 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their forefathers
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to [4] them, [5] "
declares the LORD .
33 "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time," declares the LORD.
"I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
A similar scripture can be found in Hebrews, but it adds in Verse 10: “I will be their God,
and they will be my people.”
Heb 8:10.
10This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
Jesus’ death was a covenant to us. He made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:" 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Hebrews 12
24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
Romans 11
27And this is[1] my covenant with them
when I take away their sins."[2]
While we were yet sinners, He died for us.
Scriptures:
The Bible continues to say: 1 Corinthians 11 27Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.
In other words, stop and think about your commitment to Christ and His sacrifice and commitment to you.
C. H. Spurgeon a minister – some of you may have read some of his sermons. He was a phenomenal preacher for his day. His sermons are well known and well documented. He wrote in his sermon titled (I’m paraphrasing)
YOUR OWN SALVATION
(July 30, 1871)
Chase away the swarming vanities, which buzz around you and let each person think upon their own salvation. Oh, that you, the Spirit of God, set each of you apart in deep thought to singly face the truth concerning you own salvation”
Psalm 103
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
Have we been obedient? Have you told someone about Jesus? Have you been prayerful? Have you kept your commitment? Do you give glory to his name?
1 Chronicles 16
8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
9 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
This is a PERSONAL relationship. It’s between you and the Lord. God knows our hearts. He knows our big rocks what are your big rocks? Where is your heart? Have you examined your covenant?
Let us take time to renew our covenant with the Lord as we share in communion.
Communion:
Ask for assistance to serve communion:
Let us pray:
Lord as we come before you we want you to know how much we love you. How much we appreciate your grace and your mercy. You know our hearts and our desire to serve you. Help us to keep our commitment to you foremost in our minds daily. You are our desire. You are our big rock. Lord as we take this time to remember the sacrifice of your son Jesus, we take this time to examine our hearts and renew once again our commitment to you. Now Lord we ask that you bless the special communion accept it as a remembrance of the new covenant. Amen.
Reading from 1 Corinthians 11: 25- 27
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."
Let us partake of the bread.
25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
Let us drink of the cup
Lord; we thank you for your presence. Help us to continue to draw close to your love, Close to you.
As you are passing your cups to the aisle let’s sing the chorus.
Draw me nearer nearer blessed Lord
To the cross where thou has died
Draw me nearer, nearer
Nearer blessed Lord
To thy precious bleeding side.
Optional song
Chorus:
And he walks with me and he talks with me
and he tells me I am his own
and the joy we share as we tarry there
None other, has ever
known
Verse 1 -I COME TO THE GARDEN ALONE
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
Refrain
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.
Refrain
I'd stay in the garden with Him
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
Refrain
Remembering Easter
I wish I could have known
the Kind in robes of white
I wish I could have sat beside him
beneath the star light
I wish I could have been there
to hold his hand
and tell him that my heart will always be his to command
I wish I could have seen
the love reflected in his eyes
and heard every word
of one so wise.
I wish I could have been there
to comfort him when he cried
and to help him carry the cross
along that long roadside
I wish I could have stood at the tomb
to see him arise
and to share with him the joy
of the first Easter sunrise
I was not there
but I know him anyway
He's the love in my heart
and the hope that gets me
thought each day
He's every blessing
that I've every been given
and someday we'll meet
in the kingdom of heaven
Outline
***********************
What are your big rocks? Where is your heart?
Have you examined your covenant?
Outline:
Priorities
Where is your heart?
Covenant
What is a covenant?
Renew your covenant
Example of our anniversary ceremony
Examine yourself
Spurgeon quote
Communion
Closing:
What are your big rocks (priorities)?
Where is your heart? (your covenant)
Have you examined your covenant?
(Take time to renew your covenant)
