so I want to talk to you this morning about the difference between having a minimum mentality and a maximum mentality, a minimum mentality versus maximum mentality. Let me give you a couple examples. Um a few years ago, my wife and I, we were back in midwest. Um it's pretty common to go to steak and shake any steak and shake goers out from midwest. Okay. Some of you like. Yeah, okay. And so um so we would go to steak and shake with some friends and I remember one time um are we went and they messed up our order and our waiter had um a minimum mentality and here's what I mean, they messed up our order, we just got chicken fingers and fries um and he messed it up and we were short a chicken finger and said oh I'll fix this, don't worry, I'll fix it for you. And it's like okay awesome and no joke. He came back and he had a full size plate, But all that was on it was one chicken finger on it. So his idea of correcting the order was just bringing one additional chicken finger and so he came out and the plate was high and I was like, oh man, this is great, he brought out more food for our table, this is gonna be great. And then he set it down in front of me and it was a loan more of a chicken nugget than it was a chicken finger and I was like thanks, maybe it is like your welcome. Um and so um but that was, that was a minimum mentality. He did the very minimum of what he could do. Um On the reverse side. If you go to any restaurant that's a buffet restaurant. Um You know you wanna go, you wanna have sweatpants on, you want to go and you wanna you wanna load up um You want to bring the lined purse to load up for things to go? No okay just kidding. Um Don't do that, that's stealing. Um But no when you go to a buffet you're you're expecting to eat a lot because you have a lot of options and you're gonna go in and you want to come in hungry, you don't want to go to a buffet and then just pull like one carrot right? Or one item it's like ok what's the minimum amount I can eat to go there? Another another idea of this minimum minimum mentality or maximum mentality is like um if you've seen those surveys of where like oh I've visited these states or I visited these cities? Um I always wondered if people counted when they had layovers for flights right? Because they go in and if someone has a layover and flight, do you count that as visiting that city? Um I don't think you can write but but someone could say well I had you know if they were flying through, maybe they're going to L. A. And they had a layover in phoenix and is the phoenix airport an accurate representation of all of phoenix? No, I don't think so because, but someone could claim, oh yeah, I've been to phoenix, but really they were just in one gate at the airport, physically in the location, but they haven't experienced the beauty and the awesomeness. That is phoenix Arizona. And now another example of considering a minimum mentality or a maximum mentality. Okay, Is that, um, just picture for those that are married or engaged? Maybe just like give a little sweet look at your spouse or your loved one or your boyfriend girlfriend. Maybe you're not quite there yet. I don't know. Um, now when you have that moment where you, you either, where you're asking the question, you're popping the question right? It's very emotional, You get down on one knee and I imagine turning to your soon to be fiance saying, I just want to know what is the bare minimum I can do to be married to you. Now, some of you laugh. Some of you hit the other one in the crowd because maybe this is a little too reel of the engagement, I don't know. But um, you know, um, that would be ridiculous, right? Like when you, when you propose to someone, maybe it's not an elaborate plan, but when you go to speak to someone, like I want to spend the rest of my life with you, right? And when you go in and in the wedding ceremony one of the most emotional times is when they give valves right in sickness and in health and you know, and just and they go through all the ups and downs of life that I'm with you, you're mine, I'm yours. And they share these vows. Now that's a maximum mentality. You want to experience that. Imagine being in a wedding where it's okay now it's time for vows. And they turned to each other and they say, well legally this is it. So after this day we're married, see you later. Like you're looking at me like that would be crazy. Well, here's the thing, the reason why I bring this up is that sometimes I think we do this when it comes to faith that when it comes to believing in God, we almost have this mentality of I want fire insurance. I don't know if God is real, but I've heard if you pray this thing or you say these words like maybe I'll get into heaven and like we have a minimum mentality. But what I want to say to you is this morning is that it's not about the minimum requirements to get into heaven, It's more so about the maximum you experience, you can have now, there are people in this world that are legally married, okay? But then there are couples who have life giving marriages and experiences and relationships and that's what I believe we crave, that's what we want. We want the maximum experience possible. But when it comes to our faith, sometimes we talk about, okay, I just want to do the minimum and this plays out in a couple different ways. So like if people that are dating, they say, well, how far is too far? What you're really saying is, okay, well, how far can I go draw a line in the sand and I'm gonna just like, stay on this side of the line. I'm okay now, that's an honest question. But what we're saying in that instance is they're saying, OK, what's the minimum we can do instead of saying, how can I most honor my significant other or how can I most honor God? How can we have the best experience? How can we have the best relationship possible? The most life giving, life changing thing that brings life and joy and peace and purpose within my life. There's a huge difference in that, but sometimes we treat faith that way. It's like, well, do you believe in God? Well, I prayed a prayer when I was five, okay if someone came to me right now and said, hey john, how's your marriage? And I said December 16, 2006. Well, that was the day we were married, you asked me how my marriage is going and I gave you the date when we were married? Um No, I'm not gonna ask you to remember your day because I believe there's some people that might not remember their married dating and marriage dating there, that's okay, I'll give you some time to look it up, but, but no, you don't say that, it would be another way if someone said, hey john, how's your family doing? And I go five, I have five people in my family here. Um, and so like, no, but how are you doing? How is the health? But we do this in church world too, Right? You go to pastor's conferences and it's like, hey, how are you doing what church you're at? How many people go see? The number of people is not an indicator of health in the same way, the number of people in your family is not the indicator of health within your family. And if your faith and God is, is predicated on just maybe a prayer or a moment you said many years ago, that's not reflective of who you are. Faith, not only saves you, but sustains you every single day. And so if you're taking notes, I want you to write this down, that faith is less about getting you into heaven and more about getting heaven into you. Faith is less about getting you into heaven and more about getting heaven into you Now in Ephesians chapter two, it does tell us that we are saved by grace through faith. And so this idea of being saved and and going to heaven is very important and that's what I'm saying, It includes that, but what I want to tell you that it's so much more than that, just like if you flew into phoenix, you know, and you landed in the airport, okay, you're in phoenix, but it's so different than experiencing the city that we live in. And so what I want to talk about today is about how we can have a maximum mentality and how we can experience the faith and the life that God has designed for you. And for me, because faith is less about getting you into heaven and more about getting heaven into you and it starts not when you die, it starts the moment you believe in him, that you can experience God, you can experience change now, You know in Ephesians two, it's interesting that it says that you are saved by grace through faith and every time we'd sing songs about grace or like amazing grace, like I was like, wow, that's awesome that I had that when I got saved. Thanks God. But God struck me this week that with the concept and the truth that the longer you are a christian, the more, not less you need grace, here's why because grace is the unmerited favor of God. In other words, when God does something for you, that you can't do for yourself, does that make sense. Now follow me for a second by myself, I am a sinner and I fall short over and over and over again, you know, it's actually scientifically proven that humans cannot walk in a straight line when blindfolded Robert Coolidge through NPR actually did um a compilation of studies that since 1920s they've done multiple different types of studies where they would blindfold a person in the field and tell them to walk straight and they have no point of reference and and then they'd see where they go and every single time over the past 100 years, every time they've done this study, the person starts out and then starts turning and pretty soon starts circling. And what is really interesting is that this wasn't a spiritual study, but at the end of it, do you know what their conclusion was is that humans without a fixed point of reference cannot walk straight. In other words, without a mountain or the moon or the sun or some fixed point that they can have reference for, they cannot walk in a straight line in the same way without God, without a fixed point of reference. We cannot walk straight that by our own, our own desires were gonna fall short. We're gonna mess up, we're gonna doubt and we're and we're gonna turn and so if we can't walk in a straight line by ourselves, that means that we need the spiritual, supernatural power of faith and and grace and God to do so. And so the more that you act like christ the more you follow him actually, the more you need grace and to live by that each and every single day. So we need grace more than ever. If you have your bibles open up to James chapter four and we're gonna try to tackle literally the largest question you could ever ask and it's just written in the passage and the question is what is life? Why are we here? What is life if everybody was opened up to James Chapter four and we're gonna read verses 13-17, the author writes this come now you who say today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit. Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring, What is your life for? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Want to positive for just a minute. Your entire life is described as a mist or a vapor. Your entire life is described as like a breaths break or like the smoke that happens when you blow out a candle, God, everything that you are, your personality, your your goals, your hopes, your dreams, your successes, your failures, everything that you are described and summed up as a vapor. Mhm. Now that can come across depressing, but I think it actually leads us to hope. Let's keep reading. Instead you ought to say that if the Lord wills, he will live and do this or that as it is, you post in your arrogance, all such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him, it is sin. Now this is an intense passage. Um but I think ultimately it provides us hope, but it provides us hope by giving us reality first. It's a reality check. The light engine is coming on on the dashboard. Okay, Because here in this verse, it says these things that says this, that um three realities in this life in verse 13, it says that life is complex, it's complex, but then it says life is uncertain and ultimately life is brief. Now if you use that as your starting point to brag on yourself, that would not be a very strong argument to make, right, that you would not add this to your dating profile online. Well, how would you describe the relationship that you want? Well, I'm complex, I'm uncertain and it's going to be brief. Like no one puts this as their goal. I really hope it's messy. I really hope, I doubt myself. But this is this is true. What's crazy is that there's not a single person in here whose life would would not be completely changed with a phone call right now. Our life is filled with flashbulb moments. You know, look like things that moments that pop into our mind And that you forever nowhere where you were right. So for example, I bet people that are old enough can remember exactly where they were on 9:11. It's a flash ball moment. Good and the bad, you can you can find things. I remember actually exactly what happened um when my wife and I first found out we were pregnant with our first. I can also remember the exact moment of rushing carter are are second to the er and and not wondering and wondering if he was going to make it going through some emergency surgeries. And I remember holding him after some surgeries covered in wires and and he was struggling and hurting. And I remember over the radio on my phone hearing the song how deep the father's love for us and I remember that clear as day holding my son feeling the love of the father in that moment. That's a flashbulb moment. There are things and moments in life that that brings us back to reality. There's not a person in here whose life I would not change in a moment's notice. It's not saying that plans are bad because he actually says at the end, if you know what to do and you don't do it, that's actually sin. So it's not saying plans are bad, but we don't have a lot of control. We don't have control when you hear words like cancer or when you see loved ones breaking up or job loss or nationally we see like tornadoes and hurricanes and things coming in. There's not a single thing we can do about that, that this describes reality, that life is complex. It's messy, It's uncertain. And the only thing I know for sure is that it's brief. Well now that we've depressed you all thanks have a great day, We'll see you next week maybe right. I mean this is but it doesn't stop there because this is the realities of life. But let's understand the realities of God. God is described not just as complex. He's described as all knowing the fancy word for that is our mission. He knows all things. Mhm And while life is uncertain, God is all present, jesus name immanuel literally means God with us and while life is brief, God is all powerful. In fact we have a god who heals a God who saves and a God who has conquered death itself and through belief in him we can rise again and we can have victory over that. We can become, we can be overcome Urz. And so while the left column is true, no matter who you are, our world is broken, there is hope because we have a God who is not broken and you see people look at the world and tell me john how can you believe in a God when the world is broken to which I would respond, Who do you turn to in your Brokenness because the world is broken. Whether you believe in God or not, there's no one in this room that can really add a day to their life when push comes to shove, So who do you turn to, who is your hope? Who is the solution? We all agree that our world is messed up and broken, but outside of the hope and the light that comes through, jesus christ, I do not know where people turn and faith is not just something off in the distance and well you know one day I get to go to heaven, okay, that's awesome, but I'm struggling now, I have issues now, I have questions now, I am sick now I have broken relationships now over in scripture, you see people write things like God, where are you? But faith is not just about getting you into heaven, it's about getting heaven into you and so in the middle of your Brokenness, there is peace in the middle of your darkness, there is light in the middle of sin, there is forgiveness, in the middle of separation, there is reconciliation and there is life and there is joy and there is purpose that comes through believing in the name and son of jesus christ amen. And so while our life is complex, it's uncertain, it's brief. I believe that God actually gives us hope and he gives us on the other side of that question of what is life? So I believe from these verses, he gives us three changes that faith makes in our life three changes that if we have a view of eternity, if we have a view of who God is in heaven, it impacts our relationships are today are right now and the first change is in our head that we're called to live open to God's will. The author is James is right and hey, why are you boasting when you don't even know what tomorrow brings? I would go a step further and say, let's be real. We don't know what today brings. All right. We don't, we don't, we don't know what's coming our way. You don't know what's coming your way and work this week. You don't know what's coming your way in your friendships this week. We can't predict that. So everyone, everyone do a favor here. Just put out your hand here. Just imagine whatever plan, whatever organization that you have right now, whatever goals you have, they're not bad. It's good to have those plans that talks about all in proverbs, the value of planning and being wise. And so what James is saying here is like have your plans, but just everyone open your hand, Just be open. That's what I'm saying. Just be open. God. I believe you called me to do this, but be open. I'm standing here struggling with this as well, but also believe in it. And I can say that because last year, exactly a year ago tomorrow, we had the vision night for mission growth Church and I had no idea what God was going to do. I have no idea what God's gonna do a year from now. But a year ago, exactly we gathered am I in law's house. We prayed God. We think you've called us to start a church, but we give it to you. See you, here's what I'd like to do with my career, but gotta give it to you. I'd like to have happen with my kids, but I give them to you, here's what I'd like to have happened. God, here's where I'm moving, here's what I'm gonna keep moving towards. But God, it's in your will, it's in our head. Well then where does our assurance come while it comes through understanding divine truth? It says in Romans 12 Verse two do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind then you will be able to test and know the will of God. So Divine truth. The bible itself gives us security. It's an anchor to our soul when everything is surrounding us in chaos. And we don't understand the uncertainty and complexity and messiness, messiness of life. We can turn to God's word and find security, but it doesn't just stay in our head. Number two, it changes our heart. And so in light of eternity. In light of faith, we're called to live humble to God's way humble to God's way James Reiterates here says, don't be arrogant. Don't be arrogant. I remember a time distinctly when I was in college, I was going through a time of questioning God and it was in summer, I was at a summer camp. Um and the reason I say that is because I remember God, I don't know what I'm supposed to do with my future. God, Do you even hear me? Do you even know, are you in control? Have you ever had one of those moments? Okay. I had all those moments. I was questioning my future. I was like, God, what am I supposed to do with my life specifically? It was about giving up sports, maybe going into ministry was like God, are you in control? And I went outside and I had to put on sunscreen Because of a burning ball of fire that was 93 million miles away based on the rotation that came through. And all of a sudden, it struck me like, here I am questioning God, Does he have it in control? And I have to put on cream so my skin doesn't burn from something 93 million miles away. And then here's another thought struck me is that like I I am breathing that I have been speaking, which I don't control. I don't tell my lungs breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. Like I don't tell my lungs to do that. And so I'm using the very breath that God gave me to question whether or not God gave me breath, Does that not seem kind of crazy to anybody else? But that's what we do, don't we? Because we think God, I don't see it, I don't see it, I don't see it. You know, driving um my, my youngest Chloe, um, now, apparently as a driver, because we'll be driving, and she just goes, no, that way, no daddy that way, and she just starts pointing. And so then I turned, I was like Chloe, you got us lost again. No, I don't do that. Why? Because I turned like Chloe, you don't know where we're going. Dad knows where we're going. Just you're safe, Be patient. Don't we do that with God? No, God turn here. No God, you're supposed to do this. No God, I don't recognize this road. God, where are you taking us? Okay? But do we humble ourselves in our relationships and say, no God, you know, you created the world, you created Galaxies. You've provided for me in the past. And so while I don't know my future, I know you hold the future. And so in the middle of my questions, I'm gonna lean into you and trust, you see humility is the key to our nurturing relationship. We talked about this last week in terms of dealing with conflicts, but it starts with our relationship with God. So we have our head, we have our hearts. And lastly we have our hands that in light of eternity, in light of Faith, we're called to live Obedient to God's word, if you know what is right and you're not doing it, it's sin, notice he goes from the extreme, You don't know what tomorrow brings. And so the temptation as well, I don't know, so I'm gonna be passive, but he brings it down to that moment in that day. No, you might not know 1000 steps from now, but, you know, the next step to take. And so, whatever your next step, whatever the next right thing you need to do do it, maybe it's a conversation, maybe it's opening your bible, maybe it's returning in prayer, whatever the next thing you need to do, God has promised you the grace and the faith to do it. See that's affirming mission. So, when you combine all these things together, it understands this full picture of how eternity shapes are present. You see it shapes our head because we are ultimately called to live Open to God's will. It shapes our heart because we can live humble to God's way. And then it shapes our hands because we are obedient to God's word, and together the divine truth, nurturing relationship and affirming mission. That is the D. N. A. Of faith. That is the D. N. A. Of what does it mean to be a christian. That's what we're going to try to live out here at Mission Growth Church, I'm gonna call the band up on stage here as we're wrapping up and um I just kind of want to, and with this is that I love sports, I love watching sports and if you ever watch in the final minutes of a game, everything gets heightened, right, Everything gets heightened, every dribble, every play, every pass for watching football, the, and the two minute drill and the final two minutes, everything's heightened because they know the game is on the line, what I want to encourage you with today, your entire life is the two minute drill, You get one life, there's no practice round, this is it, and if that's the case then make every moment count. If you have your cards in a moment, I'm going to pray but I want to challenge you that if you're saying, you know what john I wanna have, I wanna talk to someone about, what does it mean to have faith in jesus, I want to get to know this God who is all knowing, all powerful and all present. You can mark that box. If if you're committing your life to jesus, if you want to receive him into your life, you can pray along with me in just a moment and check that box. If you're interested in taking that next step of faith and maybe getting baptized or you'd like to know how you can grow, just mark that, so we can follow up and have a conversation with you or if you have a comment or you want to connect you can put that in the other box down there. But I want to encourage you to fill this out this morning and respond to whatever God called you to because faith is not just some abstract thing that's about getting you into heaven. But it's more so about getting heaven and giving God into you. Let's pray dear heavenly father. We thank you for saving us. That in spite of our sin, in spite of our shame in spite of our attempts. God we know that we can't make it in this life for every single person in this room. Life is complex. Life is uncertain and life is too short. But God in the brevity of life you came and you died on a cross for our sins. God, we believe that your son is God and that dying on the cross paid our penalty for sin. And because he rose again, we can rise again. We can have forgiveness. We can have grace. We can have mercy. Mm hmm. So God, we commit our lives to you and God. We are just praying. Give us faith. Because when we are weak, you are strong. Mm hmm. When we are sinful, you are forgiving. When the world is dark, you are light. Mhm And when we doubt God, you are sure and you are near God we give our head our heart and our hands to you. So Lord, we ask that you give us faith, understands name, We pray. Amen.