HOW MUCH DO I NEED

TO BE

HAPPY?

Westminster Presbyterian Church 7-31-16

Guest sermon Brian Wansink, PhD
New Testament Lesson Luke 12:13-21

Wow...thatisonesoberingparable.1Theresnomiraclecuresandno
happyending.Now,itstartsoffgood.Thisrichfarmerslifeisgoinggreat
andmerrilyrollingalong.ThenGodinterruptsandsaysHey,Imgoingto
pulltheplugonyoutonight,andthenwellseehowhappyyouare.Willyou
haveasatisfying,richlifeofmemoriesofhowyouveenrichedothers,orare
youjustgoingtohaveahugeselfishbarnfullofstuff?
ItseasytothinkthatLukesparableisaboutmoney.Butthatswaytoo
limiting.Thisisabouthowinvestingyourtimedeterminesyouridentity,and
howitdetermineshowyoullevolveinthefuture.Andinanevenbiggerway,
italsohasinsightsabouthowachurchwillevolve.
VacationBibleSchoolwillsmoothlybeginheretomorrow,butitdoesnt
alwaysgososmoothlyatotherchurches.Therewasachurchthatneededa
DirectorforvacationBibleschool,butnobodywasvolunteeringitsalotof
work.Gettingabitdisparate,theMinistermadethepleathatthefirstperson
tovolunteertobeinchargeofVacationBibleSchool,wouldgettopickany
threehymnsforthenextservice.Awomaninthecongregationimmediately
shotupherhand.Itwassomewhatunexpectedthewomanwasolder,had
1 Luke 12:13-21 -- Someoneinthecrowdsaidtohim,"Teacher,tellmybrothertodividethe
inheritancewithme."Jesusreplied,"Man,whoappointedmeajudgeoranarbiterbetweenyou?"
Thenhesaidtothem,"Watchout!Beonyourguardagainstallkindsofgreed;aman'slifedoesnot
consistintheabundanceofhispossessions."Andhetoldthemthisparable:"Thegroundofacertain
richmanproducedagoodcrop.Hethoughttohimself,'WhatshallIdo?Ihavenoplacetostoremy
crops.'"Thenhesaid,'ThisiswhatI'lldo.Iwillteardownmybarnsandbuildbiggerones,andthereI
willstoreallmygrainandmygoods.AndI'llsaytomyself,"Youhaveplentyofgoodthingslaidup
formanyyears.Takelifeeasy;eat,drinkandbemerry."'
"ButGodsaidtohim,'Youfool!Thisverynightyourlifewillbedemandedfromyou.Thenwhowillget
whatyouhavepreparedforyourself?'"
ThisishowitwillbewithanyonewhostoresupthingsforhimselfbutisnotrichtowardGod."

neverhadchildren,andhadnevermarried.Butshedidanamazingjob.On
theSundayfollowingBibleSchool,theministerinvitedhertothefrontofthe
churchandasked,Itoldyouthatyoucouldchoseany3hymnsyouwanted,
whatwilltheybe?Shegetsupthereandsays,Ivebeenthinkingaboutthis
allweek.Shepointsoutinthecongregationandsays,Illchoosehim,and
him,andhim.
Outsideofourjobs,letsconsiderthreebasicareaswherewecaninvestour
time:Ourselves,Others,andGod.Howweinvestourenergyandouridentity
inthesethreethingsdetermineshowwegrow.
First,wecaninvestinourselves.Hereswheremostofusinvestmostofour
time,anditsgreatwhenweinvestthattimeinimprovingourselveslooking
forinspiration,exercising,improvingaskill.ButmostpeopleIknowdont
investinimprovingthemselves,theyinvestinkillingtimeinamildlyamusing,
butultimatelyunsatisfyingway.Theysurfthewebandforgeteverythingthey
see;theywatch6episodesofaTVshow;theycomplainabouttheirdayor
aboutpolitics;ortheywatchamovietheyalreadysawonceandcant
remember.
Second,wecaninvestinothers.Wecaninvestinouridentityofbeinga
helpfulperson,agoodfriend,oragivingvolunteer.Aslongaswedothis
willinglyandnotexpectingsomethinginreturn(like,Illbenicetohersoshe
marriesme,givesmeajob,orbecomesmybestfriend),itseemsthatitcanbe
agreatinvestment.Mymotherssaidalotofwisethingstomeovertheyears,
butonepieceofadviceshegavemethatalwaysseemedtoworkwasthis,If
youreeverfeelingreallydown,volunteertohelpsomeonewhoneedsit.
Thisworksgreatpartlybecauseitmakesyougratefulforwhatyouhave,but
alsobecauseitchangeshowyouviewyourself.Itchangesyouridentity
maybeyouseeyourselfasamoregivingperson,orgenerousperson,or
gratefulperson.
Third,inadditiontoinvestinginourselvesandinothers,wecaninvestinGod.
Wecaninvestintryingtobetterunderstandhisplanforusandhowhewants
ustolivetodayandintothefuture.Investinginthisidentityissomethingthat
canbepowerfullyfulfillingevenifwecanonlymaintainitforshortbursts.

Howyouchoosetoinvestyourtimeinthese3boxesdeterminesyouridentity.
Whatsimportant,isthatitalsopredictshowyouregoingtoevolveorchange
inthenextyears.

Ihadanimportantconversationthispastweek.LetscallitaTaleofTwo
Friends.
Oneofthesefriendsisanamazingguybyallstandardsofselfinvestment.
LetscallhimJack.JacksacardiologyProfessoratoneoftheworlds
greatestmedicalschools.For50yearshesinvestedmainlyinhimself.Hes
famousinhisfield,rich,greatlooking,andajawdroppinghomewithfloorto
ceilingglassoverlookingtheAtlanticocean.Jackseemstohaveliveda
storybookcharmedlifeeventhoughheneverseemstohaveinvesteddeeply
inotherpeople,andhecertainlydoesntinvestinGod.
IntalkingwithJackearlierthisweek,hementionedaconversationhehadwith
anotherfriendinNewYorkCity.HewastalkingwithCindy,awomanhehad
oncedatedwhosaidshewasgoingtobetakingallofhervacationtimeinthe
futuretovisitherailing93yearoldfatherinLosAngles.Cindysrationale
was,fiveyearsfromnowthevisitswouldhavemeantmoretoherDad,than
thetimeandmoneyhadmeanttoher.
Jackwentontosay,ThatistheproblemwithCindy.Shemakesthesedumb
decisions.HerDadabandonedthefamily20yearsago,andnowthathesold
andallalone,shestryingtohelphimseethemeaninginhislife.Shesaysshe
thinksitswhatGodwants.Thisiswhythingscouldneverworkoutbetween
us.
AsperfectasmyfriendJackslifelooks,inthe20yearsIveknownhim,very
littlehaschangedorevolvedinhislife.Hestillonlyhasfairweatherfriends
andhesstillsingle.Hestillisrestless,stressed,anddiscontent.Sinceheonly
investsinhimself,theonlythingsthatchangearehisfame,fortune,andhis
therapists.Everytimeweretogetheritslikeareplayofthelasttime.
IdontknowCindyandbetterthanyoudobecauseIvenevermether.ButI
knowthatifwemether2yearsfromnow,shedbeadifferentpersonthanshe
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istoday.Insteadofinvestinginherself,shewasinvestinginsomeoneelse
(herDad)andshesinvestingintryingtounderstandGodswillforher.She
willbedifferent;shemightbebetter,butshewouldntbethesamein2years

JustlikeJackandCindy,churches(orthepeopleinthem)investtheirtimein
waysthatdeterminetheiridentityanddeterminehowtheyevolve.Churches
canfocusonthemselves:Theirphysicalplant,theirstructure,theirprocesses,
andtheirpolitics.Theycanfocusonothers:Newprogrammingthatignites
thespiritualgrowthoftheirmembers.TheycanfocusoninvestinginGodand
intryingtounderstandhisvisionandmissioninnewforwardthinkingways.
AlthoughImovedawayfromSiouxCityin1978,IneversayImovedaway
fromthischurch.Foralmost40years,WestminsterhasbeentheGold
StandardthatIveheldallotherchurchesagainst.Morethanmanychurches,
thischurchinvestedinbeingaCongregationfocusedandGodfocusedchurch.
Theremighthavebeenbiggerchurches,andtheremighthavebeenmore
religiouschurches,butIveneverknownonetohavebothinthesameway.
Westminstersfocusonitselfneverdistractedfromthefocusonothersand
fromthefocusonGod.Therewerecertainlydifferencesofopinion,butthe
detailsoftheday,nevergotinthewayofthechurchstayingfocusedonboth
thecongregationandonwhatwasbelievedtobeGodswill.
AndjustlikeIhadaTaleofTwoFriends,IwanttotellyouaTaleofTwo
Churches.
WhenIlivedinPhiladelphiaabout20yearsgo,Iattendedsupersmallold
Methodistchurchinasupersmalloldsuburb.Thischurchwasaboutthesize
ofadoublegarage,andcouldonlyseat30people,andithadaparttimeor
volunteerministerwhowasasoftwaredesignerduringtheday.Itwasoneof
thefavoritechurchesIhaveeverattended.Itdidntinvestinthebuildingbutit
focusedtremendouslyonGodandonthespiritualgrowthofthepeoplethere.
NearlyeverySunday,thedinnertopicusuallyrevolvedaroundallofthe
insightsfromtheservice.
Heresthesecondchurch.ThefamousCrystalCathedralinGardenGrove,CA
madefamousbythelegendaryRobertSchulerandhisHourofPower(he
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wasbornjustNorthofSiouxCityinAlton,Iowa).InMaymyfamilywasin
LosAngelesandIwokethemupearlytogotoachurchservicethere.The
problemisthatitsnottherenotinthewayIrememberinonTV.Reverend
SchulerdiedandthechurchisbeingreconstructedtobeaCatholicChurch.
Althoughitinvestedhugelyinitself,astheyearswentbyitmaynothave
investedasheavilyinthespiritualgrowthofitscongregation,orinbetter
understandingGodswillforitscontinuedgrowth.

Churchesevolveandpeopleevolve.Itstooeasytolookbackandsay,
Thingsweredifferentbackthen.Itstooeasytolookbackonwhatachurch
wasandtofocusonwhatwelikedbetteraboutitbackthen.Similarly,its
easytolookbackatourpastselfandthinkatallofthethingsyoulikedbetter
backthenthanyoudonow.
Letsdothat.Thinkaboutwhatyoulikedbetteraboutyourself5or40years
ago(otherthanphysicalthingslikeachyjointsorcholesterolorwrinkles).
Whatdoyoumissmost?Whereyoumorehopeful,moregiving,more
excitable?Now,whydidthatchange?Whatwasitthatcausedyoutobeless
hopeful,orlessgiving,orlessexcitable?
Letmebeboldenoughtosuggestthatwhatwevaluedbacktheninourselves
wassomethingwelostbecausewefocusedmuchmoreonourselves,thanon
othersoronGod.Webecametoofocusedonourselvesandouridentity
evolvedinthatdirection.InsteadofbeingaHopefulPerson,oraGiving
Person,oranExcitablePerson,webecameaFoodie,aFacebookActivist,a
GourmetCook,AmazonPrimeMember,entrepreneur,oraSuperTraveler.As
weinvestedinthoseidentities,theyledustoevolveinadifferentdirection
indoingsowemovedawayandlostsomethingweliked.Wemighthave
gainednewidentities,butwelostoldonesweliked.
Onechallengeforhowweevolveaspeopleandasachurchistorefocus
ourinvestmentoftimealittlebitawayfromourselvesandmoreonothersand
onGod.Ifwedoso,wedonthavetoworryaboutbeinginthesameplacein
twoyears.WedonthavetoworryaboutbeingthesameoldJackintwo
years;wecaninsteadlookforwardtobeingadifferentandmaybebetter
person.MaybelikeCindy.


Nowthiswouldbeaneasyplacetoendthesermon,butitwouldntgiveany
directiononhowtobecomeanymorefocusedonothersoronGod.Imsure
thepeopleintheCrystalCathedralthoughttheywerefocusingonothersand
onGodswill.Whatstheretotellthemtheyrenot?
Inthispastyear,IvebeenintroducedtosomethingcalledTwowayPrayer,
andIthinkitcouldbeusefulinbothbetterunderstandingGodswillforyour
personallifeandforthelifeofachurch.
WereallfamiliarwithOnewayprayerbecauseitsbasicallytheonlyway
mostofuswepray.WeaskGodforguidance,healing,comfort,orsometimes
evenforcashandprizes.Wetellhimwhatwewantinsteadofaskingwhatwe
shouldbedoing.Still,itslikeustalkingontheGodline,andaskinghimto
mutehisphone.Thisisonewayprayer.ItsstillussayingBequietand
listentome.Tome,me,me.Ifyouveeverhadafriendlikethis,blinkyour
eyes.
SohowdowegiveGodachancetotalktous?OneviewofprayingIve
heardofinvolvesusonlyprayingforothersorprayingforabetter
understandingGodswillandforthestrengthtocarryitout.Thatsuseful,
butwestillneedtogiveGodtheopportunitytotalktouswhenwearereally,
reallylistening.
BackinMay,myfamilyandIwerelivinginSanFrancisco,andattending
ImnotkiddingTheChineseCongregationalChurchofChinaTown.One
oftheguystheretoldmeabouta7:00AMonehourFridaymensmeetingthat
usuallyhadabout2030guysthere.Heresallitwas:Itstartedat7:00,and
afterafewintroductorycomments,theydimmedthelightsandsetatimerfor
20minutesatwhichpointeveryonesimplymeditatedsattherequietlyand
triedtolistenforGodsdirectionfor20minutes.Afterthatpeopleshared
whattheylearnedforaboutahalfhour,andthenweleft.
ItsoundsCaliforniacrazy,doesntit.Butwhatscrazyishowmuchyoulearn
howmuchyouusuallyhearfromGod.Istilldothisinthemorningfor10
minutes(completewithatimer).ItsonecleartimeGodgetsachancetotalk.
Icangiveyoumoreadviceaboutthisaftertheserviceifyouneeditbutits
veryeasy.OnepieceofadviceabouthearingGodthroughmeditationisbeing
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abletorememberitafterward.Likeadream,itwillbegonewithinaminute
afteryouopenyoureyes.Onesolutioninvolvespenandanotebook.Heres
theoneIusemostmornings.Onepage,oneday.

Weevolveandchurchesevolve.Wegettochoosewhetherwewillonlyhave
moreofthesameintwoyearslikeJackorwhetherweinvestmorein
peopleandinGodandbecomedifferentandmaybeabetterperson(like
Cindy).Evenifwerewayofftrack,prayingtounderstandGodsplanforus,
andtogivehimachancetotalktousthroughmeditation,canputusbackon
track.
Whatweinvestiniswhatouridentitybecomes.Thatishowwewillevolve.
Thegoodnewsisthatwecancontrolthatinvestmentoftime.Itsasrelevant
forindividuals,asitisforchurches,asitisforhim,andhim,andhim.
ThanksbetoGod.