A Noteworthy Life
E.A. Johnston reveals that a truly noteworthy life is defined not by worldly achievements but by a transformative encounter with God that leads to a life fully devoted to His service and glory.
In this sermon, E.A. Johnston explores the remarkable life of Moses, focusing on the transformative power of an encounter with God. He highlights how Moses' life is divided into three significant forty-year periods, emphasizing that true significance and success come from living fully devoted to God's purpose. Johnston challenges listeners to reconsider worldly measures of success and to pursue a life that honors God and advances the gospel.
Full Transcript
I was reading in my Bible the other day and I realized something noteworthy in the life of Moses that I had never seen before and it floored me. In Deuteronomy 34, 7 we read, And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old. When he died, his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
I went back and re-studied the life of Moses and this is what I discovered. Moses lived to be a hundred and twenty years old. His life is separated by three forty-year periods.
The first forty years of Moses' life in Egypt is covered by only fifteen verses of Scripture. The next forty years of Moses' life on the backside of the Midian desert is covered by only ten verses of Scripture. But the last forty years of Moses' life spent in the service of God is covered by approximately 4,252 verses of Scripture.
Surely, this clearly demonstrates that the significance of a person's life begins after an encounter with God, whereby God so transforms that individual's life that he spends the rest of it given entirely to God for his use and for his glory. A noteworthy life is the opposite of the world's definition and view of success seen in how many Oscars and Grammys and fame and money a person has or how many sport championships he has won. All those things are of the world and not of the Father.
All that truly matters in life is to what degree a life is lived unto God and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's all that matters. What counts for eternity?
Sermon Outline
-
I
- Introduction to Moses' life span and vitality
- The significance of Deuteronomy 34:7
- Initial observations about Moses' life stages
-
II
- The three forty-year periods of Moses' life
- The brevity of early life descriptions in Scripture
- The extensive coverage of Moses' final forty years
-
III
- The transformative encounter with God
- Redefining success from a godly perspective
- Living a life fully devoted to God and the gospel
Key Quotes
“Surely, this clearly demonstrates that the significance of a person's life begins after an encounter with God, whereby God so transforms that individual's life that he spends the rest of it given entirely to God for his use and for his glory.” — E.A. Johnston
“A noteworthy life is the opposite of the world's definition and view of success seen in how many Oscars and Grammys and fame and money a person has or how many sport championships he has won.” — E.A. Johnston
“All that truly matters in life is to what degree a life is lived unto God and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Seek a personal encounter with God that transforms your life and purpose.
- Measure success by your devotion to God rather than worldly achievements.
- Commit to living a life fully dedicated to serving God and advancing the gospel.