Note: Gary Stanton originally presented this Student Plenary session on December 28, 2001 at the WCCCC Winter Conference.

Developing A Kingdom Value System
By Gary D. Stanton, The Navigators, 12/01

When college students enter the "real world," they're excited about two or three things: career, a special friend or marriage, and stuff. You know...stuff that you can buy because of that new job! They're really not sure why all this is exciting--they've never been there before, but they can hardly wait...only to be disillusioned in a few short years. Why?!

Very simple, really. Even the most wonderful job and "God's best" mate will not bring lasting happiness apart from putting Kingdom values ahead of our careers and relationships! Unfortunately, by the time most believers figure that out (if at all), they've wasted 10-20 years of their lives, and have made commitments that make Kingdom involvement more difficult. This message will challenge college students and graduates to begin today, developing a Kingdom values system, and to carry those values throughout their lives. This will result in a rich and meaningful career, marriage & family, and involvement in the advancement of God's Kingdom.

I. INTRO: WHAT ARE KINGDOM VALUES?

A. God Designed Life to Be EXCITING, CHALLENGING, and FULFILLING!

And to go on forever, this way! Why do I believe this? Because Life as God Originally designed it, is literally a battle for life and death, lived totally involved with a Mysterious, Glorious, Awesome, Majestic, Mighty God, the King of Kings, whose Love fore each and everyone is beyond Measure!
Q -- Do you believe that? Is that the way you Live?
Do you keep that picture, crisply in view all during the day?
I wish I could reach out and pull back the curtains…and we can…by opening up the Scriptures.

Q – Do you see the universe with eyes of faith…see God’s involvement in everything?

Q – If so, would this change your Values?

Example: Story of Rich Christian…streets of gold…asphalt! The difference between gold and asphalt? Some things are valuable on Earth, but of very little value in Heaven.

(see Rev 21:21 re: streets of gold)

B. Christians today see the temporal reality – the earth around them, too much, and the eternal realm of God’s Kingdom, too litter. Thus, what they learn to value is what? The stuff they see all day with their physical eyes, not their eyes of faith, and thus we tend to exchange our lives for the wrong things!

· I am NOT saying that we should not earn lots of money while on earth…being wealthy is NOT a sin according to the Bible.

· I AM saying that while earning a living, it’s easy to forget WHY we’re in the work place! We get so absorbed in what we can SEE, we forget about what we cannot see. We Exchange Our Souls For Stuff We Cannot Take With Us When We Die.

Def. of Eternal Value:

Anything I can earn while on Earth, AND Take with me when I go to Heaven.

Def of Temporal Value:

Anything I can earn while on Earth, that I Can’t take with me when I go to Heaven.

Now, what can you take with you when you go? What did Jesus take with Him?

If you’re taking notes, I’d like for you to write down, right now, your answer to that question.

D. Let Me Explain My Motivation behind this message…for 20 years, I’ve observed College Students who love the Lord go through a Strange Transformation, just before they graduate.

During College Years

1. God's Kingdom (ex: QT in the am)

2. School

3. Ministry (ex: cut down on play to help)

4. Play

5. Personal Health!

Just Before Grad

1. Job

2. Where to Live

3. Relationships

4. Play

5. God's Kigdom

Why Not

1. God's Kingdom

2. Job

3. Home

4. Relationships

5. Play

Q – Why do we get our priorities out of whack? Our Values messed up?

Q – Could it be because we forget about Eternity…that “parallel universe” beside us, that

will outlast the earth by an eternity!

II. WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THE WORLD IS NO MORE?

Let’s look at several passages:

A. II Peter 3:3-14 -- The End Begins with a Big Fire! What will happen to all you’ve worked

for?

B. Revelation 20:11-15 – After you die, there’s a Judgment, and it’s about whether your name is

in His Book!

C. I Corinthians 3:10-16 – Once it’s clear you’re going to Heaven, the Judgment is about how

much we take with us to Heaven! – Our Reward! How is that decided?

D. Matthew 25:31-46 – The Judgment is about How We Treated People!

DQ – How does keeping all this in mind, help clarify our values?

A – Because if I can’t take it with me when I die, it’s not eternally valuable!

Q – So, what CAN we take with us? Two Things:

III. THE SOULS OF PEOPLE AND THE GLORY OF GOD.

A. People’s Souls:

Q -- We know that we only get to Heaven because of our faith in Christ’s death on the cross…why then would Jesus make it seem that how you treat people determines your Salvation?!

A – Could it be because: How we treat people is one of the Clearest Proofs of our salvation? Could this be the basis of our rewards, and one of the only things we can take with us to Heaven, for eternity?

Q – When you decided on which job to take out of college, wee you thinking about which

opportunity will best enable you to minister to people?

Q -- When you perform your job, are you guided by how Jesus would treat them?

Q -- When you are around your extended family, how do you treat them?

When you are in your neighborhood, are you thinking about your neighbor’s needs?

Q – Have you ever visited someone in prison, taken in a stranger, seen someone needy

and took your money to clothe and feed them?

Q – Or is being nice to people reserved for Sunday mornings – for those who also like

you?

Q – Who will go to Heaven, or who will have a closer walk with Jesus, because of you?

Q – Or is your time devoted to acquiring more green houses?

B. God’s Glory:

John 15:8 says “By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Q – What’s the flip side to the coin of God’s glory? A – Bearing fruit.

Q – What’s the flip side to the coin of Bearing fruit? A – God’s glory!

Q -- What can we take with us when we go to Heaven?

A -- Glory to God, and the Souls of godly People! Everything else is asphalt!

IV. WHAT’S YOUR INVESTMENT PLAN?

Q – So, if the spiritual world around us is real and eternally meaningful, how do we keep mindful of this reality every day?

A – Every day we open the curtains, and take a long look! How? First, It happens by Plan , not by Accident!

If you’ve ever sat down to plan something, you know that you always begin with the end in mind – what do you want to end up with?

Q – How many of you will take a LOT of glory to God with you, when you leave this life?

Q – If you’re serious, lets make a plan.

A. Decide to live for the eternal! Then, Commit your life to it!

It’s not a decision unless it’s written down and personally committed to!
Thinking it’s a nice idea, isn’t a commitment!

B. Plan how you’ll keep aware of eternal/Kingdom values.

FOUR TOOLS for doing this:

1. The Word of God – How are you going to live according to God’s Values without

knowing God’s word?

2. Prayer – How are you going to live your life glorying God, if you seldom talk with

Him?

3. Fellowship – You will not make it, unless you have the support of other like-minded

believers! Going to church is not necessarily fellowship! Fellowship involves

commitment to support one another in daily, practical ways! Satan WILL oppose you.

He is committed to invest his whole life to getting you off track! You must have

others around you to keep you on track!

4. Evangelism – Not going out on the streets with a

Gospel tract, but loving involvement with

unbelievers at work, in your neighborhood, and

among your extended family members.

V. WILL YOU LIVE FOR KINGDOM VALUES?

I guarantee that you will NOT live for Kingdom values, unless you decide to do so, and write down a plan for it.

· Hollywood will not encourage you to live for Kingdom values.

· Sitcoms seldom exhort people to love Jesus.

· [The Chinese or] the American culture will NOT praise you for living for God’s glory.

· You can’t smell God’s glory, you can’t taste it, nor will anyone outside the Church remind you to live for it.

· Satan has vast resources totally dedicated to helping your waste your life on acquiring temporal values.

· If you don’t write it down and daily commit yourself to it, you’ll never make it!

Q -- Exactly what is your plan for Scripture memory or Bible study for the year 2002?

Q -- Exactly what is your plan for getting to know God through Prayer?

Q -- Who are you committed to, this coming year, to help them grow in their walk with God?

Who have you asked to help you in your journey?

Q – Which unsaved neighbor, friend, co-worker or family member will you diligently pray

for in the year 2002?

Q – Is it written down? Why do you think you’ll remember, if it’s not?

Finally, if you’d like someone to hold you accountable this year, by email, feel free to write me at garystanton@juno.com. I’d be glad to encourage you along the way.

APPLICATION TIME:

I’d like to give you some time, right now, to pray, and to write down your commitments. Perhaps you don’t know exactly what to write down…then write down that you’ll talk with the person who invited you to this conference, or to some in leadership at your church. Review this note guide with them, and ask them to help you write a plan. Write down that commitment, right now. [PRAY and CLOSE.]

My plan for 2002 is: