You are right, the world is not okay

I was listening to Matt Chandler over the weekend. He speaks about how in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and said it was good Genesis 1:31. God made the perfect world. He speaks about how Adam and Eve were given one command - do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Genesis 2:16-17. Matt says that he thinks God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden, so that we may know from the beginning that joy comes from obeying Him. He talks about how the fall described in Genesis 3 is the reason we exist in the world as we know it now. A world full of hurt, anger, bitterness, disease, hatred, violence, rape, injustice and misery. 

He speaks about 4 wells that people turn to when they try to make the world better:

1. The well of Self

Self improvement. Trying to be a better version of you. He says no one lies to you more than you lie to yourself. Your thoughts are you own worst enemy. A "you" with a bigger house and car is still you. If you are unsatisfied with yourself, a bigger car or house is not the cure. 

2. The well of others

Turning to your husband/wife, friends, boy/girlfriends, children and making them your everything. They will disappoint you. He says women make terrible gods. And men even worse gods (Okay I added the worse but you get the point). Parents should not live vicariously through their children as it puts too much pressure on them. 

3. The well of the world

He starts with something I can identify with, you know that great feeling you get when you buy something new. For me it's a new pair of shoes, I cannot wait to put on an outfit to show off my new shoes! He says that God has given us gifts that are to be enjoyed within his boundaries. He names 3 things but there are plenty of others. Food, is a gift from God. The way you can throw different flavours and make them so tasty is an amazing gift from God. But if you abuse this gift, it leads to illness (eg. obesity). He speaks about wine, and how it's a gift to be enjoyed from God. And yet if you get drunk it may lead to violence, abuse and wreckless behaviour. He speaks about sex. Sex is a beautiful gift from God. He gives an example of how our nation is so sex crazed - sex sells everything. We are having lots of sex but it's not satisfying. So we look to the media for various ways to satisfy our partners. The world is a classic example of turning from the Creator to created things Romans 1:21-23.

4. The well of religion.

Trying to clean yourself up so that you are good enough for God. He says this is essentially another form of self but under the banner of God. It's you thinking that your righteous acts can bring you closer to God. It's nullifying the free gift of grace through Jesus Christ as the only way to God.

It's a brilliant sermon...Check it out here

Then he talks about the well that satisfies - Jesus Christ. In John 10:10 Jesus says "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly". Abundant life comes from Christ. Matt expands on it beautifully when he talks about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

In his sermon, I love how he uses the world example; pointing out that an unbeliever can enjoy the gifts from God without believing in God. But a believer enjoys them whilst at the same time glorifying the Creator. An unbeliever will say "that is tasty steak and I have money to buy it - yum". A believer will say "that is some tasty steak - Thank you Lord for providing this steak. Thank you for giving me means to be able to buy this steak. Thank you Lord!". We are called to glorify God in everything that we do.  1 Corinthians 10:31 puts it like this "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Stay blessed

Additional material
A beautiful song by Casting Crowns called The well  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKioQPEW4do