LIVING ON PURPOSE
Matthew 22:37-40; 28:19-20 Acts 2:40-47
Introduction
Philosophers ask: What’s The Purpose of Life?
* God has a purpose for You and for His Church. Two are the same.
Everyone wants their life to count. Illustrate: Elowise. ---- Make your life count.
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 22:37-40) **********
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:18-20) *******
Personal Mission Statement: To pursue God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and to do everything possible, to help every person possible, pursue God more completely and consistently.
(Credit to Rick Warren For 5 Purposes)
I. Your Purpose is To Worship
1. Love God
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
** PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF GOD
** WORSHIP IS THE EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE TO GOD
** COMMANDED TO CELEBRATE GOD’S PRESENCE AND TO EXALT HIS NAME
Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together. (Ps. 34:3)
2. We Worship With Our Lives
Rom. 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
*****
3. We Worship God Privately
Quiet Time - in the car, etc.
3. We Worship God Corporately
Enjoy expressing our love to God. Coming to church isn’t about you, it’s about Him. It’s not what you get out of the service, it’s what you put into it.
II. Your Purpose is To Evangelize
1. God Is On A Redemptive Mission
2. The Great Commission
Go And Make Disciples - ******
*** WE ARE AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST IN A FALLEN WORLD.
* As you are going - present participle — Share the Gospel Wherever You Go.
** SOMEDAY WE WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT
– Go Tell the World the Message of Salvation. — We are to be part of bringing people into God’s eternal family. * THERE IS NO MORE SIGNIFICANT CAUSE TO WHICH TO GIVE YOUR LIFE.
* As long as there is one unsaved person, we should keep working and the church should keep growing.
*THE GOSPEL MESSAGE.
III. Your Purpose Is to Grow
Teaching Them To Obey = Discipleship
The church exists to edify, educate, build up
1. Reach Them And Teach Them
2. The Goal Is Maturity
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Col. 1:28-29)
****
** GOD WANTS YOU TO GROW IN GRACE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:40-47)
IV. Your Purpose Is To Fellowship
* Baptizing Them = Identifying with the Body of Christ.
- symbol of Salvation and Fellowship
Illustrate: The Pastor was leaving the church after an especially difficult deacon's meeting. It was late and as he walked across the parking lot, perhaps in frustration, he kicked an empty cola can. Suddenly a genie came out of the can and explained that since he had freed him from the can the genie would grant him a wish. There was only one problem. He explained that he was a junior genie so the wish could not be too hard.
The pastor thought about all the many needs that there were - finances at home, a new car, a new roof, just to name a few - but finally the selfless part of him rose to the top, and he heard himself say, "An end to all war and violence forever."
The genie looked stunned and said, "I told you I was only a junior genie. Could you try me with something easier?"
"Oh, very well," said the Pastor. "Could you make the people in my church a little more amenable and not quite so difficult?"
The genie hesitated and said, "Would you mind very much if we go back to your original wish?"
1. Everybody Needs A Place To Belong
** WE BELONG TO THE BODY OF CHRIST
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. (Eph. 2:19)
* Baptism and Church Membership – I belong - I identify with these people.
2. Everybody Needs Support
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:23-25)
* THE CHURCH EXISTS TO PROVIDE FELLOWSHIP FOR BELIEVERS.
** SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER
V. Your Purpose Is To Serve
1. We Have Been United In Christ
Eph. 3 - Mystery of the Church
1. God Saved Us to Serve
And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-13 NLT)
Ministry is demonstrating God’s love in a needy world.
** Church ministers to all kinds of people and needs.
** FIND PURPOSE AND MEANING IN LIFE – SERVING. Illustrate: One of the events in the 1928 Olympics was single-scull rowing. Australian Henry Pearce was leading the race when a family of ducks calmly passed in front of his boat in single file. Courteously, he pulled in his oars and waited for the ducks to pass.
Amazingly, even though he made way for the ducks, Pearce still won the race.
Every day we have plenty of opportunities to apply this lesson. Pulling in our oars involves putting aside our own rights in order to meet someone else's needs.
Conclusion
