2009.05.03.Sermon.What is your Purpose?
By William Akehurst, BA
HSWC
What is your purpose?
to GLORIFY
to LOVE
to SERVE
Ecclesiastes 3:1, Matthew 5:16, 22:36-40, Romans 12, Romans 15:1-6, Psalm 22:23, 86:9, 86:12, Colossians 3:23-24
Ecclesiastes 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven
A time to plant a time to harvest...A time for peace a time for war...a time to be born, a time to die...
You know how it goes...
My kids and I just planted our garden, A 10x20 area crammed full of seeds of 12 different types of vegetables. There is no room for weeds, I’m telling you.
But it’s interesting, The seed sown came from fruit. The fruit had its purpose and season. Now the seed will have its time, to root in, grow, blossom and fruit.
We all have purpose, what does God’s word tell us our purpose is?
The theme of all Scripture is to love God with all of our hearts and to love one another. (See Matthew 22:40 and John 13:34.) This is for the GLORY of the LORD
What is your purpose?
GLORIFY
LOVE
SERVE
What is our puropose in life? To glorify God. How can we do that? By loving and serving HIM first, by loving and serving others.
TO GLORIFY GOD
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
LOVE GOD
Matthew 22:36-40
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
ROMANS 12 - SERVING AND LOVING OTHERS
SERVING AND LOVING OTHERS GIVES GLORY TO GOD
Romans 15
Living to Please Others
1 We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3 For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." 4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GLORIFY
Psalm 22:23
Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
Psalm 86:9
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
Psalm 86:12
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
* * * * *
At the BGEA Telephone Center one evening. Taking calls, leading people to the LORD via the telephone.
One particular Caller to the phone center. Wanted to argue against Christianity.
He said things that made me realize his desperate need for GOD and JESUS. My prayer for him is that his eyes will be opened and his heart softened to receive...
He said was dragged to church as a child. Respects his parents who are Christian and leaders in the church.
He doesn’t believe it. Renounces Christianity and Jesus.
Believes in Evolution, not creation. A supreme being is nonsense.
Said, we Die and go back to the dust from where we came. There is no heaven and no hell. He had no purpose, He had no hope...
So many religions of the world. People believe Allah is God, Buddah is God, Satan is God. And None of them really exist.
He brought up Constantine and the religious wars.
Said Religion is Evil and Wickedness.
!!!BINGO!!!
He was right. Religion is Wickedness. But I don’t have religion, I told him. (I am not paid to be at the call center, I do it because I believe it with my whole heart)
NOTE: If any of you have religion you might want to reconsider what you think you know about Christianity.
John Piper had a message that stated something like this about American Christianity.
The world looks at American Christians in this way. An American Christianity is being taught in the churches, that if you give yourself to God, he will give you things...like money, new cars, better job, bigger home...
This is not what Christianity is about...
And by far, Christianity is not religion.
Christianity is Relationship. Its...Family
Christianity starts with love
Christianity starts with God’s love towards everyone
Christianity is made possible by the blood of sacrifice for our sins.
This blood of sacrifice came from Heaven, by our Maker who loves us...It is a gift to all who will receive it.
Christianity is made possible for us repenting of our sins and being cleansed by this sacrifice of love
Christianity is accepting and believing in this gift.
Christianity is faith, believing in something that we can not see.
Christianity is a relationship with our Creator.
Christianity is a relationship with He who names us as Christian...Christ Jesus himself.
Without Christ Jesus, Christianity is dead.
Without Christ, we are dead.
Without Christ there is no promise of heaven.
Without Christ, there is only hell
In order to be a true Christian, you must be part of the family, part of that relationship.
Jesus Christ is not religion, as a matter of fact, he actually preached against religion.
Jesus commanded us to Love God, and Love Others.
It’s all about RELATIONSHIP.
What’s your purpose in life? To GLORIFY GOD by LOVING AND SERVING HIM and LOVING AND SERVING OTHERS as unto the LORD
OUR PURPOSE - IS TO GLORIFY THE LORD. That means, in whatever we do, we are to do it as unto the LORD.
OUR PURPOSE - IS TO SERVE THE LORD
OUR PURPOSE - IS TO LOVE THE LORD
