The Purpose Of Our Existance

The purpose of my address tonight, is to ask and answer several important

questions. When an assembly of believers engage in celebrating an

anniversary, it provides us with a perfect opportunity to ask ourselves

the following necessary questions, namely, "Why does Waterford Gospel

Church exist? For what purpose does it function?" In seeking to answer

this question, it will enable us to re-focus on the true purpose of the

Church in general, and then apply that truth to our church in particular.

Someone has noted,

Many Churches are like a Canary in a cage,

there is much activity, but little progress

Illustrate - Bears in America's National Parks

I am told that as you drive through some of America's National parks, you

are constantly reminded by numerous sings, "Don't feed the bears!".

However, every year, more and more bears are seen wondering along the

roadside, or rummaging through the parking lots, looking for easy food.

Why do they do this? Because they have lost the purpose of their

existence. They were created to hunt for food in the depths of the forest,

not on the side of the road!

Three Reason For Our Existence

Allow me to suggest to you three reasons why I believe Waterford Gospel

Church plays a significant and vital role in this community, in which God

has placed us;

1. Our Mandate/Orders

We have been called to be ambassadors of Christ to a world that is lost.

We are His official representatives to the world that is Godless,

Christless and Hopeless!

It is encapsulated in the word's of the Lord Jesus; This is not an OPTION,

this is an OBLIGATION!

The Lord Jesus highlights our MANDATE in Mark 16:15;

Go into all the world and preach

the Gospel to every creature

A. The Expectation/Anticipation of the Mandate - ‘Go into all the

world...'

Some refer to this as the GREAT COMMISSION, others have referred to it as

the GREAT OMISSION!

Or as Wuest puts it,

Having proceeded into all the world

In Matthew 28:19;

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.....

This text, known to many as the great Commission, more accurately reads,

Going therefore, make disciples of all nations

or

As you are going, make disciples of all nations

or

Having gone on your way, make disciples of all nations

B. The Proclamation within the Mandate - ‘And preach the Gospel...'

Wuest again translates it like this;

Having proceeded into all the world make a public

proclamation of the good news to the whole creation

C. The Dimensions of the Mandate - ‘to every creature'

It was Wesley who said,

The whole world is my parish

2. Our Mission - Fourfold

A. To EXALT the Savior

The overarching purpose of our mission is not that our church would be

known; it is not that we might receive the applause of men. Our primary

motivation in all our ministry activity is that we might receive the

approval of God by exalting and glorifying the Saviour!

The Apostle Paul put it like this, in Colossians 1:18;

That in ALL things He may have the preeminence

The Greek word translated PREEMINENCE, is the word PROTEUO (PROTE-YOO-O),

meaning to be first, to hold the first place.

The Amplified Version puts it like this,

That He alone in everything and in every respect,

might occupy the chief place.....

It was this top priority that motivated Elijah to pray again in 1 Kings

18 - James 5:18 ‘And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and

the earth brought forth her fruit'.

The ground was parched and dry, the crops were failing, the prospect of

famine and disease were immanent. However, this wasn't his primary

motivation. The need alone did not drive him. He was driven by a sense of

the Glory of God - God's glory was at stake, this is what motivated him.

Illustrate - Young man going to China. A skeptic said to him, ‘I

suppose your going to China to convert the hearten!' To which the young

missionary responded, No! I'm going to China for the glory of God!'

B. To EXPOUND the Scriptures

Paul's word to Timothy was clear, 2 Tim 4:2;

Preach the Word, be ready in season and out of

season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all

longsuffering and teaching

And again he reminds Timothy, back in 2 Tim 2:15;

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God,

a worker who does not need to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth

The phrase RIGHTLY DIVIDING, in the Greek literally means ‘To Cut a

Straight Line'; ‘To Hold a Straight Coarse';'To Handle the Word

Correctly and Directly'. It is the picture of a farmer ploughing a staring

furrow; A builder laying a straight row of bricks. Paul was a tent maker