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Several
months ago Greg called to see if I wanted to be on the reality show,
The Amazing Race. It sounded interesting until I learned when
the taping of the show took place. It was during our 40 Days
of Purpose. I had to decline his offer for a very different
Amazing Race/Journey. Our race or journey did not require us
to travel around the world, but it did require us to travel around
God’s Word. Our race did not challenge us to climb an ice
wall, but it did challenge us to climb into God’s purpose for our
lives. Our race did not require us to search for flags with
clues, but it did require us to do some soul searching. We ran
our Amazing 40 Days of Purpose not to be the sole winner of a cash
prize, but so that we could all learn about God, about ourselves,
our life, about growing and about our community.
So what have we learned about God?
The first thing we learned is
THAT IT’S ALL ABOUT GOD, NOT ME.
Colossians 1:16 states,
“Everything got
started in Him
and finds its purpose in Him.”
Rick Warren said,
“We were made by God and
for God.”
These truths differ from our culture that says our purpose should be
happiness, personal fulfillment, success, dreams and ambitions.
We all know how fleeting and how elusive these pursuits can be.
Until you understand the most basic truth that you were created for
God, that you exist for God, not vice versa, your life will never
make sense.
The second thing we learned is that God
STILL WORKS MIRACLES.
We may not have seen a blind man regain sight. We may not have
seen a paraplegic get up and walk. Yet what we have witnessed
is people gaining insight into their purpose. We have seen
people getting up for ministry and mission. I received phone
calls and emails from people thanking the church for offering this
40 Days of Purpose.
Small group leaders have shared with me stories of lives being
changed and faith being deepened. I hope at lunch today you
will be willing to share what our
40 Days of Purpose
has meant to you, so we can learn of how God is a miracle working
God.
“Now that you
know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
What have we
learned about life?
We learned THAT LIFE IS
PREPARATION FOR ETERNITY.
If anyone ever asks you what is the meaning of life here is your
answer, preparation for eternity. We all hope to go there
someday so you might as well prepare for it. Our preparation
doesn’t earn us salvation. We already have that thanks to
Jesus Christ. So why should we prepare? Why are you
preparing for Thanksgiving? Why are you preparing for
Christmas? Why do you prepare for the birth of a child?
If people don’t want to live for God here and now, why would they
want to live for God for eternity in His kingdom? Living for God is
our eternal purpose. If you have been with us these past 40 Days you
know by now that we were put on earth FOR 5 PURPOSES.
I WAS PLANNED FOR GOD’S
PLEASURE – WORSHIP
I WAS FORMED FOR GOD’S FAMILY
– FELLOWSHIP
I WAS CREATED TO BECOME LIKE
CHRIST – DISICPLESHIP
I WAS SHAPED TO SERVE GOD
– MINISTRY
I WAS MADE FOR A MISSION
– EVANGELISM.
“Now that you
know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
What have we learned about
spiritual growth?
We grow through MAKING
COMMITMENTS AND FELLOWSHIP.
It takes more than coming to church to grow. It takes more
than a wedding band around my finger to make me married. It
takes more than the vows we have made when we joined this family to
grow.
James wrote,
“Faith by
itself,
if it is not accompanied by action,
is dead.”
(James 2:17)
Could you imagine a mother
giving birth to a child and then leaving the child alone to grow by
him/herself? We all know what will happen. Could you
imagine a man and a woman exchanging vows to be husband and wife,
but doing nothing afterwards to nurture that love.
You and I cannot grow in our faith by ourselves.
“It takes a
whole village to raise a child.”
This is never truer than
when it comes to growing up in Christ. We need the fellowship
of each other. We need the emotional, spiritual and physical
support of each other.
We grow by following through with our commitments. We grow
when we share fellowship with each other. We are part of God’s
plan for each other.
Philippians 4:9
“Keep on doing
the things that you have learned
and received and heard…
and the God of peace will be with you.”
Hebrews 10:25
“We should not
stop gathering together
with other believers.
Instead, we must continue to encourage each other
even more.”
“Now that you know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
Jesus
What have we
learned about our community?
We have learned that people are hungry for spiritual truth. As
I mentioned last week millions of people around the world that are
reading The Purpose Driven Life. Millions of people saw the movie
the Passion of Christ. These attest to humanity’s spiritual
hunger and thirst. I know politics and religion are two topics
you aren’t suppose to talk about. That doesn’t mean you can’t
talk about your relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you
willing to be available to each other?
Having learned all that we have about God, life, spiritual growth
and community what we are left with it the question
NOW WHAT?
“Now that you
know these things,
you will be blessed if you do them.”
Notice Jesus
did not say you would be blessed by knowing these things.
Jesus said,
“You will be
blessed if you DO THEM.”
Philippians
3:16 says,
“Now that we’re
on the right track,
let’s stay on it!”
Doing them
requires that you PASS THEM ON.
It has been said, “You only keep what you give away.” Jesus said it
this way,
“Whoever loses
his life for my sake finds life.”
We have a
choice to be like the Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea. They are both
fed by the Jordan River. There is one thing you will never see
on the Dead Sea, that you always see on the Sea of Galilee, a
fishing boat. That is because there are no fish in the Dead
Sea. Why is that? Unlike the Sea of Galilee the Dead Sea
has no outlet for the water to leave it. The water does not
pass on and so the Sea is Dead.
Unless we PASS ON the truths that we have learned the same can
happen to you and me. We will become dead to God, to each
other, to discipleship, to ministry and to mission.
On a personal note our 40 Days
of Purpose Amazing Journey
leaves me grateful and humble. Grateful that God has richly
blessed this family of Christ, which I find to be very humbling.
In closing would you prayerfully join with me in praying the
following prayer of commitment?
Since life is
preparation for eternity,
I want to use my time on earth fulfilling
God’s five purposes for me.
I was planned
for God’s pleasure,
that’s worship,
so I will use this day to get to know and love God better.
I was formed for
God’s family,
that’s fellowship,
so I will use this day to show love to other believers,
I was created to
become like Christ,
that’s discipleship,
so I will use this day to make choices
to grow my character.
I was shaped to
serve God,
that's ministry,
so I will use this day to serve God by serving others.
I was made for a
mission,
that’s evangelism,
so I will use this day to share the Good News.”
“Now that you know these
things,
you will be blessed if you do
them.”
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