TROUBLESOME TIMES PART 4
OUR PURPOSE
Every Christian has a purpose, contrary to some teaching…
- Christianity is not merely about being saved from something—it is about being saved for something.
- God has given all Christians a purpose, a direction, and motivation, all to ultimately reach the goal of the higher calling – Heaven.
Tonight we ask the question If there is one scripture that answers this question it must be Solomon’s conclusion in Ecclesiastes twelve, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.” (Eccl. 12:13)
This applies to all people, not just Jews, not just Christians – all mankind.
- But in this lesson, we will primarily focus on the life and purpose of the Christian.
- The Christian’s purpose begins with God, not self.
- 4:11 tells us that the Lord created all things, And by His will they exist and were created.
- As for the church God predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will ( 1:5).
- Paul wrote, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” ( 11:16)
- We were created by God and for God.
And our first point is that…
- We Exist to Glorify God
- 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
- “The heavens declare the glory of God” ( 19:1)
- Jesus glorified God while on the earth (John 17:4)
- We Exist to Glorify God Because of God’s grace we, “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” ( 5:2)
- We Exist to Glorify God Because God gave us the “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Cor. 4:6)
- And on the Day of the Lord, saved or unsaved, “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” ( 2:11)
- Remember you were created by God for God. Paul says, “…you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
That means Christianity isn’t something we simply do on Sunday.
Our purpose is to glorify God in everything we do.
- In our families —- In our marriages
- At work —- In our relationships
- In our speech —- In our decisions
- In our finances —- In our treatment of others
- In our worship
The question changes from: “What do I want to do with my life?” to “How can I glorify God with my life?”
Next we’ll look at what drives us…