Our Purpose / His Purpose For Us

• Prayer

. . . —Luke 18:31, 34    and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.’ . . . But they understood none of these things . . . —Luke 18:31, 34

1.     God called Jesus to (in human terms) absolute disaster – triumph in His eyes.

a)        disciple saw events unfold and take place, didn’t understand at     time.

b)        Jesus (God) called Paul to same

c)            God’s purpose is never same as man’s purpose

d)            God’s purpose is to be a Father to all of His Creation (us)

Give us benefit of His Wisdom –

1 Cor. 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

            James 3:17

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

2.     God’s call comes to our lives as well

a)            don’t confuse call with end purpose

b)            purpose is never understood (at time – Jacob)

c)            call requires obedience

d)            obedience requires faith  - God has given all “measure of faith” – Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

e)            All faith given equally – “more highly” / like God saying “you’re no better”

f)             faith requires relationship with Him – renew you mind / Rom 12:1&2

3.     no one hears, or recognizes unless that person has a prior relationship with Him

a)    Oswald Chamber put it this way –“ The call of God is like the call of the sea— no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him.”

1.     We MUST know Him as our Lord and savior

2.     We must have know Him I – have relationship renew your mind – Rom 12:1-2

3.     our purpose and God’s purpose must be one in same

4.     we must let God be God –  Word says to “lean not to our own understanding”

5.     Prov. 1-4 particularly address

6.    Let God and His Word guide every phase of our lives

God’s Word is very practical (every chapter, James in particular) and should be the determining standard for every question we have or compare every answer the world gives us.

When we know and rely on Him for Wisdom and we let him truly be our dad, only then will His Word be the standard that we compare everything to with confidence.  Look at spiritual Father the same way we look at our earthly father 

God the Father intended to be the template for fatherly behavior on earth (the way He treats His kids to be way we treat ours)

Choose Character

• Pray
• Colossians 3:12   Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering

A.    Definitions – character

1.  The sum of our traits that we are known by.

2.     Reputation – How you are known

3.     Faithfulness

4.     Character is the total of what makes us up, or the “whole”. Integrity is the parts and pieces that make up the “whole” – We are going to talk about both. Many times the two are used interchangeably, but keep in mind the differences.

            1. The milk of the Word vs. the meat of the Word

A.    The milk is what Jesus or the Kingdom of God will do for you. – (Heb 5:12)

a) salvation

b) hope and comfort in troubled times

      c) healing – physical, emotional

(all are benefits of Jesus’ work at The Cross or Atonement)

2.    The meat of the Word is what you do for The Kingdom

1)   Hebrews 5:12 (NIV)
 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

a)       baby food

2)     James 2 : 8 (Mess)   I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove

Show your faith – God expects it, from ourselves, show to family and friends benefit

a)      an example - practical Christianity / meat of The Word

b)      God does the supernatural – all miracles of past, present, and future – Jesus, conquering Love, re-establishing His Kingdom and making us part of it.

c)      He expects us to do the natural (because of our faith – IN HIM) to show His Love to others – Shows Him to others (family, those around us) – perhaps we are the only God that person will see!

3) Character of God

a)  Isaiah 11:5

5 Righteousness will be his belt
 and faithfulness the sash around his waist

note: faithfulness one of the deffs. Of character

b)   1 Thessalonians 5:24

     The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

         c) Deuteronomy 7:9

9  Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping    his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands

The Word says to “Be like Him” – 1 John 3:2

Kids want to be like their father – they naturally emulate their parents

We are made in His image, since He is of character and it is a trait that we all can and should develop, He expects us to be of character for our own good as well as everyone we come in contact with.

4) Characteristics Traits Of The Saints

            a)   Bible says anyone who is saved is a saint. – We ARE people of character

b)      There are many character traits we can identify

·        Blameless

·         Bold

·         Faithful

·         Just

·         Godly

·         Humble

·         Attentive to Christ’s voice - John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

·        Prudent - Proverbs 16:21  The wise in heart will be called prudent,
      And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

·        If we are saved The traits are in us – Romans 12:3 – up to us to develop them by exercising and using.

5) God Tells us what Our Choices Are – Then tells Us What To Choose

Deuteronomy 30:19 (New King James Version)

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before   you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live

           
6) Traits To Be Known By – (what I want people to say about me)

1.     ALWAYS  do what we say we are going to do – if we can’t we make sure the people who are counting on us, know so other arrangements can be made.

2.    ALWAYS be on time. – part of being faithful – trustworthy.

3.    ALWAYS be where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be.

2 Samuel 11:1 – David supposed to be off at   war

read entire account 2 Sam 11:1-17

·        If we always do those things, always being the key, people will know us for those traits. They will cut us slack when we can’t do what we have promised.

·        Remember, trust takes a long time to establish but is destroyed in an instant.  (established by your character, the part of you, you are known for).

·        Don’t worry if some people don’t trust in your character right away, just continue to show them you are doing the right things – prove your trustworthiness.

·        Some never will trust us no matter what we do. But just keep on doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do! – Keep doing what’s right 1 Peter 4:19

REMEMBER, GOD TELLS US WHAT TO CHOOSE, IT’S UP TO US TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE!

UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE

·        Praise

·        Pray

Text scripture:

Eph 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

 *One  separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant; a believer in Christ.

·        Psalm 16:3    But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

·        Rom 1:7    To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

·        Eph 1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

·        My only point here is that the Bible calls  those who believe in and confess Christ as Lord and Savior are saints.

·        Interesting that in the 4^th century, the believer was relegated to a common person and the Biblical term for believer “saint” was made a title of high esteem. (you had to have been an apostle of Jesus, performed miracles or both and be dead)

·        We can then understand our text scripture Eph 4:12 better.  (re-read)

1.    Paul reminds Ephesians who they are and what they are to be doing. (I know – but we can logically surmise that if they are to “perfect the saints” it is implied that they are saints themselves).

2.    Revelation given to Paul regarding building the Church (body of Christ, re-establishing The Kingdom Of God)

3.    We are to teach people, who teach people, who teach people, who teach people – etc.

4.    If we are to be effective in “perfecting the saints” we must 1st realize who we are in Him, and what Christ has done for us.

 

·        Who we are in Christ can be defined by what He has done for us!

·        We must realize – God’s plan to re-establish Kingdom depends on believers in Christ spreading the Church - perfecting the saints

·        We need to realize it will be done with - or without you and I.

Jesus told disciples that the gates of Hades would not withstand The Kingdom Of God – NOTHING WILL STOP THE CHURCH!

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (explain Gate of Hades being a real place real place)

This is a point many Christians lose sight of in a culture of declining morality they think the Church will be derailed. They don’t know - or forget that all along, God’s plan was to re-establish His Kingdom right over the top of Pagan religions that ran rampant in those days.

·        We will do it because we love Christ – He loved us first

  1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us  -

·        God sent His only Begotten Son to make a sacrifice we can’t imagine on behalf of us

        John 3:16, (read) (father who’s son dies – let alone sending Him to His death)

        

   Col 2  14 Having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

·        Christ sacrificed Himself for us – to preserve us, the only way we will be preserved is if the Church is established and The Kingdom is re-established

·        Think of this – Christ entrusted the establishing of His Church on earth to 12 disciples who did not have a clue until that final 3 years of Jesus life.

·        He trusted them and now He trusts you and me

·        If we are His servants – bought and paid for with his blood we must realize a few things: