Faith Causes Us To Live With A Purpose Series

### **Introduction: Purpose or Performance?**

Video Ill.: Sermon Bumper 2

### **Opening Story + Transition (Refined for Sermon 2)**

Power Outage Teaches Church a Valuable Lesson

Source: Clark Cothern, "Power outage or Power display?" Leadershipjournal.net (10-3-09)

https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2009/november/3112309.html

In an article for *Leadership Journal*, Pastor Clark Cothern tells the story of a Sunday morning his church will never forget.

They met in a rented gym—no building of their own, just a faithful community doing what they can where they are. On that particular Sunday, the service was going as planned—music was strong, the lights were on, the sound was dialed in. Everything was flowing.

Then, right in the middle of Communion, the lights went out.

No storm. No warning. Just silence.

The electric piano went dead. The microphones cut off.

And suddenly, the entire congregation stood still, holding their bread and cup, in the quiet dark.

And in that moment… something holy happened.

No stage. No sound system. No production.

Just people. Voices. Community.

And the unmistakable presence of God.

They sang together—unplugged, unrehearsed—and the worship became deeper than it had been all morning.

Pastor Cothern prayed, “Lord, thank you that your power is on display, especially when our power is gone.”

And the moment he said “Amen”—the lights came back on.

The congregation laughed—not just because the timing was perfect, but because they all knew…

God had just reminded them: Worship is not about preference. His power is not tied to performance.

### **Transition to the Sermon:**

And I think that’s what many churches today need to remember.

We often believe that if we can just get the right event, the perfect song list, the cleanest production—then people will come, and lives will change.

But Jesus did not call us to put on a show—He called us to live out our faith.

Our purpose as the Church is not to create moments that impress…

It’s to live lives that reflect Christ.

**Key Line:**

Church is not an event to attend; it is a mission to live.

This morning, we are not just talking about faith that fills a seat.

We are talking about a faith that causes us to live with purpose—every day, using our gifts, stepping into our calling, and following Jesus with our lives, not just with our lips.

### **Point 1: Faith Gives Us a New Purpose**

Olympic Medalist Has a Higher Purpose

Source: Morgan Lee, “Meet the Rio Olympians Who Put God Before Gold” ChristianityToday.com (8-5-16); Pat Forde, “Meet Maya DiRado,” Yahoo!Sports.com (7-21-16)

https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2020/june/olympic-medalist-has-higher-purpose.html

Sometimes, we confuse goals with purpose.

Goals are what we want to accomplish.

Purpose is why we want to accomplish them—what it all means in the end.

Take Olympic swimmer Madeline DiRado.

In 2016, she qualified for the Rio Olympics in four events. She had narrowly missed the team in 2012 at the age of 23 and knew this would be her one shot at Olympic glory.

And she reached her goals. She came home with a bronze, a silver, and two gold medals.

But that was not her purpose.

In an interview, she said something unexpected:

“I don’t think God really cares about my swimming very much. This is not my end purpose, to make the Olympic team. I think God cares about my soul and whether I’m bringing His love and mercy into the world… Can I be a loving, supportive teammate, and can I bless others in the same way God has been so generous with me?”

That is the difference between chasing accomplishments… and living with eternal purpose.

Many people are running hard after goals—money, recognition, comfort, success—but they are still searching for meaning.

The world says, “Find what makes you happy.”

Jesus says, “Lose yourself in Me, and you will truly live.”

### **Transition to Scripture**

And that is exactly what the apostle Paul is conveying and teaching us in Galatians 2:20. He says:

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2, NLT)

You see, Paul is saying, “My purpose is not mine anymore. It is His.”

It is no longer I who live. It is Christ who lives in me!

When we surrender our lives to God, when we submit to His will, when we accept His gift of grace, our life’s purpose is radically changed.

We have something completely different for which to live.

I am not just living for goals anymore. I am living for God’s glory. Not success. Not comfort. Not applause. But for the glory of God and the mission of His kingdom.

### **Illustration: The Empty Trophy Case**

Not long ago, we were at a district rival school for a basketball game. While waiting on Isaiah to get changed, I walked through the hallway and noticed an old trophy case tucked into the wall.