Fulfillment For An Empty Life

Fulfillment For An Empty Life

(Ephesians 1:1-11 (NT) Also Romans 8:28 (NT))

(Evangelism, Priorities)

(Topical)

The ancient philosophers always had three question they debated…

1.) Where did I come from?

2.) What is my purpose?

3.) Why is there so much evil in the world?

Every conversation and debated hung on the skeleton of these three questions

Karl barth the 20th century theologian and philosopher said it this way, “ There is a God-shaped hole in the heart of every man, and this square hole can only be filled with God.

How about you? What do you call it?

You know what I am talking about? It is than fling after you put in a long day, after diapers, dishes and laundry is all done. It is the thoughts that cross your mind as you drive home from work.

Maybe it is the thoughts that fill your mind on the tractor.

What’s the purpose of life.

It is that lingering question that lingers over our hearts as we lay our head down on the pillow at night. Waiting to awake to the next rat-race cycle of life

· Story of the mouse in my sock

Many of us do that every day. We get so got up in the hurry and scurry of life that we don’t stop to fix the nagging suspicion of the cause of all this eating and drinking and being marry

That is why we set goals. We set our minds on things we have not achieved so we do not have to focus on what we don’t have. We don’t have to think about that square hoe in our hearts.

Most of us try substitutes. We try to fill that hole incur hearts with everything under the sun. Bad relationships, credit card bills, high mortgage payments are all symptoms of a unfulfilled heart

Let me tell you friend, I have prayed a lot about this message. And if you fell like I am talking about you then it is true. This message was custom made for you.

It does not matter who we have, What we have or how much we have of it! None of the things offered to us on earth can fill that void in your heart

There is only one thing that can bring peace, purpose and understanding to those lingering tights

I would like to tackle two of those three ancient questions from the book of Ephesians in

I believe the answer to Life’s Problems is…

1.) God’s Plan

Ephesians 1: 11

Despite the Scrooges among us who annually decry the commercialization, the

crassness, and the blatant sentimentality of so much of the Christmas

preparations, it is still a magical time of the year. The daily popping out

of multi-colored lights at doorways and windows, the Christmas tree lots

that seem to spring up over night, the magnificent window displays, the

wreaths, the tinsel, the reds and greens, and sound of bells--it all evokes

a tone of excitement and anticipation. It is as if the entire world is

preparing for a visit from an emissary from another world.

Of course, like typical Americans, we overdo it. Much of the music is too

loud and incessant; we are saturated with carols long before Christmas ever

arrives; many of the decorations are too big, to gaudy; but still, isn’t it

a remarkable time of the year?

Our impulse to create a fairy tale stage seems to take our minds off the

harsh Christmas realities. For even as we are caught up in the glitter and

the tinsel we know that all is not well in the world. Fact, murder and

robbery in the United States reaches its highest peak in December.

Fact, the Christmas season ranks just under Memorial weekend in the number of car

wrecks on the highway. Fact, the suicide rate will begin its annual climb

until it peaks out at what some call the "big downer" New Years Eve. This is

the reality of Christmas. No tinsel, no glitter--just harsh reality.

So we turn from a fairy tale setting that appears to gloss over and deny, to

a Christmas Biblical narrative that appears on the surface to do the same

thing. The story has the ring of a fairy tale. There is Elizabeth, for

example, and her husband Zechariah, an elderly couple who have long since

despaired of having any children, suddenly making an announcement to the

community that she is with child. His name was to be called John. Later he

would be known as the Baptist. Even Zechariah is unbelieving as he says in

amazement, "I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." Yet, it

happened.

Across town there is another birth announcement and this one too has the

ring of mysticism. The young girl Mary, who is barely more than a child