One of the most helpful things for us in life is to have a clear understanding of our purpose in life.
A purpose gives us clarity of why we do some things and not others.
A purpose helps us understand who we are and where we are going.
A purpose helps us prioritise and determine what is helpful and what is not.
And as we get closer towards a year of evangelism
understanding our purpose first as a community of believers is important,
then we will be able to see our purposes as individuals.
It will help us share clearly who we are and importantly who God is calling us to be.
Unfortunately though when it comes to being a community of believers, otherwise called the church
many people are not clear about what God says the church’s purpose is.
And therefore they find it difficult to see what their purpose is individualise.
But the Good News is God has said to each of us he does have a plan for us.
From Jeremiah 29:11 we hear
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This passage has been interpreted in many ways,
however I encourage you to listen to the context what God’s purpose for us is
10 This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. b I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
God purpose for us is to be people who He saves.
People who live as His saved people.
And this is the message of Ephesians chapter 1:3-14
Our purpose is not orientated around what we do,
or what we need to achieve but rather what God has achieved
But what God is creating for us, giving us and doing for us.
It is from God’s actions that our purpose in life flows.
Who we are, how we are meant to act,
How we work, live, play flows from what God’s doing for us.
In other words who we are meant to be as individuals and as a community is primarily shaped by God.
Not by community expectations
Not by what we think church and life should be
But by God
Story…of someone who relies on God’s efforts.
Ephesians 1 verse 3 says
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Every blessing we have in life comes through Christ.
Think about how you have been blessed.
Many of us think of material things, family, special occasions, the opportunities, who we are.
These are all from God.
But our blessings from God extend beyond what we see and help us right now.
In fact verses 4 through to 10 identify some essential blessings God is giving us as a community
Blessings which should influences how we relate to God
To each other
And to the wider community
Verses 4 through 10 clearly display to us that God’s actions through Christ result in us being:
Blameless and perfect
Being made a member of God’s family
Redeemed
Having our sins forgiven
In the process of being brought together under Christ as the head.
Can you see the emphasis?
Our life as Christians is not primarily about what we do,
but what Christ has done for us.
Think about that for a moment.
Our life in other words is a gift.
How does this shape your life?
How does this affect how we should be living?
Well in verse 6 it highlights we should be living a life of Praising God.
And in 1 Peter 2:9 we hear
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light
In other words our lives should be one of thanking God and highlighting how good he is.
That God actions are essential for the future.
Worshipping and singing in church is one part of that praising.
Some years ago,
I was challenged by a speaker who said when you come to worship you should aim to participate in everything 100%.
He said you don’t just participate in the things you like in worship but everything.
That means singing as loud as you can even if you are an ordinary singer or don’t like the song,
respond everytime,
when times of prayer occur pray
listen to everything
and always accept what God is offering.
Why because worship is not about what you like,
It is about thanking and praising God for what he has done for us,
not just as individuals but as a community.
And I believe there is something in this.
Imagine if we sang like those people at Cardiff Wales.
I don’t know if you have ever watched Rugby or are currently watching the cricket.
Occasionally they break out in song and it sounds fantastic.
Now I can guarantee that they don’t all sound terrific as individuals but as a group they sound great.
Imagine if every Sunday in church everyone sung with such gusto together.
Also our praise of God extends beyond an hour and a bit on a Sunday.
It should be a 24 hour 7 days a week.
And this is not singing in the streets or at work about God, but you may and are allowed to.
But about living a life of being thankful for what God is giving you.
Living a life that recognizes and appreciates your eternal life.
This can be expressed in so many ways.
But for me a good question to ask is am I acknowledging that God is my God in every decision I make and everything I do.
The second way our life is shaped is by relying on Christ to reveal his mystery.
For many people until they get into the bible and into a healthy Christian environment,
the way God operates does not make sense.
For many things in life, we need to work hard.
To have a good holiday we need to plan it, earn enough money for it, etc.
To have a good house the same.
That is not God’s approach to people.
He is offering each one of us the gift of eternal life.
A gift that was created for us even before the creation of the world.
And verse 14 reminds us that this gift has been confirmed and sealed with the Holy Spirit for each of us
Now unfortunately some people think that means no matter what they do they will always have access to God’s gift of eternal life.
That even if they stop coming to church,
stop participating in the Christian community
start ignoring God’s commandments.
Which Jesus summarises as living a life of loving God and loving others.
Well a few verses later in Ephesians we are reminded that because God has saved us our lives should be different.
From Ephesians 4:29 to 32 we hear
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
The way Christians live should differ from other people.
Not that we are goody too shoes,
Not to earn God’s favour
But to reflect who he is
And in doing so we are introducing others to God and the new life He is offering.
We are revealing Christ’s mystery to others.
Think of all your friends and family.
Think of everyone at work or in your social scene.
How many of them open their bibles.
How many of them worship regularly.
For them you maybe the only opportunity they have to be introduced to God and His way.
You in fact act as a bible to them.
How is God being reflected in your life?
Do people get a false picture of God that they must be perfect before he will love them?
Rough cave in
Or do people have a picture of God that He has this wonderful gift on offer for them,
that he has put in place
that they can get access to through Jesus Christ and His church?
The new testament talks a lot about giving yourself.
One way we can reflect God’s generosity, God’s approach to life
Is by doing things and living in ways that is not about getting things for us.
Not about putting ourselves first.
For instance:
Do you invite people over to your place so they can benefit or you can benefit?
Do you do things at work so you can benefit or so others can benefit?
Who is the priority in your life?
What you want now or what God wants?
Think about your life at the moment,
How might you change so people see more of God through you?
Finally and this important to keep in mind.
There are some people who are quick to criticize the church
and even our congregation because we are not perfect and not perfectly united.
Well for a start they are not being biblical.
This verse in Ephesians highlights that the Christian life is one of a process of being united under Christ.
We are not fully united.
This doesn’t mean we can go off and do our own thing.
But it does mean
Our unity doesn’t come from what we do, whether we worship together in one worship service or two.
Or whether we all do the same things
Our unity comes from being focused on Christ to guide and direct us and to provide for us.
And secondly we will be not completely united until we are heaven.
So as you live this week
As you prepare to be part of an evangelizing congregation
Check to see that Christ is central in your life
And that you are being influenced by what He has done for you
And constantly adjust your life so that God’s way is evident
Amen
I invite you to share with the person around you what are some of the blessings God has given you and how these influence how you live.
