Sitting on the beach on an island in the middle of nowhere with 19 other people who wished you weren’t there. And all you can think is “What on Earth am I Here For?” It wasn’t that long ago that life was different, more comfortable more fun and now all you have is the island, your “Team” mates and your desire to survive, and the burning question, why? Why am I here what do I hope to accomplish, will it make any difference in the end.
I’m pretty sure that at some point during the 39 days that the contestants of survivor spent on the Cook Islands many of them felt those very emotions. They didn’t belong where they were, you might even say they were strangers in a strange land. But they were all there for a purpose. You might even say it was 39 Days of Purpose.
Early believers were told by Peter in 1 Peter 2:11 Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. For those of us who are Christ followers this isn’t where we belong, Jesus acknowledged that when he was praying for his followers in John chapter 17 when he said John 17:16 They are not part of this world any more than I am.
We may be feeling a little more comfortable here then the 4 tribes are on the Cook Islands but we are still in a place that we don’t really belong, and we are here for a set period of time. It may we shorter then we think, the obituaries in the paper are full of people who I’m sure thought they’d be here a little longer. Or maybe you’ll be here longer then you expect. A wonderful friend of ours who attends our afternoon service turned 100 last Monday. Think about it, she was eight when the First World War broke out, 33 when Canada entered the Second World War. She was eligible to collect CPP when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon and probably if you had of asked Agnes through her life if she was going to live to be a hundred that wouldn’t have been her plan. Personally I hope to live a few more years yet but if I make it to a hundred it will come as a surprise.
But here we are, this is where we live, this is where we work and love and raise our families, so the question is “What on Earth am I Here For?” And if we are going to be spiritual survivors that is the question that has to be answered. And in order to answer that question there are a couple of other questions that have to be asked and answered.
Jeremiah 20:18 Why was I ever born?
1. Question of Existence: Why Am I Here? I am sure that there are times that some of the contestants on survivor wondered that very thing. What am I doing here? Why am I here? It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, an easy road to fame and a million bucks. After all how tough can it be, Richard won it the first time. But now, being there is a different story. Things aren’t easy, the food’s horrible and nobody likes you. You kind of feel like author Arthur Ashley Brilliant who said “My life has a superb cast, but I can’t figure out the plot.”
Well, the cast on survivor are there because they were chosen. I know that they wanted to be on the show but so did a pile of other people. They auditioned for the show and they were chosen, they were chosen to do something, there was a purpose for them being there. Ultimately they were there because they had been chosen to fulfill that purpose.
Their purpose is to win a million dollars, the producers of the show have a different purpose and that is to make millions of dollars. But regardless if there was no purpose to the show it would never get made. If you told the contestants we want you to go to an isolated place with 19 other people, you will live in isolation and deprivation, you will take part in strange events and at the end of 39 days you will go home, there probably wouldn’t be that many takers. And we probably wouldn’t watch a show like that and because of that it would never get made.
In the same way we have been chosen and we didn’t even have to audition. Every person on earth is here not by accident but because they were put here to achieve something. You are no accident, your life is not meaningless you are here for a purpose. And you know that, you may not know what your purpose is but you do know that you have a purpose.
(Budweiser Commercial with baby horse)
The Bible says in Proverbs 16:4 The LORD has made everything for his own purposes. God never made anything without a purpose. Although if I had to cast my vote I’m thinking snakes might be the exception. If you are alive today then you have a purpose, you are not the exception to the rule you were created for a purpose. In fact God created each of us with five purposes and we will be looking at each of those five purposes over the next five weeks.
In Ephesians 1:4 Long before He laid down earth’s foundations, He had us in mind, and settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love. (Msg)
If you don’t get anything else out of the Forty Days of Purpose, if you read the book, take part in a small group and attend every service and only get one thing out of all of them I hope it is the understanding that you were created to be loved by God. Say that with me this morning. I was created to be loved by God
Isaiah 49:4 My work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and for no purpose at all.
Question of Significance: Does My Life Matter If you were a contestant on survivor and were asked that question you might actually fool yourself into thinking that what you were doing was actually having an impact on the world at large, but the reality is that this time next year none of us will remember any of the cast of Survivor. As a matter of fact, when you think back over the history of Survivor you may be able to remember a couple of the contestants. Maybe you can remember the first winner of Survivor, Richard Hatch. And perhaps if you remember him it’s because of his recent problems with the IRS as much as it was for his appearance on the show.
Everyone of us needs to understand that our life matters. The entire scope of history was changed by one person. At different times doing different things but understand there was always a person who began the change. The world is what it is today not because of what society has done but because of what individual people have done.
Every person in the world and every person here today will choose to live their lives at a certain level The first and lowest level is the Survival Level. This is where way too many people are content to exist at. They’re in survival mode, they are just barely getting by, simply existing, putting in their time. If they die at 20 or 100 it really doesn’t matter because they’re not making an impact. And sadder still is they are not interested in making an impact.
The next level is the Success Level. You know what I’m talking about, for the most part those who live in this area are beyond the Survival Level. This is where by the world standards you’ve made it, a big home and a nice car. You’re doing well in your career and compared to the rest of the world you are wealthy.
It’s at the success level that you’ve got it, what every “it” is. Possessions, status, health, freedom and success. But there are a lot of people who reach this level who understand that this is not all there is to life.
And they are right, there is more to life and that takes you to the next step which is the Significance Level. You don’t get to this level through material success, it can’t be measured by what you drive or where you live. Instead you get there by 1) Knowing the meaning of life 2) Knowing that you matter to God an 3) by knowing God’s purpose for your life and living them out.
If you want to know how much you matter to God listen to some of these verses: In
Isaiah 44:2 “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.” (CEV) Think about it, God was caring for you even before you were born, and Jesus said in Matthew 10:29-31 Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows.
You matter to God, who you are and what you do. And not just for today and not just for forty days. The word of God says in Psalm 33:11 But the LORD’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. This is just our dress rehearsal for an existence that will last for eternity. Everyone one of us will live forever, when your heart stops that will be the end of your body, but it won’t be the end of you. You were made to last forever.
So think about it, you were made to be loved by God and you were made to last forever. And when you grasp that then you will realize the futility of living in either survival mode or success mode. You will spend far longer on the other side of death then you will on this side.
On this side if you are lucky you will live to be 70, 80 or maybe you’ll be like my friend Agnes and live to be over 100, but that is nothing compared to eternity. You were made for eternity and life now is simply preparation for eternity.
2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies—we will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
You matter so much to God that he wants you with him for ever. So the first question of Existence: Why am I alive? God answers by saying; I created you to love you, that’s why you are alive. And the second question is the question of Significance: Does my Life Matter? God says: You matter so much that I intend on keeping you alive with me for the rest of eternity.
The question is asked by the writer of Psalm 89:47 “Why did you create us? For nothing?” (NCV) And so the third question is a Question of Intention: What is My Purpose. Who was the Psalmist writing to? Who was he asking “Why did you create us?” Himself? No he was talking to God. Bertrand Russell, an atheist philosopher from the last century said “Unless you assume the existence of God, the question of life’s meaning and purpose is irrelevant.” And he was right, if there is no God, if we are just a cosmic accident then there is no real meaning or purpose to life. But there is a God
If you came across a something? You know something that you had absolutely no idea what it was or what purpose it served what would you do with it? Probably the wrong thing. But if you could talk to the creator or read the owners manual then you could discover the purpose of the something.
And if you are seeking to discover the purpose for you then you need to read the owners manual and talk to the creator . This is our owner’s manual and the very first words in this are found in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created . . . That’s where it all started was with God, if those words hadn’t been there then we wouldn’t be talking about the meaning of life this morning.
The Living Bible puts it this way in Proverbs 9:10 Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding. (LB) If you want to understand the meaning of life, if you want to understand your purpose in life, then you have to get to know God.
It all starts with God, remember: In the beginning. Colossians 1:16 For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. (Msg)
And then Paul writes in Ephesians 1:11 It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for... part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. (Msg)
So for the next forty days we are going to look at God’s purpose for our lives. There’s a white card that’s included in your program this morning. Would you take that out? This is a different card, because you’re not going to turn this card in. But I want everybody to get one. If you didn’t already do this last night, I want you to sign this card and take it home and put it on your refrigerator. This is your commitment to devoting the next 40 Days to this spiritual growth journey.
These next 40 days are going to transform your life. I’m absolutely confident of that. So I want you to look at this card. Follow along with me…
“Believing that God created me for his purposes, and the best use of my life is to fulfill those purposes, I commit the next 40 days to better understanding God’s five purposes for me.”
• I will participate in a 40 Days Small Group.
We have small groups already organized and can form more if needed. So if you’re not in one, it’s not too late. We have sign up sheets in the lobby and the hosts and leaders are there, we’ll make sure you get in a group. It’s not too late.
• I will read each day’s chapter from The Purpose Driven Life book.
Everybody gets a free copy of this book. I want to suggest that you schedule a daily appointment to sit down and read it. In the morning, at lunch, in the evening… I don’t care when you do it. Just do it. Schedule it and do it every day for the next 40 days, starting today. It will take you about 15 minutes a day. I would also suggest that you get a partner that you can call on the phone and discuss what you’ve read. Don’t go through this journey alone.
• I will do my best to hear all 7 messages in the series, 40 Days of Purpose.
What I’m going to be saying on the weekend will set up what you’re going to be studying during the week following. So what we’re talking about today, you’re going to be studying in a little bit more detail this week… including the small groups and the daily readings. So I’m asking you to commit to being here. If you’re in town, you’re here.
Now, if you added up what time it would take you to do all those things – even if you’re real generous – It would still be less than 36 hours total. Is the rest of your life and is all of the rest of your eternity worth 36 hours of your time, now? I think so. So I want to ask you to sign this and I want you to take it home, and I want you to put it up on your refrigerator to remind you.
Now, I realize that all of us here are at different stages in our spiritual journey. That doesn’t matter. We’re all going to go through this journey together, no matter what stage you are in. Some of you are seekers, and you’re saying, “I’m not even sure I buy this, but I’m intellectually honest enough to check it out.” Congratulations, that’s great – we’re glad to have you on the journey. Some of you are brand new believers and for you I’m very excited because you’re going to get to start off right, like many of us did not. Some of you are “stumblers.” You might say, “I call myself a Christian, but I’m not really very close to God. And I’ve been living for my plans and not God’s.” Well, this 40 days is the time to come home. Some of you are strong believers, and you’re going to go deeper with God than you’ve ever gone before and you’re going to bring others along, too. Regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey, look at this last verse…
Acts 10:35
It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. (Msg)
“It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”
~ George Herbert
Much of this message was adapted from material by Rick Warren at PurposeDriven.com. Used with permission.
PowerPoint is available for this message email me at denn@cornerstonewesleyan.ca
