It’s Been said Life is like a Journey - Searching for the Answers Most Basic Questions - Life
People spend - WHOLE Lives & Fortunes Looking for Meaning/Purpose
Wouldn’t it be Great - ONE PLACE – Like Google – Where we could find – searching For?
Type in “Meaning of Life” - 118 Million sites / Purpose of Life – 161 million sites
Whether our Search is in Cyber Space OR Part of the Human Race!!
Where Do we Find the ANSWERS to What we are Looking For?
Welcome to PART 2 – Google: What are you Searching For? Five Week Series – Searching for Answers to Life’s Most Challenging Questions
PART 1: Searching For A Network of REAL Friends / How many – in a Small Group?
When some elementary kids were ask if they had any questions for God, this is what they said:
• Dear God, is it hard for you to love everybody in the whole world? There are only 4 people in my family and I can never do it. – Nan
• Dear God, My Grandpa says you were around when he was - little boy. How far back do you go? Dennis
• Dear God, Are you really invisible or is that just a trick? - Lucy
• Maybe Cain & Abel wouldn’t kill each so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother - Larry
• Dear God, In Sunday school they told us what you do. Who does it when you are on vacation? - Jane
• Dear God, how did you know when you were God? Who told you? Charlene
• Did you really mean do unto others as they do unto you, ‘cause if you did - I’m gonna fix my brother - Darla
• Dear God, is it true my father won’t get in Heaven if he uses his golf words in the house? Anita
• Dear God, did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident? Norma
• Dear God, I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? - Neil
• My brother told me how babies were made but it just doesn’t sound right. What do you say? Marsha
• Dear God, I read the bible. What does beget mean? Nobody will tell me. Love Alison
Last Week: Introduced you to “Wisest Man Who Ever Lived” / Solomon and his Search for Meaning
"So I decided to compare wisdom and folly, and anyone else would come to the same conclusions I did. [13] Wisdom is of more value than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness. [14] For the wise person sees, while the fool is blind. Yet I saw that wise and foolish people share the same fate. [15] Both of them die. Just as the fool will die, so will I. So of what value is all my wisdom? Then I said to myself, "This is all so meaningless!" [16] For the wise person and the fool both die, and in the days to come, both will be forgotten.
[17] So now I hate life because everything done here under the sun is so irrational. Everything is meaningless, like chasing the wind. [18] I am disgusted that I must leave the fruits of my hard work to others. [19] And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish? And yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work. How meaningless! [20] So I turned in despair from hard work. It was not the answer to my search for satisfaction in this life. Ecclesiastes 2:12-20 (NLT)
So many people Identify with Ecclesiastes because Solomon’s HONEST Search Familiar
What’s Clear - entire story of Solomon’s life shows what happens when we try to answer the big questions of Life . . . on our own, without consideration of God’s perspective. Solomon had everything the world could offer – Wasn’t Enough.
All his accomplishments, though greater than any other - just “a chasing after the wind.”
Like a Modern Day Solomon – Bono screams, “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for”
If you had One Question for God – What would it be?
[Video: “What’s one question you’d like to ask God?” Man on the Street video where we asked random people this question and showed the results.]
Where Do I Find Answers to My FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)?
1. Why Am I Here?
Do you KNOW? Do you WANT too?
Before you can – must determine WHICH path in the trail of Life you’ll take:
Naturalism or Creationism
Naturalism = Evolution / Chance / Random / Life is an Accident
Creationism: Everything begins w/ God / there is a Plan – a DEVINE Plan
Either Life started as an ACCIDENT or Life BEGAN with a Plan
Life is NOT An Accident! For to Believe that life is an accident is to invite Meaningless / Hopelessness & Despair
David - Solomon’s Father said:
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT)
Look at the Detail & Intricacy / Science Backs this Up / Bodies are Incredible!!
But even More – LOOK AT THE INTIMACY in which God took to Craft You!!
YOU are not an accident / Parents May no have planned you/ GOD DID!!
While YOU may be a product of my past – You don’t have to be a prisoner of it.
In our Search for Answers - We often ask self centered questions: What do I want to be?
What should I do with my life? What are my goals . . . ambitions . . . dreams . . . future?
"It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone." Ephesians 1:11-12 (Msg)
You’ll never find the “Why” or “what” if you begin with YOU! NEVER reveal - purpose
Rick Warren - PD LIFE “Only Begins with GOD!” [Have you Read?]
Why are YOU Here? God made you to love you! Doesn’t NEED us – Made to Demo Love
God wants & Desires OUR LOVE TOO!! RELATIONSHIP!!
And He wants us to Love each other too - by serving & sharing the good news!
Why Am I Here? Why are YOU Here?
God has A PLAN FOR MY LIFE!
But Do you Know WHERE to Find the Answers to God’s Plan for Your Life?
[Drama: “Questions”]
2. What Does God Want Me to Do?
For the believer in Jesus Christ – The Bible is the Definitive Source Foundation for Life
Written in Story Form, See HOW God interacts with Those before us – & his CHARACTER
Other Portions – Written as Poems or Songs that are meant to Inspire – Faith & Belief
Some parts – Letters that give Instructions and reinforce or explain Christ Teachings
Ultimately, the Bible IS the answer to all our Questions. It IS the SOURCE of all Truth
[More Facts & Historical Evidence – Pick Up Week 1 – DaVinci Code]
Some of you – Might think My Statements are pretty Dogmatic / very FUNDAMENTAL
“How can You be so SURE?” / “How can you think your So RIGHT?”
Let me answer that by asking a Question: How many – given instructions by boss or parent – followed through – found out you were “WRONG”?
Either they didn’t know what they wanted or the instructions were UNCLEAR? WRONG!
HOW FRUSTRATING IS THAT? Work hard to do your Best and your Wrong. That’s De-motivating
God’s Word MUST be definitive in my Life OR its VAGUE!! Uncertain / I’m Unsure!!
People today want Stability but they are Not Willing to Ground Their Life into Something! So they are Unstable. While May say they want ANSWERS, they are Really only looking for OPTIONS!!
“Option A or B: Which do I Like the best?” We are Fickled! / Vacillate / Unfaithful
And IF it’s NOT Definitive / Absolute or Final – Then we’re able to be Deceived
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ’You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" Genesis 3:1 (NIV)
Serpent began to TWIST God’s Words – “Did God really say . . .”
Fact – God DIDN’T Say it / but the words were Close enough to begin a conversation
IN the OT, Moses was being Replaced by 2nd in Command – Joshua. God was Going Over his LAW (10 Commands) or Guidelines with Joshua & the People
"Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on
it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed." Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
“Study” – Investment / “Meditate” – Commit to Memory through repetition / OBEY! Do it!!
A lot of People don’t Like that part: “Well, I’m Trying!!” “Not Perfect!!”
That’s All Well & GOOD, But God’s not looking at what we INTEND to Do / Look at what we DO DO!!
WHY? Because God doesn’t want us to be Deceived / Wants us to SUCCEED!!
Parent, we don’t put RULES on my Kids to cause them to FAIL!! We want them to Succeed
GOOD INTENTIONS don’t bring Success / Only by staying within the Curbs!
Within those Curbs [Our Guidelines] Great Freedoms / Blessings / Privileges
OUTSIDE THOSE CURBS – Harm & Lack of FAVOR!!
So there are "curbs" or guidelines: Not because I Hate my kids but because I LOVE THEM!
In the Man on the Street Video, some asked God, “Why is there PAIN?” That’s Like saying, “Why do the Police allow auto accidents? THEY are the ones who put up the Stop Sign I just ran when I smashed my car
THEY are the Ones who Posted the Speed Limit I just Broke - $250 fine."
“Mr. Policeman, WHY ARE YOU CAUSING ME . . . PAIN?!?!” Ludicrous – but that’s HOW we live when we blame God for most of the pain in our lives!!
Look – When we Live outside of God’s CURBS –Life NOT good / Consequences make our life a living hell.
And as HARSH as that Might be - How much Harsher is life outside of those CURBS?
HOW MUCH More Painful is it To LIVE Outside of God’s FAVOR?
God is SERIOUS About this & He Disciplines Disobedience BECAUSE He Loves Us
"Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way." 2 Timothy 3:16 (Msg)
God’s Word Guides Me / Disciplines Me / Puts me BACK on Track / Trains Me
WHen Combined with Prayer . . . God’s Spirit begins to Speak to Me SPECIFICALLY about how to live out his commands
When I was in College, I was Challenged with an Issue that I knew I needed to deal with. I knew Go wanted me to take a Radical Step and Toss out several albums containing some pretty Destructive Music on them. I felt VERY Strongly this is What God wanted me to do, but I Felt Stupid & Petty afterward dumping it all in the trash bin.
WHen I went back to my dorm room, I sat at my desk and told God how I felt. I said, "God, why did I need to do this? Show me!" That’s when God lead me to 2 Peter 1:10 that says, "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall"
God has a PLAN / As I Read His WORD (Instruction Manuel) STUDY / Put to Memory /
And Allow God’s Spirit to Apply it Specifically to my Life - Teaches & Guides / Success
Because I Discover TRUTH!! I discover PURPOSE!! Meaning & More of God’s PLAN!!
What does God Want Me to Do? WANTS ME TO KNOW HIS WORD & OBEY IT!!
Why? Because God wants me to Succeed! Prosper!! Live in THE TRUTH!!
What do YOU WANT?
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One day – As Jesus was teaching the Crowds, He gave them a Pretty Tough Challenge!!
Many Didn’t Like IT and they Started to Leave.
SO he Look at his Disciples and asked: “Do want to leave too?”
Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life. John 6:68 (NLT)
We Hold The WORDS that Give ETERNAL LIFE – God’s Word!!
Community NEEDS TO Not Only HEAR THESE WORDS – SEE THEM in ACTION!!For they are ONLY Words on the a Piece of Paper UNTIL We Put Them to FLESH!!
Gospel of John says “The Word became FLESH!!” God’s word must become flesh in our lives to this world.
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What’s your Next Step? THE NEXT LEVEL
CLASS 201
Read the New Testament by the New Year!
12 Week Reading Guide
Read the Bible Daily!
[The audio and graphic resources for this series are available at the website of Pinellas Community Church - www.PinellasChurch.org. Click the "PCC RESOURCES" link]
