Rhyme & Reason

S-ubject: Purpose

C-entral Theme: God gives us rhyme and reason to our lives

O-bjective: Every young person can know that they have a purpose to their life by understanding three things God has done for us.

R-ationle: Point #1: He has CALLED US

Point #2: He has COMMISSIONED US

Point #3: He has made us COMPETENT

R-esources: Introduction: The Great Dane & the Alligator

Conclusion: What’s the Answer to Life?

E-valuation:

INTRODUCTION: The Great Dane and the Alligator

There was a man who owned a Great Dane. Now this Great Dane was an extremely large a ferocious dog---definitely not the kind of dog you want jumping up in your lap. One day, as the man was walking his Great Dane down the street, he saw another man across the street who was also walking his dog----a little bitty dog with short legs no tail and no hair. It was an ugly dog and, frankly, looked sick.

Suddenly the Great Dane saw the little ugly dog across the street and decided he hated that dog. He broke free from his owner’s leash and dashed across the street on the attack. The owner of the Great Dane yelled at the man, "Look out! My dog is on the loose and he is liable to kill you and that dog of yours! You had better run!"

But the little ugly dog turned around, bared its teeth, and when the Great Dane attacked, that little dog proceeded to grab hold of the Great Dane at the foreleg and began to eat that big dog up. It ate right up the leg, right up the throat, ate its head, right down through the body, right across the tail, right down the back legs, spit out the bones, and smacked its lips---and that was the end of the Great Dane, just like that.

Well, the owner of the Great Dane was absolutely astonished by what he had just witnessed. "Man, what kind of dog is that?" the man exclaimed. "I’ve never in my life seen a little dog that could do something like that!"

"Dog? Dog?" the other man said. "Before he got his nose run over by a truck and his tail cut off by a train, this used to be an alligator!"

APPLICATION:

Appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes we judge people by how they look, but we fail to realize that on the inside, that are quite different. "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7)

You may feel like a little puppy on the outside, but realize that on the inside, you are the alligator. You have the power of God Almighty living within you by way of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Never allow the world to intimidate you with it’s loud noise and pompous attitude. Be the man or woman of God that he has called you to be in this last generation.

SCRIPTURE TEXT:

(Jer 29:11 NIV) 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.

THEME: A message about this generation being the last generation before Jesus comes. What God has called this generation to do. God has poured out his Spirit on this generation to empower them to set the captives free from the bondage of sin. This generation is not a generation that will be the church of tomorrow but is the church of today full of power and strength to fulfill God’s call on their lives.

OUTLINE:

I. CALLED OUT

A. Called by name

B. Call by a new name

II. COMMISSIONED

A. For a Plan

B. For a Purpose

III. COMPETENT

A. To Change this generation

B. To Reveal His glory

3 THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US..... TO GIVE US RYHME & REASON TO OUR LIVES!

I. HE HAS CALLED US OUT

"This generation has been called Gen-X because they say it has no purpose, no goals, no face, no name it just wants to be left alone and to itself but God has called you by name, and with that name goes a face, a life that is in need of the plans, purposes and pursuits of God."

A. CALLED BY NAME

Isaiah 43:1 NIV

43:1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

1. Singled out. God has singled you out amidst all the millions of people in this world and generation.

2. God knows you better than you know yourself. He knew you before you were born, and has a specific plan and purpose for your life.