The Quest

1The Quest

The Christian life is more than a day to day walk with the Lord, it is a “Quest.”

2The Bible is a treasure map.

Have you heard of Rick Warren and his “Purpose Driven Life” series? It is a movement within the church today that has inspired many Christians to find meaning in their existence. It has motivated otherwise lacadazakle Christians to wake up and allow God to direct their lives through His purpose. This is the Nazarene version, based on a similar principle but going farther. The Sub-heading of the book is “Discovering Life in the Spirit of Christ”.

3Know this: It will take a lifetime to explore all that God has in mind for you.

Acts 17:25-34 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the

4 God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with

those who happened to be there. 18 A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19 Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." 21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

24 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. Moving on to verse 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject." 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed.

There were men who sought the truth the truth. They wanted their lives to mean more that a superficial religiosity.

5What is the purpose of your life? Have you ever wondered why you are

present in this world today, in this moment of time, even sitting in the chair this morning?

God has promised us that if we seek Him we will find Him.

The goal then is to develop a close personal relationship with God. Augustine:

6“Our hearts are restless until they rest in thee oh God.”

Years ago a young black child was growing up in Cleveland, in a home which he later described as “ materially pour but spiritually rich”

7One day a famous athlete, Charlie pact, came to his school to speak to

the students. At the time paddock was considered “ the fastest human being alive”. He told the children, listen! What do you want to be? You name it and then believe that God will help you be it. That little boy decided that he too wanted to be the fastest human being on earth.

The boy went to a track coach and told him of his new dream. His coach told him, it’s great to have a dream, but to retain your dream you must build a ladder to. Here is the latter to your dreams. The first-rung determination! The second rung is dedication! The third rung is disciplined! And the fourth rung is attitude!

The results of all that motivation is that he went on to win four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He won the 100-meter-and broke the Olympic world records for the 200 m. His broad jump record lasted

(8)for 24 years. His name? Jesse Owens.

The quest for God is one that will and should consume you for a lifetime.

9We must be careful that we do not fall into the trap of complacency.

God has so much to offer you that you cannot be the same today as you were yesterday if you put your trust in Him. Think of the things in your life, your home or garden. You add things change colors, plant new trees or flowers. You read, listen to your pastor, things on the radio, but always in transition, trying to be better at what you do.