Sermon Central
-
What Are We Living For?
Contributed by Bobby Mcdaniel on Feb 8, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: As taken from Rick Warren’s "A Purpose Driven Life," a study of God’s purpose for our life and how we bring glory to God.
What Are We Living For?
Scripture Ref: Psalm 19:1-4 2 Corinthians 3:18
Revelation 4:11 Philippians 1:11
Romans 6:13 2 Corinthians 4:15
Additional References: The Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Purpose Driven Life, Chapt. 7, Rick Warren
1. Introduction
a. The TV series Star Trek, and its numerous spin-offs, frequently referred to the prime directive, an order that was held supreme over all other procedures and instructions the federation officers were required to follow.
b. The prime directive held they were not to interfere in the development of any of the alien life forms they encountered in their journeys.
c. An unknown author, years past, took a different spin on the prime directive. I recall hearing it when I was still on active duty in the navy. It was stated this way:
“When you’re up to your neck in alligators, it’s difficult to keep your mind on the fact that the prime directive is to drain the swamp.”
d. Does that sound a little like you today? Are you having difficulty remembering you are supposed to be draining the swamp?
e. When you think nobody is watching, do you ever find yourself asking the question, “What am I living for?”
f. Today, we are going to examine the true prime directive. We are going to look at why we are here and what purpose we are supposed to be doing while we are here.
2. The Ultimate Goal
a. Rick Warren, in his book The Purpose Driven Life, sums our purpose up rather nicely. He says, “The ultimate goal of the universe is to show the glory of God.”
b. Before we can show God’s glory, though, we must know what it is and where we can find it.
(1) Question—What is the Glory of God?
Answer—The glory of God is who He is. It is His fundamental nature, the significance of His importance, the beauty of his grandeur, the demonstration of his power, and the feeling of His presence.
(2) Question—Where is the glory of God?
Answer—Where is it not? We only have to look around us to see it in everything: the beauty of a sunrise or sunset, the laugh of a baby, the unconditional love of a puppy, the might of a raging storm, the soothing breeze on a hot day; His glory is in us and around us.
(3) Scripture answers this question and shames us at the same time.
Read Psalm 19:1-4—The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship. Day and night they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world. (LB)
c. God’s inherent glory is there because He is God. Its His nature. We can neither add to it or subtract from it.
d. Scripture, in numerous places, gives us some specific goals we are to have with respect to God’s glory. We are commanded to recognize His glory, honor His glory, declare His glory, praise His glory, reflect His glory, and live for His glory.
e. Why? Because He is worthy of it.
Read Revelation 4:11—You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
f. In all of God’s creations, only two of those creations fail to bring glory to Him—fallen angels and us.
g. We fail to give God glory by loving anything else more than we love Him.
h. The biggest mistake we can make is not giving God the full glory He deserves from our lives.
i. The greatest achievement we can make in our lives is living for God’s glory.
3. How Can I Bring Glory to God?
a. In the simplest of terms, we can bring glory to God by doing what we were placed here to do, by fulfilling His purpose for us.
(1) Flowers bring glory to God by blooming with radiant pedals and scent the air with their perfume. The sun brings glory to God by providing light and heat during the day. The river brings glory to God by traveling the path it has been given and providing water and nourishment along its journey. The list is endless.
(2) But those are inanimate objects. What about God’s greatest creation, us? Jesus honored God by fulfilling his purpose on earth.
Read John 17:4—I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
(3) There are many ways we can bring glory to God, but they can be summarized in five purposes God has for our lives.
b. One—We bring God glory by worshipping Him.
