Sermon: Reminder of our Purpose
Summary: We should never forget the big picture of who we are and our God given purpose, especially when the world around us can become caught up in the vortex of consumerism, becoming consumers rather than givers who serve God's redemptive purposes in a world that does not know their creator and redeemer and is sorely in need of accepting him.
Text: Various
Scripture Reading: 1 Pet 2:4-6
Intro: 1. Used to be life would slow down around the holidays a. But now, the shopping frenzy starts b. Thanksgiving is eclipsed by, o-dark-thirty shopping, etc. c. Get bombarded with enticements from various marketers and retailers d. Season that was to focus on blessings has become about shopping 2. Can Christians get sucked into this vortex as well? 3. I want to step back and reflect on what we as God's people are all about
I. We were created to serve GodA. God created human beings to serve his purposes B. What is God's purpose for humans? 1. At the creation (Gen 1:27-28) a. Man did not create his own purpose b. God gave man direction - Be fruitful and fill the earth = Man was created in the image of God = God's image in man was to fill the earth - Have dominion over the earth = Man's rightful place was to oversee the earth = To do so according to God's instruction = They were to be benevolent, not oppressive - Gen 2:15 - To be the keeper of the earth = Humans are not sovereign = Humans are responsible to God c. Man was to serve God's purposes on the earth d. At the beginning, all was harmonious - Humans lived in harmony with the earth - Man and woman lived in harmony with each other 2. Genesis 3 - Man disobeyed God and brought sin into the world a. No longer was everything harmonious. Sin twisted it all b. Consequences for the woman - Gen 3:16 - Increase the pain of childbirth - Her desire will be for her husband = Probably the same desire as in Gen 4:7 = Sin's desire for Cain was to dominate = Why would woman want to dominate? - Man would rule over the woman = Since everything not harmonious, there needed to be authority = God placed the man in the authority position = Tendency for woman to want to dominate c. Consequences for the man - Gen 3:17-19 - Ground would be cursed and not cooperate - Work would become toil - Man would die and return to the ground 3. Text goes on to highlight how sin affected relationships a. With God - Man is separated from God, driven out - Means he is separated from life, wisdom, strength, b. With each other - Men began to murder, cheat, lie, steal - Every thought of man was on evil continually c. With the earth - Earth became cursed due to sin - Earth itself was somehow corrupted C. ILL: Made me think a little of my weedeater 1. I decided to get an electric weedeater, it was lightweight 2. Challenge to use a. Have to be careful not to weedeat the cord b. Have to make sure you have enough cord 3. If you get cut from the power, you are done a. Can't do a thing b. Doesn't matter how strong, fast, smart you are D. That's the way it is with us 1. Sin disconnected us from the source 2. God is the source of life, wisdom, strength, goodness 3. Apart from God is death and degeneration of every kind 4. Fortunately, God didn't leave us disconnected
II. We can be redeemed only by GodA. We cannot reconnect ourselves, only God can B. ILL: I want to you imagine a great steep canyon 1. One side is barren, empty, freezing, no electricity, water, food a. Everyone is slowly dying b. You have the means to preserve life, but no electricity c. It a dangerous place, dog-eat-dog place 2. The other side is bustling with life a. They have electricity, warmth, water, food, abundantly b. There is peace, joy, prosperity, wholeness c. Everything is flourishing and harmonious 3. Imagine you are on the dark, cold side a. You have an extension cord, but it is not long enough b. You have no way to get to the other side to the source c. You can't jump, drive, catapult, there is no way d. You are stuck, doomed to die 4. Bible says that is what happened to us due to sin a. Isa 59:2 - Our sins separated us from God b. James 1:14-15 - Sin brings death c. Eph 4:17f; 2 Cor 4:4 - Sin can blind you to your condition d. There is nothing we could do about it C. But God provided a way across so we can reconnect with the source 1. God made numerous promises to provide a way across a. Abraham's descendant would bless all - Gen 12, 22 - Was it Isaac? No, it would be Issac's seed - Was it Esau? = No, God chose the younger twin, Jacob = But it would be Jacob's seed - Jacob who became Israel, had twelve sons - The sons of Israel became the nation of Israel b. Moses delivers nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage - God makes a covenant with a whole nation at Sinai - Ex 19 - Israel would be a holy nation - set apart - Israel would also be a kingdom of priests = God wanted to make his name known to the nations, meant his character, reputation = His people were to do this through keeping God's laws = In Israel, slaves can go free, women treated with more dignity, debts are forgiven every 50 years, everyone has a day of rest, don't' charge interest . . . - Israel was to be a light to the nations 2. Problem - Things just didn't go way a. Israel was often oppressed by the nations - Reason is they often forgot God and acted wickedly - They not light to the nations, not kingdom of priests - Their solution to their difficulties? WE NEED KING! = Thought problem was they not have king = God's judges, prophets, & priests not enough = They not realize problem was disobedience - But God let them have their king = God would regulate the King = King was not sovereign = King to abide by a higher law - God's law b. Attempt at human kingship failed - In years of the kings, Israel rarely a nation of priests = Not forgive debts at Jubilee, charge excessive interest, not let slaves go free = Oppress poor & helpless, immorality = Worship pagan gods, child sacrifice = They no different than everyone else - Hundreds of years of God's patience = God sent prophets to them, they not listen = Their sins were piled up to the heavens = Glory of God departed his people = This meant their protection departed - The nations attacked them, ransacked them - People were resettled into foreign places c. In those years of kings, there was a bright spot - King David, head of Davidic dynasty - Man after God's own heart - He was the exception to the rule of bad kings d. God makes David a symbol of something larger than David himself - Become the symbol for kingship 3. God promised to raise up a deliverer to free from exile a. He would be a shepherd king in the order of David - He would shepherd his people in righteousness - There would be no more oppression - The king would establish the eternal reign of God - The king would eventually put an end to all oppressive kingdoms b. This deliverer would be the priest - He would atone for the sins of the people - He would be God's suffering servant - He would bear the sins of the world - He would reunite the people back to God c. This deliverer would be the prophet - He would speak God's word with authority - He would teach the people to know God - He would bring the people back to God d. He would be anointed prophet, priest, and king - "Anointed" in Hebrew is Mashiach, or Messiah - Deliverer in Hebrew is Yeshua, or Jesus 4. Then, in the fullness of time, God sent his son, born of a woman a. As prophet, priest, king, he would be the way back to God - He would be the bridge across the canyon - He the extension cord to reconnect to the source b. Bible tells us how - (1 Tim 2:5) One mediator, the man Christ Jesus - (Rom 1:16) How is he a mediator? The Gospel - (1 Cor 15:1-4) What is Gospel? Death, burial, resurrection c. Significance of his death and resurrection? - (Eph 1:7) Redemption and forgiveness - (1 Cor 15:20-23) Our resurrection due to his D. So God offers a way to God. How do we take that way? 1. (Rom 10:9) Belief in resurrection and confession of Jesus 2. (Acts 2:38) Repentance and Baptism a. Repent means to change your mind b. Repentance must be followed by action 3. It not merely about saying, "Yes I believe" there must be action a. (1 Pet 4:16-17) What happen those not obey Gospel? Rhetorical question b. (1 Thess 1:8-9) Eternal destruction do those who do not obey the Gospel c. Faith without obedience is worthless d. God wants us to obey the Gospel - Faith & obedience 4. (Rom 6:3-7) Significance of baptism a. We obey the Gospel in baptism b. Old self dies, new self rises - That is repentance c. v.6 - Sin that separated from God is done away with d. v.17 - God wants us to obey from the heart
III. You have been redeemed by God for his purposesA. Jesus redeemed you with his blood, you belong to him B. Notice the significance of obeying the Gospel 1. Gal 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ 2. Col 3:1-2 - Raised up with Christ, change in mind and behavior 3. (1 Pet 2:9-12) Our purpose - a Holy Nation, Royal Priesthood a. We are to proclaim God's excellencies b. We proclaim his excellencies in our excellent behavior c. We proclaim in our message. We do have a message! C. May we never forget our God given purpose 1. It's not to shop and just go and blindly be like world around us 2. We are a holy nation, a royal priesthood, God's people D. Good to reflect, what are some ways we show this? 1. What acts of benevolence, service, kindness, compassion? 2. When do we share the Gospel story with others?
Concl: 1. Some things to remember always, but especially during the holiday season 2. Let us not get so wrapped up, we forget our purpose
BULLETIN NOTES:
Sermon: Reminder of our Purpose
Summary: We should never forget the big picture of who we are and our God given purpose, especially when the world around us can become caught up in the vortex of consumerism, becoming consumers rather than givers who serve God's redemptive purposes in a world that does not know their creator and redeemer and is sorely in need of accepting him.
Intro: What we as God's people are all about
I. We were created to serve GodA. Purpose given at creation (Gen 1:27-28) B. Gen 3 - Man brought sin into the world 1. Consequences Gen 3:16-19 2. Sin disconnected us from the source
II. We can be redeemed only by GodA. Separation, Isa 59:2; Jas 1:14; Eph 4:17 B. God provided a way across 1. Biblical story Abraham's seed, Gen 12, 22 2. Israel to be a holy nation of priests Ex 19 3. Failure and human kingship C. God would raise up anointed prophet, priest, and king 1. 1 Tim 2:5-Jesus is mediator 2. Rom 1:16-Jesus is mediator through the Gospel 3. 1 Cor 15:1-4-The Gospel is the death, burial, & resurrection 4. Significance of death and resurrection Eph 1:7; 1 Cor 15:20f D. What God instructs us to do 1. Rom 10:9 - Belief and confession 2. Acts 2:38 - Repentance and Baptism 3. 1 Pet 4:16-17; 1 Thess 1:8-9 - Obey the Gospel 4. Rom 6:3-7, 17 - Obey from the heart
III. You have been redeemed by God for his purposesA. Jesus redeemed you with his blood, you belong to him B. 1 Pet 2:9-12 - Our purpose - a Holy Nation, Royal Priesthood 1. We are to proclaim God's excellencies 2. We do this in our excellent behavior 3. We proclaim in our message.
Small Group Notes: Reminder of our Purpose
Summary: We should never forget the big picture of who we are and our God given purpose, especially when the world around us can become caught up in the vortex of consumerism, becoming consumers rather than givers who serve God's redemptive purposes in a world that does not know their creator and redeemer and is sorely in need of accepting him.
Open: (choose one) - What do you like to shop for? How does the shopping season affect you? - What is your heritage? In what way does it affect how you see yourself?
Explore (1 Pet 2:4-12)
1. What does the metaphor of Jesus being a choice cornerstone (or capstone) teach us about Jesus in this passage? Who is Jesus? What does he do? Why is he important? Etc. . .
2. What does the metaphor of Christians being living stones teach us about Christians in this passage? What are Christians? What do they need to do? Etc. . .
3. Discuss the other descriptions of Christians in this passage. What do they tell us about what Christians are to be, how they are to think, and how they are to behave?
4. Sum up in a paragraph, from what you have seen in this passage, the identity and purpose of Christians.
Apply:
5. What description of Christians in this passage do you feel you are strongest in? How do you demonstrate it in your life?
6. What description of Christians in this passage do you find most challenging to apply to yourself? Where do you fall short?
7. How does this contrast what the world says you are as a person?
8. What are some areas in your life that need to change the most?
Prayer:
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