What Are You Living For

Jacob Stewart

Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Have you ever wondered about your purpose in life?

Have you felt unfulfilled even though you might be phenomenally successful & blessed according to everyone around you?

It’s probably an issue of purpose:

I’m going to share a very simple idea with you today that MANY of us even those who have been Christians for a LONG time will probably argue against in our mind. (This is why I actually didn’t want to preach this message, but obeyed anyway)

But…

Let’s allow God’s word to guide us and set the pattern for our life and our thinking

This will also not be an exhaustive teaching, so let the conflict drive you to resolution through turning to the Bible

Beginning to Understand Spiritual Things:

Let’s first know that we can understand spiritual things by looking at the natural world in some ways:

1 Corinthians 15:46 NKJV

46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.

Romans 1:18–20 NKJV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

The physical condition of Leprosy, in the Bible is often viewed as the physical type of Sin:

Disease of the nervous system

Very contagious

Causes parts to lose blood flow and begin to die

Smell of death & decay is prevalent

When the body does something different than the head (Lord) is directing it to do, it can spiritual be similar to a natural medical condition called cerebral palsy or something as extreme as a stroke.

Each of us is a part of the same body of Christ and Jesus is the head

The body does not have a different purpose than the head

So what is the purpose of the Head, Jesus Christ?

Luke 19:10 NKJV

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Jesus’ Singular Purpose was/is to Seek and to Save that which was lost

For Oneself, Salvation is actually as good as it gets!

Nothing can be added to improve upon salvation.

Once we have been born again there is really only one thing to live for.

The One Thing:

Every one of us has an identical purpose after receiving salvation personally - it’s called the Great Commission or the Great Commandment

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

After receiving salvation, every one of us has ONLY ONE THING valuable to live for: Giving salvation to others.

Becoming rich doesn’t benefit our eternity, it only affects our current ability

Becoming famous doesn’t make us any more saved or holy, it only gives us a bigger platform to preach this Good News

Being generous and doing humanitarian works are only valuable to the extent that those things make & point a way to Jesus

Having your dream home & dream car won’t carry over into eternity - you can’t take it with you

But…we are all unique…Aren’t we???

Every Christian individual has exactly the same purpose, but expresses that purpose in a different way.

Many of us have written out a “Purpose Statement” for our life. A great resource to get started in a purpose statement is a book called “The On Purpose Person” by Kevin McCarthy.

I want to challenge us to add something to it:

Rather than simply writing: “I exist to...”

I want to challenge you to write:

“I exist to seek and to save the lost through/by...”

Matthew 10:7–8 NKJV

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

This scripture means: Wherever you go and whatever you find yourself doing in life, after salvation, the only thing that matters is that AS YOU DO THAT, you preach the kingdom & lead people to Jesus.

When we have a singular purpose, all else becomes a tool to fulfil that purpose.

When we fulfil our purpose, we will have all we need & begin to step into the abundant life that Jesus died for us to live

Matthew 6:31–34 NKJV

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Just One Thing:

The only way to live our best life is to fulfil our purpose.

Whatever you do this week (& every week), do it to seek and save the lost.

Discussion Questions:

What’s the funniest word in the English language? Why do you find it funny?

On a scale from 0-10 how fulfilled would you say that you are currently in your life (0 = Not all fulfilled - 10 = Completely fulfilled)? If you are not thoroughly fulfilled, are you willing to make some changes to align with Jesus’ purpose?

Please read Matthew 10:7,8 and 1 Corinthians 10:31 and share what these scriptures mean to you & how you can apply this to your life right away.