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Title: The Greatest Question Ever Asked (Part Two)
Two weeks ago, before the Easter holiday, we began looking at 3:1 and I offered a challenge to you, and that challenge, you may recall, was to be able to join John in his exclamation when he remarks, “What manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called Children of God!”
I also suggested that while John makes this statement as an exclamation of God’s unbelievable love for us, that we’d do well, to begin by making this statement a question, and asking, “What kind of love from God has the power to make us children of God?”
I told you that the conclusion of our two part sermon series my goal was two-fold. I hope that you will be able to:
1. Understand the manner of God’s love better than you’ve ever understood it before.
2. Join in changing that question mark to an exclamation point.
And two weeks ago started by looking at two of the five characteristics of God’s truly amazing love.
1. God’s love is a restorative Love.
2. God’s love is precise Love.
Today, we will cover characteristic 3. Next week, we will look at 4 and 5. But today’s is so BIG, so HUGE, I had to give it it’s own sermon. (I’ll also admit that this is a passion of mine, something I can, and have taught on, for years of my life.)
Let me say this another way: I am your pastor. If you trust me, trust me when I tell you this: what we are going to talk about today is BIG, we must study it carefully, and slowly, and we must ask good questions at the conclusion of today’s message.
III. God’s Love is a Purposeful Love
When we use words like Predestination, Elect, and Foreknowledge, people get nervous. Based on ignorant and ill-informed teaching, both inside and outside the Chruch, images are conjured up of an arbitrary God, randomly selecting some as vessels for honor, and selecting others as vessels of wrath, radomly destining some for heaven, and some for hell.
Friends, I am here to tell you that there is NOTHING random about our God, there is nothing arbitrary about our salvation.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
-Romans 8:28
We are NOT called acording to “His whim” we are NOT called according to “His chance” We are called according to His purpose.
Q: What is the number one objection raised to the idea that your salvation begins with God’s own choosing?
A: Why does He choose some and not others?)
Q: What should the number one objection be?
A: Why in the world did HE choose ME?
And why did He choose you? Because you were chosen for HIS purpose. So then, if we are to be consciencious, mature, Biblical followers of Christ, what MUST the very next question be?
What is my purpose?
I’m going to propose this morning that the answer to this grand question comes in two camps:
1. Universal Purpose: The Goal of EVERY Christian
2. Specific Purpose: The Goal of YOU.
So what are some universal purposes? What are things that we know all Christians are called to do?
Universal Purpose:
1. Evangelism (making disciples)
2. Live holy lives.
3. Tithing. (supporting your local church)
4. Being good neighbors (love others as yourself)
5. Glorifying God in everything we do.
Now, that first one, universal purpose, is easy, there are examples of that all over scripture. Unfortunately, there is no book of Ben, so finding my specific purpose is a bit more difficult, but with some good questions I think we can get there.
Questions to determine our specific calling/purpose:
1. Where are you? (Are you where you should be?)
A. Are you in the right place physically? (Are you truly at peace with your location?)
B. Are you in the right place spiritually? (Can you hear God where you are?)
C. Who is around you that you can invest in?
D. The question is not, “Where should I go?” But rather, “Where are you now?”
Jim Elliot (missionary): “Wherever you are, be all there.”
2. Who are you? (You were fearfully and wonderfully made)
A. What brought you to this place right now? (What experiences have you had, both good and bad, that can help others know Christ?)
B. What do you like? (Not including sin.)
C. What are you good at? (What talents, skills, spiritual gifts have you been given?) (If you don’t know, ask a GOOD FRIEND.)
Select a guinna pig. (Nick B.)
Q/A