Know

As we reflect on Easter, and as we move forward, I want us to take a moment and look at where and how we are going as a church.

A Mission Statement vs Vision Statement

We are going to be looking at the mission of our church. The

Intro

John 17:1–5 ESV

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

Know God

John 17:3 ESV

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Any relationship that you have requires that you know who the person is.

The Bible is clear that a relationship with God requires that you know who God is.

The distinction: you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

This God has a name and makes this distinction for himself in the Bible. We see Him called by many names through Scripture, most often to describe Him. El Shaddai - Lord God Almighty, Adonai - Lord Master.

Tetragrammaton - The Four Letters

Yod hay Vav Hay

יהוה‎

Yaweh OR Jehovah

LORD all capitals.

It is important that we distinguish WHO we believe in. People will say they believe in god (abstract concept) but by that they do not mean that they believe in Yaweh - the God of the Bible.

There are many today who claim to believe in “God” but we cannot take this to mean the God of the Bible.

God made us in His image, but there are many who have fashioned a god in their own image.

We are not so far from what we see depicted in the Old Testament, with people serving false gods.

We know God by faith through the work of Christ.

Knowing God is very different than knowing about God.

Knowledge of God is intellectual. Knowing God is relational.

Knowing God requires faith.

Specifically that you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

To know him in a saving way, the Bible is very clear.

You must acknowledge your sin

You must believe in Jesus.

You must confess him as your Lord and Savior.

Only you can know if you know God.

There is evidence of knowing God.

1 John 2:4–6 ESV

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

This echoes what Jesus said in John 14:15

John 14:15 ESV

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

If you claim to know God, but this evidence is not there, you need to be concerned. One of two things is happening:

You know him and you are living in disobedience - you need to repent and follow Him.

You don’t know him at all.

Knowing God is the only way that we can truly know ourselves.

We become aware of our sinfulness.

We become aware of our need for God.

Through Knowledge of God and knowledge of ourselves we can then...

Know Your Purpose

Everyone is looking for purpose.

When you know the one who made you, you are then able to find out what He created you to do.

One of the most popular verses about purpose is Jeremiah 29:11.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I think it could be even more helpful to look at the calling of the one who said those words:

Jeremiah 1:4–8 ESV

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

We cannot take these as words to us, but they display who God is, and how He interacts with those whom he calls.

A New Testament example that we can take as a more direct promise is found in Ephesians 2:10.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

There is the general purpose of all believers. And then specific purpose within each of our lives.

The general purpose that all believers have is that we would become disciples and make disciples.

Becoming disciples means that we worship God, we learn about God, and we obey Him in our lives.

Making disciples means that we share with others about the hope we have found in Christ, lead others to follow Him, and teach them how.

Our specific purpose are the roles God calls us to play, and the specific tasks He calls us to do.

Sometimes these are lifelong, sometimes they are for seasons, and sometimes they are in an instant.

I want you to consider an example with me for a moment that I think will help clarify this.

Imagine that you ask someone what they do for a living. “I’m an employee.” Ok… where? “I work at Toyota” Ok… What do you do? “I work in HR.” What do you do in HR? “I respond to emails” Is that all? Like what is the purpose of your job? “I mainly deal with conflict and complaints between employees.”

This would be an infuriating conversation.

Every believer has a purpose from God. Too as Christians, this is the type of response that you get.

What do you believe? “I am a Christian” What does that mean to you? “I go to such and such church.” What do you do there? “We sing and hear a sermon.” Is that all? Like what is your purpose in that? “I serve in this way sometimes.”

In Christ is where you can find your true purpose, but too often, people look to external things for purpose and “do church.”

It is the opposite! Our faith is where we find our purpose, and then that informs all the things that we do.

So how do you find your purpose?

First you must know God.

Your purpose must fit within your biblical mandate of being a disciple and making disciples.

From there, you follow as God leads.

It is not hard to find your purpose as a Christian.

It starts by being obedient in every way that you are able.

From here, God will reveal to us what He calls us to. Most often this is done through opportunities that are presented to you and knowing what God would have you to do in those moments.

For most of you in here, you have major parts of your purpose already lined out.

You are called to worship God.

You are called to learn more about God.

You are called to share your faith.

If you are married, part of your purpose is to be a spouse in a way that honors God.

If you have kids, part of that is to be a parent in a way that honors God.

If you have a job, you are to be work in a way that honors God.

If you feel as though there is something God has for you that you have not discoverd, you need to consider the following:

Are you doing the previous things? God will not entrust you with more when you are not being faithful in little. It is also often through those things that God reveals things to you.

Often times your purpose is where the intersection of your passions and gifts is.

Explain

God does not always call the equipped, but equips the called.

He has developed you, and he will continue to develop you.

My story of how God has called me and developed me.

Preaching.

Administration.

Working with kids.

Your mission will change and adapt.

Some things are for your lifetime.

Some are for a season.

Some are in an instant.

As your life changes, the ways God calls you to serve will likely change along with it in various ways, but he never calls you to stop serving Him.

There is no Christian retirement. As Philippians 1:21 says, to live is Christ.

As we know God, we know our purpose, we should also know that we are not called to do this alone. We are called to…

Know One Another

We are not built to live in isolation.

We crave relationship and community.

Good relationships make a major difference in our lives.

The Gospel work that we have been given is not meant to be done in isolation.

Our purpose in Christ is meant to be carried out among other believers carrying out their purpose.

We are called to come together to worship as a body of believers.

Our relationships with one another are founded upon the Gospel.

Our relationships with one another revolve around the Gospel.

This is facilitated through the church

The church is not a building, but is the believers.

The word that is used for church in the New Testament is ekklesia. This literally translates to the assembly.

The church is the body of believers gathered here today, and across the world.

The Church is called the “body of Christ.”

The body cannot function without the various parts playing their role and working together.

1 Corinthians 12:14–20 ESV

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

There are church is often afflicted by disease because of the members of the body not playing their role.

Spiritual amputee - members missing and not present.

Spiritual failure - members not working as they should.

Spiritual autoimmune - members working against other members.

We are called to know God.

When we know God, we are called to know our purpose.

We are called not to do this alone, but together, as the Body of Christ.

When the church is filled with people who know God, know their purpose, and live it out together as the Body of Christ… That is a healthy church.

That is a church that becomes disciples and makes disciples.

That is a church that grows.

If one of those aspects is missing: There are major problems.

If you don’t know God, but you know your purpose and do it with others, that is just a business.

If you know God, but not your purpose, but come to church, you are just an attender.

If you know God, and your purpose, but don’t work with the body, you are a rogue agent.

So today, my challenge is for you to move.

Do you know God?

Respond in faith.

Do you know your purpose?

Seek Him in obedience.

Are you actively engaged in the body of Christ.

Join the church. Get involved in the body.