Why Church? - Finding & Living Your Purpose

Last week we found out that many people have the wrong idea of what church is for & what the real purpose of the church is.

Church is not simply for self-improvement, or to draw closer to God, or to become a better person.

- those are all part of what church does, but it is not the purpose of church.

The cooling system, infotainment system, navigation, and comfortable chairs are features of a Land Rover - it’s purpose is for transportation.

The purpose of God’s church is to call people out of darkness, set them apart from the world, gather them together, train them - & then win the world to Jesus!

Make no mistake about it, God is building His Kingdom & we get to participate in that purpose.

A relationship with God is not for the purpose of building “our kingdom”.

Judges 21:25 NKJV

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

When we invite the King in, He is about His kingdom.

(Is that egotism or is there another reason that He is focused on His Kingdom?)

Why?

1) Because the world is being destroyed by sin & the results of sin.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:17 NKJV

17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

God knows His Kingdom & laws eradicates sin.

2) Because in order to make a difference in the world, we must be different from the world!

When God called us out of darkness, He called us into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)

John 1:5 AMP

5 And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].

Finding Your Purpose:

Whenever God calls us out of something, He calls us in to something else!

When God called you out of darkness & into His family, He gave you a purpose a future and an expected end

Jeremiah 29:11 KJV 1900

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

God’s family, the Church, is where you will discover your God-given purpose.

Your purpose is not what you do - it is who you are!

When you yield to your God-given purpose, that purpose will be seen in everything that you do.

No part of the body has much purpose when it is disconnected from the body.

1 Corinthians 12:13–18 NKJV

13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

Jesus places you and tells you who you are in His Body:

- This applies both locally and universally as part of “Ekklesia”

- Every functioning part supplies the need - you have something unique and valuable to contribute

1 Corinthians 12:18 NKJV

18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

Ephesians 4:15–16 (WUESTNT)

who is the Head, Christ, from whom all the Body constantly being joined closely together and constantly being knit together through every joint of supply according to the operative energy put forth to the capacity of each part, makes for increased growth of the Body resulting in the building up of itself in the sphere of love.

Our good works are not for ourselves, but to give glory to God & increase His Kingdom.

Matthew 5:16 NKJV

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

When we understand that we are living to fulfill the purpose & plan of God in & through our life, we will care much less about what we are doing since it’s not about us.

Our life and purpose is wrapped up in Christ.

John 15:4–5 NKJV

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

The filter of each life decision becomes whether we are fulfilling our God-given purpose or not.

Just One Thing:

What is God’s Kingdom-purpose in YOUR life? Let’s find it and start living it!