Reformed Purpose

Devon Oasis misisons

Didn’t Jordan do great last week?

I only had one major critique for his sermon. I told him that he cannot end the service in such good time because everybody will begin to expect me to preach shorter.

Don’t worry, I sent him straight, no need to fear!

Introduction - Best Laid Plans

Best Laid Plans. . .

Trip to Franklin Institute

Denali broke down

In August

Mom’s car only carried three

Went to buy new van - broke phone

Bought van, left car seats at the car dealership

Finally went to have dinner - only place open was Dunkin Donuts

Table fell on Brooks.

Ever make plans that blow up?

Ever have plans for your life that fall through?

The job you were sure you were meant to have, ends suddenly.

The marriage you thought would last forever is over.

The stage of life you were finally getting used to has now changed.

Your health will not allow you to carry out the plans you’ve made.

You didn’t think you would find yourself here or heading there.

Life is just not going according to plan. Is this you? Does this describe how you have been feeling? If not, it likely describes how you may one day feel.

What do we do when life is not going according to plan?

What verse do we usually speak over messed up plans?

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

It’s a “punting passage” - I don’t have a good answer, so I throw this verse at it.

What if this verse doesn’t actually describe a desperate play but the whole game?!

Not to spoil the message, but today we are going to see that even when life is not going according to your plan, it can still fulfill God’s purpose for you.

What is God’s plan and purpose for you?

It is rooted in God’s intended purpose for all humanity.

Purpose Formed

Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Follows being made in God’s image (purpose tied to image - what you do is tied to who you are)

I am a pastor, so you’d expect me to. . . preach

I am a dad, so you’d expect me to fix things

I am a husband, so you’d expect me to . . . (screw up?)

We are made in God’s image, so

As his image to display his glory by working through loving community.

Shorter: work reflect God’s glory.

Isaiah 43:7 (ESV)

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Purpose Deformed

Genesis 3:4–5 (ESV)

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

“like God” = “as God” = deserving / receiving glory

you will no longer work for God’s glory, you can expect things should work for your glory.

Problem is, the glory of being Almighty God only belongs to Almighty God.

The sin of self-glory (pride) brought a curse in the very area of our purpose - thorns, thistles, and difficult and unfulfilling work didn’t lead to self glory, it lead to pain.

If we believe our purpose is for ourselves and to make us happy. . .

If we believe that our plans are the means to fulfill our purpose, then any detour or dead-end of our plan leaves us feeling purposeless.

Because of sin, we are bent to work with and use God’s creation to further our plan and when it doesn’t work out, we are left empty and hurting.

This is because this is not how we were made!

Purpose Reformed

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The purpose for which God formed us was for His glory.

Because of sin, the purpose of our lives shifts to promote our own glory. (Ex?)

Therefore, to return to what is good and intended for you and me we must redirect the purpose of our lives to reflect God’s glory - reform our purpose.

I want us to see a little more about WHAT this means before we answer HOW we do it.

Our purpose is forged in our identity, expressed through community, and all for God’s glory.

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Original Purpose and Reformed Purpose

They were to use what God had given them to work as a community that uniquely displayed God’s glory.

Are we supposed to become farmers? No.

But just like Adam and Eve, you are to use what God had given you to work as a community that uniquely displays God’s glory

How? Jesus modeled it and commanded it.

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Our purpose is forged in our identity, expressed through community, and all for God’s glory.

Two stories - One Purpose

Gideon and Paul

Gideon

Judges 6:1 (ESV)

1 The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord gave them into the hand of Midian seven years.

Midianites were ruthless

Whenever Israel planted crops, Midianites and Amalekites would raid and steal their food.

Judges 6:4 (ESV)

4 They would encamp against them and devour the produce of the land, as far as Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel and no sheep or ox or donkey.

Not what the people of God had planned

Israelites cry out to God for help

Judges 6:11–12 (ESV)

11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Judges 6:14 (ESV)

14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

Gideon - had no plan and was in pain

God redirected him and gave him a purpose that would bring God glory

Paul

Pharisee and zealous Jew

Persecuting Christians - murdering them

On his way to Damascus to find more disciples of Jesus to arrest them

He meets Jesus who redirects his plans and sets him us with a new purpose:

Acts 9:3–6 (ESV)

3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

God will change Paul’s plans to persecute disciples of Jesus to one who is persecuted for making discipleship of Jesus

Paul - had his own plan and filled with pride

Both needed to lay down their plan and pick up God’s purpose.

Finding your purpose begins by meeting with God.

Gideon met by God and Paul was met by Jesus

Why are you in the career you are?

Why are you living in the house you are living in?

Why do you go the places you go?

Why do you hang around the people you hang around with?

Is it according to your plan or God’s purpose?

If you say I don’t know, than you know your answer.

It is a gracious thing to have God change your plans for his purpose.

I didn’t say easy or comfortable

Lay down your plan and pick up God’s purpose.

God is about your purpose and not your plan.

Purpose is the objective, plans are the route.

You can maintain a singular purpose, even if the plans change.

ILLUST - GPS - “rerouting” still gets you there.

If I hit an obstacle or make a wrong turn on my planned route, I don’t just scrap the whole thing.

Heading to FL. Followed the route really well but passed the hotel twice. We didn’t scrap our trip and head back to IN. Our planned route changed, but we still accomplished our purpose.

God is working things according to his purpose through you not your plans for you

If God works all things according to his purpose and he is working his purpose through you, then all things that happen to you and around you can be purposeful.

Even if not planned, it can have a purpose.

Even if painful, it can have a purpose.

To the choirmaster: According to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul in the cave.

Psalm 57:1–2 (ESV)

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. 2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

Lay down your plan and pick up God’s purpose.

Your plans may fail you, but your purpose will fulfill you.

God has not promised to fulfill your plans, but he has promised to fulfill his purpose.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV)

6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

If working to display God’s glory through community is what we were made to do, then only that will truly satisfy.

How do we do this? By making decisions and taking steps according to God’s purpose and not by our (or anyone else’s) plans

Ex. - We want you to fulfill God’s purpose for you - if you are serving in an area in the church that is not fulfilling (did not say easy or comfortable) then leave and find where God will fulfill his purpose through you in this community.

It also means

You can still accomplish God’s purpose for you even in your plans for your life have failed. (or if someone messes up your plans for you)

You are not doomed to failure.

You are not bound to be empty

You don’t need to “go back to Indiana because you passed the hotel”

You:

Lay down your plan and pick up God’s purpose.

Then look around because. . .

You are in the perfect place for your purpose.

Gideon had been humbled by his circumstances so much that he was in the perfect place for God to show his glory through weakness

Paul’s education, position, and pedigree put him in a perfect place to speak the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles.

Both men had their plans interrupted but both men found themselves in the perfect place for God to use them to fulfill their purpose to display God’s glory.

The command we see in Matt 28 and read as “Go therefore. . .” is actually a participle, “as you are going. . .”

For some of you, God may be calling to a new place for his purpose.

But ultimately, it is living out your purpose of bringing God glory by making disciples where you are - in the areas you live, work, and play.

As Jordan said last week. . “Redemption isn’t wasted on you.”

You say, “I didn’t expect to be here”

God says, “You’re right where I want you.”

You say, “How did this happen?”

God says, “It happened for your good and for your purpose.”

You say, “How can God use this - I’m nothing? How can God use me - I’m not useful?”

God says, “You’ve read about Gideon, right? You remember the murderer, Paul, right?

Where I have placed you is for your purpose.”

Lay down your plan and pick up God’s purpose.

Are you running according to your plan, or living according to God’s purpose?

If you answer with, “I’m not sure, I’ve never thought about it, then you have your answer.”

Lay down your plan and pick up God’s purpose.

Wherever you are, whomever you are.