The Map Maker

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Today, we explore the magnificent truth that God is our Map Maker. He has a plan and purpose for our lives, from creation to glorification.

1. God's Loving Plan in Creation

Sub Point 1.1: God is the Creator of all things

Genesis 1:26–27 “26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

God, out of love, created us in His image, with a special purpose

We're not just accidents, but purposeful creations of a loving God

Sub Point 1.2: You are fearfully and wonderfully made

Psalm 139:14 “14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

We're fearfully and wonderfully made, designed to reflect His glory

Our existence is filled with purpose and meaning because it's deeply rooted in God's loving design

Sub Point 1.3: God has a good plan for you

Jeremiah 29:11 “11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God has a loving plan for us, a plan for good and not for disaster, to gift us a future and a hope

Even when we face trials, we can trust in God's caring plan for our lives

2. God's Loving Plan in Redemption

Sub Point 2.1: You made right by Jesus’ completed work

Romans 3:23–24 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

Despite our sin, God justifies us freely through Jesus

We're not left to face the consequences of our sin alone, but are saved by God's grace

Sub Point 2.2: We were bought by Jesus’ shed blood

Ephesians 1:7 “7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins”

We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins

This is the heart of the gospel message, that God has lovingly made a way for us to be reconciled to Him

Sub Point 2.3: You are a new creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

In Christ, we're a new creation

Our past doesn't define us, because God has lovingly made us new through His redeeming work

3. God's Loving Plan in Sanctification

Sub Point 3.1: God will complete His work

Philippians 1:6 “6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God is faithfully committed to complete the good work He started in us

Our sanctification isn't dependent on our efforts, but on God's faithfulness

Sub Point 3.2: Transformation starts in the mind

Romans 12:2 “2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

We're transformed by the renewing of our mind

As we grow in our knowledge of God, we're changed from the inside out

Sub Point 3.3: We must grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus

2 Peter 3:18 “18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

We grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

Our spiritual growth is a journey of increasing in our understanding of God's grace and in our relationship with Christ

4. God's Loving Plan in Glorification

Sub Point 4.1: Our future is secure in God

Romans 8:30 “30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

Those He justified, He also glorified

Our future is secure in God, for He promises us a glory that outweighs our current struggles

Sub Point 4.2: We are spiritual being having a human experience

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

1 John 3:2 “2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

When He appears, we shall be like Him

Our ultimate hope isn't in this world, but in the glorious future God has promised us

Sub Point 4.3: No more pain of any kind for eternity

Revelation 21:4 “4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””

God will wipe away every tear; there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain

This is the promise of eternity with God, a future where every hurt is healed and every wrong is made right