You Have A Purpose

Introduction: Amen this day is a day of rejoicing—-God’s work is being accomplished in this world —- I am so thankful for that.

And we have come here tonight again to recognize some our graduates… Did you know there are great number of folks still studying still in school… We praise the Lord for that as well… we know that this process is what God has given us to commit to others this sacred body of truth And so it will go on until the Lord returns…

‘So what of us… what now…?

This morning we began a three-part series entitled “For a Purpose” —- we began to look at this major theme of the entire Bible.

We discovered the foundational truth that God has a marvelous and wonderful purpose and that it is His own.

In 2 Timothy 1:9 Paul uses the phrase “…according to his own purpose…”

We are part of a great eternal plan that God determined “before the world began.”

God knows the end from the beginning.

He has purposes for His people to accomplish for His glory. Suffering is a part of His plan. Jesus Christ suffered in the will of God here on earth, and all those who trust in Him will also suffer.

We do not have to fear these things, for God is the One who enables us live this life.

Our purpose comes out of His purpose.

We admit this evening “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever,…” Deuteronomy 29:29

We understand that “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [His] ways higher than [Our] ways, and [His] thoughts than [Our] thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9)

‘We could put the puzzle of life together the best way we know how… and quite frankly it would be a mess…. but our wonderfully wise God knows what is best for us…

We could exclaim like the apostle Paul speaking of His plan for God’s special people the nation of Israel in Romans 11:33–36 “33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

We do not pretend to know the entire mind of God… we understand there are many things that are simply out of our grasp.

However tonight, by way of encouragement to our graduates, and also to all Christians, I would like to look at God’s purpose for us by reading once again 2 Timothy 1:8-11.

Let’s read once again the passage together.

2 Timothy 1:6–14 “6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: 11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”

Let’s Pray

Our purpose determines the direction we will go.

We wonder why it is that Christians are not engaged in the work of the Lord or they are not engaged in their local church.

We ponder why it is that Christian’s follow after the course of the world or throw their hat in with the children of disobedience.

It doesn’t make sense… but if you were to examine what they believe their purpose in this life is, there you would discover the problem… Somewhere along the way they had forgotten that their purpose is in Christ.

They are: “…blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:9) They have quit their pursuit of Christ… They have quit adding to their faith…

Our purpose determines the decisions we will make.

For the Christian, our desire is to follow Christ. Our purpose comes out of His eternal purpose.

It would be a shame for any child of God to go through life and miss the purpose God has for Him.

What a tragedy that would be if to get to the end of our time of sojourning on this earth only to discover at the Bema seat of Christ we are “saved; yet so as by fire.” (I Corinthians 3:15) suffering loss of all that God has\d for us.

Let me illustrate it to you this way:

A rich man was determined to give his mother a birthday present that would outshine all others. He read of a bird that had a vocabulary of 4000 words, could speak in numerous languages and sing 3 operatic arias. He immediately bought the bird for $50,000 and had it delivered to his mother. The next day he phoned to see if she had received the bird. "What did you think of the bird?" he asked.

She replied, "It was delicious.

The woman knew not the purpose of the bird, and because of this it did not have the effect the son determined for his mother.

And so it is with us, being a child of God… The Lord has so many good and wonderful things for you and I and yet many miss out on God’s great purpose.

I want you to consider just a few of these that are captured in this passage.

Would you first of all look with me in verses 6 and 7 . Paul states to Timothy from the confines of a dungeon 2 Timothy 1:6–7 “6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

I want you to realize tonight that God has a purpose for you my friend. Notice first that:

I. God has called us to Use Our Gifts for His Glory

One of the main themes of the Bible, is the glory of God. It is revealed to us in fullness in the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

We are called by God use our spiritual gifts and talents for God’s glory.

Paul tells Timothy, “to stir up the gift of God.”

The word used here gives the idea of throwing kindling on a fire… or blowing air via bellows into a fire…to which the flame grows and enlarges..

And the truth is certainly for you and I that “…bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”

(I Timothy 4:8)

Each one of us, if we are a child of God, are gifted for God’s glory.

1 Corinthians 12:4–5 tells us, “4 … there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.”

And these gifts are to be used now in the work of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 1:6-7 the Bible says “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Paul didn't want to see any Christian come behind in any gift.

Listen my friend if God has gifted you to teach the Word of God. You need to exercise that gift.

If God has given you that special gift of mercy exercise that gift.

If the Spirit of God has given you the gift of exhortation, my friend exercise that Gift…

God has gifted some of you in this area of helps… listen are you being the helper God enabled you to be?

We think further about talents… some of you have the talent of singing… some of you have the talent to work with electronics… some of you have been trained to work in carpentry or have electrical skills of perhaps you have a green thumb.

Ill never forget brother Ed’s work on the sign we refurbished years ago. He used to bend metal aircraft wings and he took that talent and used it for the Lord to bend metal for a sign.

What I trying to tell you is, take you gifts and talents and apply some peanut butter theology to them… stir them up… use them according to the Lord’s purpose for your life.

Number 2 I want you to see secondly, not only had God called us to use our Gifts for His glory, but:

II. God has called us to A Holy Calling vs 9

Verse 9 tell us that God has called, “us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose”

And some might be tempted to narrowly look at this as just pertaining to Salvation— but my friend, Salvation is just the beginning.

God never intended for man to be saved from eternal damnation and sit and do nothing.

The calling of God is a life of holiness. We often use that term—-holiness

What does that mean exactly? We might use the words of scripture that Paul stated in Philippians 3:14 He says, “14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

A holy life is a Christlike life.

The undeniable characteristic of God is holiness.

In verse 15 of that same chapter he states, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

What is the holy calling of God on your life my friend?

It is to walk in the light of His presence. It is to walk in the light as He is in the light…

The means of accomplishing this is not gritting the teeth and batting down the hatches… it is through the purpose of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, intake of His Word and yielding to Him. — it is saying yes to the Lord and no to the flesh…

1 John 1:7 “7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

The heavenly city my friend in Revelation 21:23–24 “23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.”

If your purpose is Christ my friend this this will shape every decision that you make.

Folks who do not pursue of life of holiness —-purity—- are not pursuing Christ.

Graduates we have attempted to instill in you a basic understanding of the Word of God… to what purpose? That you may walk holy lives answering the holy calling wherewith God has called you.

Thirdly, I want you to understand that:

III. God has called us to Testify of the Lord vs. 8

In verse 8 Paul speaks to Timothy and tells Him, “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;”

I would be selling you a wooden nickel if I did not tell you that there is affliction and adversity in this world pursuing Christ.

“From the time [Paul] met Christ until the time he penned this letter to Timothy, Paul faced hardships: poverty, danger, strife, flogging, stoning, imprisonment, persecution, ill health, and narrow escapes. His poor body was a register, engraved by chains and scourges, of the sufferings that a person might expect if he lived for Christ in a Christ-hating world. Doubtless, Timothy had often seen the scars and welts on Paul’s back—potent advertisement of what might be involved in being a “partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.”(Phillips)

I was challenged as my wife listen to one of the epistles of Peter which stated this in 1 Peter 4:1 “1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”

1 Corinthians 1:18 tells us “18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Paul suffered greatly testifying of the Lord. But my friend the same power that saved us is the same power that enables us to come through the adversity of this life.

Paul states in Verse 12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: [ Here he is in the Mamertine Prison… Here He is in a dungeon… Here He is speaking of those who forsook Him… but He says,]

nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

Listen God has called us to testify of the Lord… whether in the free country of the United States or in other parts of the World where it is dangerous to mention the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your purpose is to testify of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In adversity we have the power of God. Paul says, “…but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;” —- the big example given is in verse 9—-”Who hath saved us”

He hath saved us. God has already done harder things, He has saved you. To heal physical sickness the Lord only had to speak… To cleanse a leper, to raise the dead or even calm a storm our Lord but spoke the word and it was done.

But the terrible death and agony of the cross, being made sin for us who knew no sin—- was the harder thing…

“If God does not save you from martyrdom——[or sicknesss or infirmity or adversity or any number of difficulties] it is not because he cannot…. it is because He has a higher purpose for you…”

Be strong and of a good courage—- testify of and for the Lord Jesus Christ!!

IV. God has called us to Hold Fast Sound Words vs 13

Much time is taken week in and week out to teach and preach the Word of God. This is true for our students of HRSOTB, this is true for members of Sharon Baptist Church, this is true for 1st Calvary Baptist Church…

There is no doubt that we need to hear the preaching of the Word of God. I think about the many hours that have been invested into you all…. Study, preparation, teaching,… You have spent many hours reading… thinking… memorizing… answering questions… writing notes…

My friend with much knowledge comes much responsibility…

“Throughout the centuries God’s work has been done by men and women who stood steadfast in their hours of trial. It would have been convenient for them to have compromised, but they stood firm.”

Paul was an example of this—- and He encouraged Timothy to hold fast sound words.

You my friend are responsible for everything the Lord teaches you….

James 1:22–24 tells us, “22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.”

Listen my friend “hold fast” to the “sound words” you have been taught.

These sound words speak of doctrine, they are like architectural sketch of a great house.

V. God has called us to A Precious Stewardship vs 14

Your purpose my friend is to keep that which has been commited to you. It is a precious stewardship. We’ve done our diligence to preach and teach the Word of God, but we cannot keep it for you. I have no control as to what you will do when you walk out of this place.

The Bible though mentions who can help you keep it. Notice in verse 14.

“That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”

Be loyal to the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Yield yourself to the Holy Spirit of God.

God had given you a deposit of spiritual truth.

“There was a definite outline of doctrine in the early church, a standard by which teaching was tested. If Timothy changed this outline or abandoned it, then he would have nothing by which to test other.” (Warren Wiersbe)

There is a long line of Christians from the time of Christ moving forward that have kept what God has commited to them…. Centuries have gone by and faithful Christians through God’s help have been stewarding what God has given them because it is precios.

The process outlined in this very chapter happens to be theme verse for the school.

2 Timothy 2:2 “2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”