I Know The Answer!

HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER???…

Knowing the answer brings with it confidence. Assurance.

Today I want you to leave KNOWING the answer to three very important questions… in fact these are considered the three questions the world most grapples with.

Imagine going through life knowing the ANSWERS! Confident, assured!

1- Where do I come from?

2-Why am I here?… Purpose

3- Where am I going?

We students of the Bible love the first one! (WHERE DO I COME FROM)

Genesis 1 & 2 “in the beginning God created… male and female… in His image” AND… “God said it was very good”

You want more??? Psalm 139… an absolutely amazing chapter!

God knows all

God is everywhere present

God knows YOU!!!

God formed you / knit you together in mother’s womb

God Thinks of YOU

God values you… you are a masterpiece

That’s an amazing place to be coming from!

As students of the Bible we look at the third question… (WHERE AM I GOING)

All of us will die...Hebrews 9:27 says that “it is appointed for men to die”

We have two destinations to choose from Revelation 20 declares that all will either go to Heaven or Hell

God gave us His Son John 3:16 and informed us how to have life John 20:31 “these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

ETERNITY is where we all go… the Bible tells us how we can spend it with our Creator or face a destiny in hell! (TWO CHOICES)

It’s that middle question that really gets us… sometimes even as bible students, pastors, professors, followers of Christ that we often find ourselves struggling with that one.

Why Am I Here??? What is my Purpose?

I remember back to my time here as a student, I was in a theology class and taking a test. I came to a question that I did not know the answer for, an area I had failed to study appropriately for. In the space provided for the answer I wrote this:

The theologian is not to be discredited but rather commended who, when confronted with the secret things of God, is able to say, I do not know. Systematic Theology, V 1, p 227 Lewis Sperry Chafer

The question of OUR PURPOSE however is one we need never give the answer: “I do not know”!!!

I feel we struggle because we confuse Our Purpose with His Plans

PLANS: the details of life...

Who will I be

Who will I be with

What will I do

Plans on our part are made to pursue our purpose…

PURPOSE: the direction of life…

Why am I here (wherever you are at)

What SHOULD I do

Who SHOULD I be with

What is God’s Will… (This is NOT a mystery)

When we go to the gospels I believe that Jesus made this rather clear for us… Matthew 22:34-40

Know and Love God & Love Others

LOVE: based on sincere appreciation and high regard—to regard with affection. This focuses upon love and affection based on deep appreciation and high regard.

As is seen in 1 Corinthians 13 this type of love is a choice and a verb… not a feeling.

Jesus directs us to engage in our LOVE for God with:

Our Heart… Affection, emotions, an INTIMATE relationship

Our Soul… the very essence of our being, a COMPLETE relationship

Our Mind… learn about Him (FULLY KNOW), study, You and I are called to grow in your UNDERSTANDING of Him

If we love Him like this we will think about what He wants, His desires become ours, we listen, we obey…

Then we are called to LOVE OTHERS… as one’s self!!!

EXAMPLE: what eternal destination did you choose???

The statement that all the law and all the prophets wrote in the OLD TESTAMENT hinges on these two!

TALK ABOUT SIMPLE! I LIKE SIMPLE

Share Christ

IF… we truly Love God and Love Others …

THEN… we will tell others about Him! Matthew 28:18-20 … “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

What amazing love to share Christ

Penn Jillette, 1/2 of the famous Penn & Teller magic act & renowned atheist stated this of a man who shared Christ with him and gave him a Bible:

“If you believe there is a heaven and hell, and you think it's not worth telling someone about it, how much do you have to hate him to not proselytize? To believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell people? This man cared enough about me to proselytize.”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

As believers… we have the ANSWER, we know the ANSWER

It is high time we stop worrying about or struggling because we don’t know all the details of His plan for us

Plans and details are His prerogative

We need to start LIVING this life to the fullest understanding our PURPOSE!!!

Our purpose, your purpose is to:

Know God, to love Him with all of who you are

Make Him known to others (oh what love)

Concerning the three top questions of life:

1- Where do I come from?

2-Why am I here?… Purpose

3- Where am I going?

We do NOT need to answer, “I do not know” …

Regardless of His plans (and He does have them for you), we can progress through life CONFIDENT and ASSURED knowing the answer!!!