The Goal of Life

The Goal of Life Isaiah 43:7 1 Corinthians 10:31 In this month’s series are discussing the 5 Solas of the Reformation. I’m excited to see the growth in our body. What these do is give us the heart and soul of the Gospel. They give us a proper view the authority of the Bible, a proper view of God, a proper view of ourselves (& human condition). They protect us from human pride, we proclaim that salvation is of God and it is by grace through faith so that no one may boast. In our setting these are the heart behind our core values of = Bible-Centered, God-Centered, Gospel-Centered. When we come to this 5th Sola, we are coming to the capstone of them. Showing God’s purpose for creating the world and humanity’s part in it. Read Text: Is 43:1-7 or I Corinthians 10:23-32 or Romans 11:33-36 Introduction: Have you seen younger kids soccer? (we just finished up the season for our 3 kids) I’m not sure they get it for a while. They seem to think it’s social (Maddy) or other things (Draper – racing the other players) (Karrigan- obeying the rules her coach told her) etc. The goal is to get the ball in the net more times than the other team. Draper – chick fil a milk shake if he scored. 1.5 minutes into the game he scores a goal. Then back to playing in the grass. Have you every been playing a board game (that you’ve never played before) and a friend is explaining the fine details of strategy and you have no idea what the goal of the game is? Things make a lot more sense when you know what the goal is. When you know what the end game, the objective is then everything else fits together. We have these questions for ourselves: • Why did God create me? What am I here for? • What’s my purpose on this earth? • What is life all about? • What is my chief end? That’s what this last sola does. – it gives the Goal of Life. Possible place for pre-text intro: Main Point: Big Idea: Proposition: The Goal of my/your Life is to Glorify God. FCF: In our sinful condition we fall short of God’s glory – the very reason for our existence. (Romans 3:23) Is. 14 Satan rejected the “firstness” of God. Transition: First, What is the Glory of God? What is the Glory of God? 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 • God is the highest object of worship, praise & devotion • Glory – manifested excellence. ◦ Ryrie, “the awesomeness, spendor and importance of God seen in some way” ◦ “The glory of God is that unique excellence that makes Him supreme—tower over everything else” Berg ▪ like Everest, there is no peak that towers over him. ◦ Illustration: light is the manifestation of the light bulb. • Glory & Holiness are often seen used interchangeably. ◦ Is 6:3 Holy holy holy is….the whole earth is full of his glory. ◦ Piper, “The Glory of God is his holiness on display.” • How do we “give glory”? ◦ We don’t ….we ascribe what is there ◦ 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 ◦ Is 42:8 Why Should We Glorify God? Why Should this be the Goal of our life? I. You were created to Glorify God Is 43:7, Colossians 1:15-18 • God – Christ created all things for His glory. ◦ All things includes YOU! ▪ You are not self existent. ▪ God the creator has a purpose and that includes you. • APP: This is the best insult you’ll ever receive: “It’s not about you.” ◦ Packer, “Modern people, though they cherish great thoughts about themselves, have as a rule small thoughts of God.” ◦ “we will never be successful, fulfilled or prosperous in any area of life including our relationships until we discover why God created us.” ~ Mazak ◦ Col. 1:16 – we are created “For Him” ◦ Vs. 16 You exist “for Him.” ▪ Look at: 1 Corinthians 8:6 Comparison of phrases: • KJV – “We in him” • NASB we exist for Him • NIV “for whom we live” • ESV “For whom we exist” • Our ultimate purpose is to bring Him Glory ▪ Rev 4:11” Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power: for though has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” • Illustration: Often when someone finds a skill, trade, or a passion they’ll say something like, “I was made for this.” ▪ You were created to Glorify God ▪ Your ultimate goal is this… But not just that…for a Christian the goal of your life is clearer. Ephesians 1:3-14 II. You are saved to Glorify God • Text has mysteries: Some things that are hard to understand. ◦ Some of you will have objections to things in this passage. ▪ You don’t get to just say, “well I disagree with that.”  it’s the bible. ▪ I’m just asking that you turn off the objections and hear the passage and see the purpose of your salvation. ◦ Ephesians 1:3-14 ▪ To the praise of his glory repeated. ▪ Adopted, predestined, chosen ▪ For the glory of God. ◦ Another Passage: 1 Peter 2:9 ▪ “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who called you our of darkness into his marvelous light” • APP: In the end, why did God save you? ◦ It wasn’t because, “he didn’t want heaven without you” or because He was lonely. ◦ It was to glorify himself. ◦ You are saved for God’s glory. ▪ Even more the passage goes on: We are redeemed vs.7 (purchased freedom) from slavery. • Christ our redeemer paid ethe ransom to free us. ▪ “sealed by the spirit” vs. 13-14 • this shows authenticity – gineuine • ownership • security – • pledge, down payment, receipt, warranty papers, confirmation number, whatever else you need. We’re the purchase of Christ. • Illustration: Boy with the lost sail boat. ▪ Little boat, you’re mine twice. First I made you – then I bought you. ▪ So with us. • You were created for His glory • You are saved for His glory. ▪ Or as scripture says, 1 Corinthians 6:9 “what know you not that your body is the temple…for you our bought with a price…therefore – (to what end?) Glorify God… ◦ Trophies aren’t made to draw attention to themselves. ▪ If you are a Christian, you are a trophy of God’s grace. III. You are being Sanctified to Glorify God • IV. Glorifying God is the chief purpose of the church How do we Glorify God? How do I achieve the Goal of life? • (Westminster Shorter Catechism Q1) ◦ What is the Chief end of man? ◦ Man’s Chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.  • New City q4 Kids answer: How and why did God create us? ◦ God created us male and female in his own image to glorify him.  • Q. How can you glorify God? • A.  By loving him and doing what he commands. (Baptist Catechism for Girls and Boys)  Joel Beeke, “ Obedience to God’s Word means taking refuge in Christ for forgiveness of our sins, knowing Him through the Scriptures, serving Him with a loving heart, doing good works in gratitude for His goodness, and exercising self-denial to the point of loving our enemies. This response involves total surrender to God Himself, His Word, and His will” 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 Acribe and offering that involves greement, obedience, submission, and rehearsing His attributes or extolling Him. 1. Believe on Christ – Be Saved Romans 4. Abraham grew in his faith as he gave glory to God. 2. Confess sin a. “Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.’” (Joshua 7:19) b. Thomas Watson: “The thief on the cross had dishonored God in his life, but at his death he brought glory to God by confession of sin.” 3. Display Fruit: a. “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8) b. Thomas Watson:  “It is not profession, but fruit that glorifies God.” 4. Appreciate & Recognize "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth." - Psalm 19:1-4 5. Realize that this is the goal of life. This affection everything: a. Marriage: b. School c. Finance d. Trials e. contentions 6. Worship a. Romans 12:1 after 11:33-36 = lifestyle of worship b. Worship has weight to it. c. Is corperate worship a weighty appointment on your calendar. d. Worship has a reverence to it: Not confusion with entertainment. i. We reaffirm that because salvation is of God and has been accomplished by God, it is for God's glory and that we must glorify him always.We must live our entire lives before the face of God, under the authority of God and for his glory alone. We deny that we can properly glorify God if our worship is confused with entertainment, if we neglect either Law or Gospel in our preaching, or if self-improvement, self-esteem or self- fulfillment are allowed to become alternatives to the gospel." The Cambridge Declaration e. God-Centered in Worship i. The first question is not, “do I like it?”or will this reach our target audience/ draw a crowd, but “Does this glorify God?” f. Glorifing God is the primary purpose of the Church: i. What is the purpose of the church? 1. Some say, evangelism. 2. Others say discipleship (evangelism is part of making disciples) 7. Work: a. How can I glorify God in our day-to-day life? = by doing good works. b. You were created for this – see Eph 2:8-10 i. Do you only glorify God on Sundays, while singing hymns, giving, reading your Bible? Nope, in every day life by doing good works. ii. Matt 5:16 “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” 1. Challies, “our good works are like light, and when that light shines, it illuminates God.” iii. We do not only glorify God when we talk about Him or share the gospel with others. 1. 1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” 2. Our good works make God look great before a watching world. c. What are good works? i. Deeds that are done for the benefit of other people and the glory of God. 1. We are naturally good at doing things that benefit ourselves. Our own comfort and survival. 2. Sacrifice for others: this is Jesus example. ii. There is no task that cannot be done for God’s glory. iii. This is a reason we are saved. Titus 2:14 “Christ gave himself to redeem us from all lawlessness to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” d. If we can do all things to God’s glory, we should do them. i. 10:31 – This is bigger than me or my freedoms. ii. Gal 6:10 do good to all men, especially… 1. Glorify God by doing good to others. iii. 1 Tim 2:9-10 adorn, profess godliness…with good works. e. Illustration: Baroque era musicians, J.S. Bach (Handle & Gardinger) would sign works with S.D.G. (soli deo Gloria) – This was the inspiration for Aaron Shusts CCM song “To God Alone” i. Even some of his secular ones ii. Secular can be done for God’s glory. 1. Produce things beautiful and helpful to human flourishing for God’s glory. 8. Witness a. The great mission of the church is to declare God’s glory among the nations. b. Ps 96:1-3 c. A high motivation for missions. The highest, God’s glory. d. 1 Peter 2:9 “the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light e. someone said, ‘the task of missions is both an act of worship and an invitation to worship.” f. Passion for God’s glory not only propess missions and gives enduring motivation it also protects from manipulative things to produce results or brag on numbers, “X # of people God saved” / raise a hand/ walked an isle – in the Bible the physical response to salvation is baptism and church membership. Acts 2:42 Conclusion: • Why did God create me? What am I here for? • What’s my purpose on this earth? • What is life all about? • What is my chief end? That’s what this last sola does. – it gives the Goal of Life. Main Point: Big Idea: Proposition: The Goal of my/your Life is to Glorify God. FCF: In our sinful condition we fall short of God’s glory – the very reason for our existence. (Romans 3:23) Make God first. In sin we make ourselves first, in Christ we make Him first. What should we: know, feel, do? How does the Gospel affect this?