The Purpose For Living
Lectures On Discipleship • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Intro
Text - 2 Corinthians 5.15; Philippians 1.21
Title - The Purpose For Living
Series - Lectures On Discipleship
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Background
Background
God created life with purpose
plants and animals live for reasons God has determined
Human existence outside of God
self-determination - not right before God
under sin’s bondage
Christians who determine their own way of living
misusing the gift of life - will account to God
do not understand the nature of life
Issues to answer
what is the meaning of life
how does one understand the purpose of his/her life
how can one be guided to life purposeful Christian life
Life at a Cost
Life at a Cost
We live because Someone died in our place
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
Eternal life was not really “free”
15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
“free gift” - grk. CHARISMA
The price was not paid by us, but by Jesus - His own life
The life determines the purpose
The life determines the purpose
Animal life determines the purpose of the animal’s existence.
Sinful life determines the purpose of man’s sinful existence.
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
The gospel promises a “new” life”, not a “renewed” life
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
The “new life” is Christ Himself
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
The new life lives and exists “for Christ”
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
The Purpose is attained through God-ordained laws
The Purpose is attained through God-ordained laws
The law of faith
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
law - principle
law - the set of laws given at mt Sinai
the just shall live by faith
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Faith in what christ has done
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The law of the Spirit of life
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
live in the Spirit
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Jesus set the example
Jesus set the example
Jesus knew the purpose of His earthly existence
to preach the gospel
43 but He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”
to bear witness to the truth
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
to die for the sin of the world
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
Now that we have the life of Christ in us, how should we spend our existence from now on?
To live for Jesus is to give up our own plans and desires and to follow Him
being a disciple
To live for Jesus is to actively participate in His plans and His works
making new disciples for Christ
proclaiming the gospel
To live for Jesus is preparing for the day when we get to be with Him
where He is, there we will shall be
Conclusion
Conclusion
Life and purpose are inseparable.
The purpose of living is determined by the kind life we possess
If you are not living the purpose of the Christian life, consider this -
do you have Christ in you?
have you surrendered the “old life” and crucified it on the cross of Christ?
If you believe that you have Christ in you -
consider yourself dead to the world, alive to God through Christ
Ask God to direct direct your life through prayer and Bible reading
Learn the fundamental doctrines of faith
Learn the life of Jesus through the Gospels
Practice living by faith