Our Purpose

Main Idea: We exist to glorify God.

Genesis 1:26–27 HCSB

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

Made in the image and likeness of God.

Humanity was created to be His image bearers in creation.

To reflect the attributes, splendor and majesty of the Lord.

Isaiah 40:12–17 HCSB

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure or weighed the mountains in a balance and the hills in the scales? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord, or who gave Him His counsel? 14 Who did He consult with? Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice? Who taught Him knowledge and showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales; He lifts up the islands like fine dust. 16 Lebanon is not enough for fuel, or its animals enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as nothingness and emptiness.

How can we possibly compare or give anything to God!?

Isn’t this description of God’s greatness simply awe inspiring?

Isaiah 43:7 HCSB

7 everyone called by My name and created for My glory. I have formed him; indeed, I have made him.”

Isaiah 43:20–21 HCSB

20 The animals of the field will honor Me, jackals and ostriches, because I provide water in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My chosen people. 21 The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.

We are created for God’s Glory.

Has His people we will declare His praise.

Romans 11:33–36 HCSB

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? 35 Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

The depth of God is unknowable!

All things are created by Him, through Him, and for Him, this includes you and me.

1. God saved us for His Glory.

Ezekiel 36:22–23 HCSB

22 “Therefore, say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I will act, house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you went. 23 I will honor the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am Yahweh”—the declaration of the Lord God—“when I demonstrate My holiness through you in their sight.

Israel had rebelled and rejected God. Instead of being a blessing to the nations they profaned the name of God in front of the nations. God chose to save them (again) not for their sake, but for His Holy Name.

Ezekiel 36:26–27 HCSB

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances.

God told them that He would make is possible for them to follow His commands.

It required them to be made alive. God makes believers a new creation, with a new heart and His Spirit dwelling in us.

Ezekiel 36:32 HCSB

32 It is not for your sake that I will act” —the declaration of the Lord God—“let this be known to you. Be ashamed and humiliated because of your ways, house of Israel!

One more time it is not about them, it is not about you, it is ALL about God!

Psalm 79:9 HCSB

9 God of our salvation, help us — for the glory of Your name. Deliver us and atone for our sins, because of Your name.

In our time of need, we cry out for help, not for us, but for His Name.

When we ask for forgiveness or receive salvation it is not for us but for His Name.

Isaiah 60:21 HCSB

21 Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch I planted, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified.

God has a people so that He will be glorified.

2. God saved us to proclaim His Great Name.

1 Peter 2:9–10 HCSB

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We are God’s possession so that we may proclaim His praises.

Called you out of darkness and into His marvelous light. Something worth proclaiming.

Psalm 106:8 HCSB

8 Yet He saved them because of His name, to make His power known.

God saves to make His Name and Power known.

3. God saved us so our lives would give Him Glory.

1 Corinthians 6:17–20 HCSB

17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Run from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body.” On the contrary, the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19 Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

You were bought at a price. The blood of the sinless Son of God. Your body does not belong to you, it is to be used to give God glory.

Romans 12:1 HCSB

1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.

The way we live our lives is our spiritual act of worship.

This is why what we do matters.

What kind of sacrifice are you giving to God? The best cut of meat or something rotten.

4. God saved us so that others might Glorify Him.

1 Corinthians 10:31–33 HCSB

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. 32 Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.

Be mindful and encouraged that in everything you do, do it for the glory of God.

We do this so that others might be saved.

Matthew 5:16 HCSB

16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Let your testimony of Christ shine before people so that others might see Him in you and glorify God.

5. God saved us to know Him.

Ecclesiastes 5:1 HCSB

1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to draw near in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.

God wants you to draw near to Him. He wants you to obey more than He wanted physical sacrifices.

1 Samuel 15:22 HCSB

22 Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

Obeying is better than sacrifice.

We know God, so we can obey God, so we can glorify God.

I. Application:

1. You were created to be God’s image bearer in creation, so start living like it.

I. Do your words reflect the glory of who God is?

II. Do your actions reflect the glory of who God is?

III. Do your thoughts reflect the glory of who God is?

IV. What is one thing that you need to change to better reflect the glory of who God is?

2. Remember your salvation!

I. Reflect on your life before salvation.

II. Reflect on the moments of sin in your life and ponder what a lifestyle like that would look like.

III. Thank God for your salvation everyday this week.

3. Proclaim His Great Name

I. Who are you going to tell about Jesus this week?

II. Will you commit to telling 1 person a week from now until the end of July about Jesus?

4. Serve, so that others may glorify God

I. Are you serving others outside the church so that they may see your good deeds and glorify God?

II. Are you serving in the church so that we may see your good deeds and glorify God?

5. Draw near to God

I. Read Isaiah 40 every day this week.

II. Do you have a daily Bible reading plan?

III. Immerse yourself in God’s word so that you can obey God this week.

IV. Invitation:

You were dead in your sin (Ephesians 2:1), but God saved you (Ephesians 2:4-6) through the perfect life, wondrous sacrifice, and glorious resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

Ephesians 2:1 HCSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

Ephesians 2:4–6 HCSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5 made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens,

Is today the day of salvation for you? If God is drawing you don’t harden your heart, Submit to Him as the Lord of your life, do it right there were you are sitting, if you have made that decision to follow Him would you come forward so we can celebrate with you! Because you have been born again!!

Do you need to follow the Lord in obedience through baptism?

Do you want to join this church?

Do you need prayer?

Now is the time to respond.