God Pointing Saints
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That Bumper Video is such a reminder of who we are and why we are here!!!
Destiny Church, helping people find the right direction for life --- to find the road to ETERNAL LIFE....
Who in the room knows that each one of us is the GPS —God Pointing Saints --- we are the saints pointing people to GOD!!!
Nothing worse than when GPS gets it wrong is there - lol!
I want you to think of your life as a road map this morning!!! (GPS is a road map)
While you are envisioning yourself in this way, ask yourself if you had to find eternity - could you TRUST YOUR OWN MAP to get there??? CAN OTHERS???
1 And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
TO imitate is to in essence follow --- a disciple was a follower of a teacher....
Jesus taught the disciples, the disciples taught new disciples and through the generations we have been following the example, imitating what others have done to follow Christ.
Some of the biggest warnings in the letters (epistles) of the New Testament were to not follow false teachers who lead people astray...
So my thought to you this morning is that we need to be a CORRECT example of what others can follow on the ROAD TO ETERNITY!!!
1. Can Others See Our Destiny
1. Can Others See Our Destiny
Have you ever been on a road trip and you notice the various license plates of other cars? If they are heading in the direction of the state on their license plate - we often think they are heading home or to that state.
Traveling West in Kansas the closer we got to Colorado’s border, the more Colorado license plates and it was obvious these folks were heading home to Colorado.
Sometimes I see random plates out here from Massachusetts or New York or Washington State and think - wow - they are a long way from home!
Other times, it is even more obvious when someone has a long distance to go and they write on their car windows ---
California or Bust, New York or Bust --- etc. EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE HEADED.
Sometimes it is a subtle hint and other times it is OBVIOUS!
We want our LIVES to POINT OTHERS TO CHRIST! TO ETERNITY IN HEAVEN!!!
14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.
Our lives are intended to be ROAD SIGNS to everyone else of the DESTINY they can find!!!!
How easy are we making it for others to discover our DESTINATION?
11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.
Like an out of state license plate --- we are on the roads traveling to a different destination....
We don’t belong here, and others need to be able to tell!!!!
Can those around us see what way we are heading?
My family likes to watch some reality shows that are social experiments - it always amazes me how those who claim they are Christian don’t demonstrate it they are Christian. It is like their direction is not roadmapping anyone to heaven...
Even the non Christians on the shows ask if their faith is real.
2. Have We Navigated the Best Route
2. Have We Navigated the Best Route
So often my GPS says that even though there are issues along the way, it is still the best route….
Jesus is the ONLY WAY — even though life will not always be easy taking HIS WAY (narrow not broad is the way) it is the right road to take to eternity
6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Other roads might get you to an eternity, but not HIS ETERNITY!
We want to be in HEAVEN WITH CHRIST - not an eternity of destruction without HIM!!
Are we helping people to find the RIGHT ROAD even if it is covered with obstacles and construction, etc.
That route may have delays from construction, rough terrain, and even hazards along it --- yet so often my GPS says you are still on the best route!
This life will have issues - but if we are always trying to take a side route to avoid those issues we often find ourselves in greater difficulty, sometimes distracted and discouraged from the original destination.
I have literally given up on trying to find places before because of all the issues with the route I side stepped onto avoiding THE ROAD.
Our lives should point others to THE ROAD --- it might not always be smooth sailing, but it is still THE ROAD! Sometimes we may have to trust the navigation to be right, but it is still the right road.
I remember when we got our second dog, we had been out in Eastern CO and wanted to just go south to where she was --- we took a 90 minute dirt road route through grassland. Many a time I questioned the route - but sure enough it was the most direct and correct route.
People need to see us STICK TO THE NAVIGATION so they CAN STICK TO THE NAVIGATION --- and not get distracted by other side routes that may not be better.
Hold fast to the WORD OF GOD, FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD’s PEOPLE and a LIFE OF PRAYER and RELATIONSHIP with the LORD --- stop thinking there are shortcuts. In that way your life will help direct others to the same ETERNITY we are destined for!
3. Stick to the Plan
3. Stick to the Plan
If someone was following you as you follow CHRIST would they be distracted by your side trips in life?
Our Destiny is heaven, but some are taking some side trips that may defeat us from arriving?
Christian, don’t let your curiosity mislead you or others from where you are going!
At times we have crossed the country and seen points of interest ---
One time we had gone somewhere to check out a church that was open, we took a side trip - POI -
We ended up breaking down in a remote canyon area having a difficult time getting towed, stranded at a second POI by the first tow truck and sleeping in our car until 3 in the morning when a pick up truck with a flat bed came to tow us two hours into Flagstaff AZ where we waited 2 days for a part.
OK, I say that for a reason ---- when we go off course - we can endanger ourselves! Get ourselves into all kinds of trouble and create setbacks.
If someone were following our guidance, how much difficulty would we create for them reaching their destination.
Sin and pleasure, curiosity in our lives can often be that side trip that takes us away from the roadmap and plan to arrive in our destiny.
Do we ever stop and realize others are watching our lives be an example of Christ --- and we could mislead them? Especially our children, grandchildren, etc.
2 It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin.
Parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle — your life speaks direction to those generations coming up!
Your children will reflect what you do, say, and demonstrate. I heard it the other day in Youth Group!
What are we teaching them in their lives in them learning to follow Christ?
Our side trips for pleasure off the course might lead them thinking that is OK for them as well, and may create a destructive scenario for them in reaching their Destiny.
Help them find the road and NAVIGATE the road to ETERNITY with CHRIST!!!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
We are GPS for others to find the road, determine the Destination, navigate it and stick to it!!!
The Lord calls each Christian to be a city on a hill, a light in the darkness.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
Help others FIND THE ROAD TO ETERNITY that you have found, and lets be the PEOPLE OF GOD we were destined to be!