What on Earth am I here for? 40 Days of Purpose
10-09-05
Dallas Baptist Church
40 Days of Purpose…week one (What on Earth…)
TITLE: Video Clip: What on Earth
Sermon Transcript
I’m glad you’re all here today.
I know each of you will be richly blessed,
and encouraged as you begin this exceptional journey
to discover the answer to some of life’s most difficult questions, especially that of “what on earth am I here for?”
Administrative things: 1…the messages you’ll hear these next several weeks that I and the other men will preaching are in part from messages preached by Dr. Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church and the author of the “Purpose Driven Life.” Also please understand that the messages you’ll hear are a bit longer than the normal, but I believe you’ll find them most challenging and uplifting.
So, with that, let’s get started.
If you’ll take out the outline that is in your bulletin, we’ll get started.
Today we’ll start by looking at life’s three greatest questions:
1) The question of existence – why am I alive?
2) the question of significance – does my life matter?
and 3) the question of intention – what is my purpose?
Slide 1…Question of Existence
The first question, which is the “Question of Existence:
or, Why am I alive?” is not a new question.
It was asked many, many years ago.
Jeremiah asked it in Jeremiah 20:18, where he said,
“Why was I born? Was it only to have trouble and sorrow, to end my life in disgrace?”
Slide 2…Jeremiah 20: 18
Even today, many people might feel the same way.
Did you ever feel you were born
just to have a bunch of problems?
Do you ask…
Was I born to only heartaches,
and a life full of stress?
Even the scholars try to find the answers to questions like that.
Dr. Hugh Moorhead, who was the Chairman at the Department of Philosophy at the Northeastern University, once wrote to 250 well-known philosophers, scientists, writers and intellectuals of the world and asked them this question, “What is the purpose of Life.”
After he got their responses, he published all of their responses in a book.
Some of these people simply offered their best guesses.
Some admitted they had made up a purpose in life just to have one.
Some admitted they didn’t have any idea at all as to what the purpose of life was…
and they asked that if Dr. Moorhead knew what the answer was, would he please let them know.
“So…for us, then, the QUESTION remains:…“What do you say, is the Purpose of LIFE?”
Unfortunately some people fall into the same mindset as
Isaac Asimov, the well-known Science-Fiction writer,
because he wrote, “As far as I can see,
there is no purpose.”
BUT, that is a very tragic statement folks,
because a life with no purpose isn’t a life worth living.
Therefore, it’s no coincidence that the suicide rate
in our society is so high.
Suicide is now the No. 3 killer of teenage students both in the US according the CDC.
<< Youth
The overall rate of suicide among youth has declined slowly since 1992 (Lubell, Swahn, Crosby, and Kegler 2004). However, rates remain unacceptably high. Adolescents and young adults often experience stress, confusion, and depression from situations occurring in their families, schools, and communities. Such feelings can overwhelm young people and lead them to consider suicide as a “solution.” Few schools and communities have suicide prevention plans that include screening, referral, and crisis intervention programs for youth.
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. In 2001, 3,971 suicides were reported in this group (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- Of the total number of suicides among ages 15 to 24 in 2001, 86% (n=3,409) were male and 14% (n=562) were female (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- American Indian and Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of suicide in the 15 to 24 age group (CDC 2004).
- In 2001, firearms were used in 54% of youth suicides (Anderson and Smith 2003).>>
And That’s because that any time you take God out of the equation,
you don’t really have very many alternatives,
even though people try to come up with some.
What are some the popular approaches people try today?
1) One that is popular today is the so-called Mystical approach –
this approach says “look within yourself…
But you know…IF that really worked, then all of us would know our purpose in life and we wouldn’t have to go through 40 Days of Purpose.
This ‘look inside yourself approach’ is one of the popular approaches on most TV talk shows.
Rick Warren shared that several years ago
he just had to watch one of Oprah Winfrey’s shows…
that’s because she was doing a session on
discovering your purpose on life.
In fact, Rick said he even taped it so he could be sure not to miss any of it, because he wanted to hear what Oprah had to say on this subject.
Rick said that at every single break during that hour long show, Oprah would say “Now, come back because we’re going to tell you your purpose.”
But, did they tell ever it? – Rick said, No.
They didn’t even attempt it.
In fact, Rick pointed out, that as the credits were rolling
at the end of that Oprah Winfrey show, she kind of looks at the credits and says, “And remember, you’ve got to figure it out by yourself.”
Rick’s comment was, man, I just wasted a whole hour.
Looking within yourself is not the answer.
2) Then, there is what is called the Philosophical approach
There are several ways this philosophical approach plays out in people’s lives.
One such response that comes out of this, is known as survivalist
this is someone who says,
“The purpose of life is just to stay alive.”
In other words, live as long as you can.
Then, another philosophical response is the Naturalist,
This person says, “The purpose of life is just to perpetuate itself.”
In other words, you and I are here ONLY for biological reasons. Rap artist, ICE-T, puts it like this, “The only reason we’re here is to reproduce.
Just chill out and reproduce. Keep the species alive.”
Now…let me ask you…Does that really get you pumped up so that you really want to jump out of bed in the morning? It may motivate some of us to jump in to bed, I don’t know.
Then, there’s the Hedonist response, which says,
“The purpose of life is pleasure – have fun, party-hardy.”
And then of course, there’s the Materialist who says,
“Life is all about the acquisition of things.”
In other words, life is measured by the things you own.
But every one of them is basically saying the same thing.
They all say create your own purpose in life.
And they all give the same basic approach –
go after your goals, have ambitions, aim high,
believe in yourself, figure out what you’re good at,
and involve other people.
That’s all good advice and will, if you do those things, bring some success into life. But being a success and knowing your purpose in life are not the same thing.
Because you can be a multi-millionaire success in life
and still never know, “What on earth am you’re here for.”
So then…What on earth DID God put you and me on this earth for?
The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment.
It’s far greater than your own happiness.
It’s even greater than your own peace of mind.
You were made by God, and you were made for God,
and you were put here, whether you want to accept it or not,
for His purposes.
But until we understand that and we accept that,
life isn’t going to make sense.
That being the case, then why does God want us here?
Slide 3…Proverbs 16:4
Let’s see what the Bible says…
In Proverbs 16.4, “The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.” (on your handout, circle the word, everything).
For His purpose.
God has never made anything without a purpose.
Every rock has a purpose, every plant has a purpose,
every animal has a purpose…
and if you’re alive, then you have a purpose.
ACTION>>>>Would you do something along with me right now?
…check your heart and see if it is still beating…
Raise your hand if it is.
If your heart is still beating, God still has a purpose for you here on earth.
The whole truth is, that God has (5) five purposes for your life.
And over the next 40 days we’re going to look in detail
at those five (5) purposes.
But today, though, I just want us to see
God’s motive. God’s Motive.
So, let’s look at this next verse, Ephesians 1:4,
Would you read it along with me…
Slide 4…Eph 1:4
“Long before He laid down the earth’s foundation, He had us in His mind and settled on us as the focus of His love to be made whole and holy by His love.”
On your outline handout, would you Circle the phrase
“the focus of His love”.
If you don’t get anything else as we start this 40 days,
I want you to understand God’s MOTIVE…
God says He made you, to love you.
God made you to love you.
You might even want to write that down.
You and I were created to be loved by God.
Slide 5: God: I was created to be loved by God
Friend…God is love and God wanted to create something to love,
so He created you.
God didn’t need you or me. He wasn’t lonely.
But God made you and me to love us.
AND, before we can talk about anything else,
we have to understand that this is really
‘what on earth we’re here for’ –
We exist and we live today to be loved by God.
With that in mind, now we can turn to
the SECOND key question of life….
the “Question of Significance: Does my life matter?”
Slide 6: 2. QUESTION of Significance
Isaiah asked this question in Isaiah 49:4.
SLIDE 7: Isaiah 49:4
He said, “My work all seems so useless. I’ve spent my strength for nothing and for no purpose at all.”
WE were made for meaning.
Folks…if we don’t have a meaning and purpose in our lives,
and we don’t know why God put us on this planet,
then it is no wonder life doesn’t make sense.
A good illustration of this came out of World War II.
It’s recorded that there were prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp in Hungary. In that camp, they were processing human sewage to extract chemicals, nitrogen, being one of them,
that are used in the making of gunpowder in a nearby factory.
The allies came along, and bombed that factory to the ground.
So the prisoners had nothing to do.
The Nazi guards were then told to take the prisoners and have them take the rubble from the factory and move it to a field.
The next day, they had them take that same rubble and move it back to the place where the bombed out factory stood.
Then the next day, they had to take all that stuff and move it back to the field, and day after day they forced them to do this.
The prisoners had no meaning, no purpose.
But…Something strange began to happen.
They began to lose their will to live because there was no meaning, no purpose in their work.
They were just moving rubble back and forth, back and forth.
And many of them began to throw themselves in front of the guards trying to get shot. In essence, trying to commit suicide.
Folks, each of us goes through life living at one of THREE LEVELS:
The first and lowest level is what is called the Survival level.
The Survival level is really where most people in the world live today.
They are just barely getting by. Just existing.
Controlled by their circumstances.
Putting in their time and living for the weekend.
Once step up from that, a better way to live,
rather than the Survival level is the Success level.
By the world’s standards, you’ve got it made if you’re here.
You’ve got a comfortable living, and…
you’re wealthy, compared to the rest of the world.
You have possessions, freedom, good health,
and probably prestige, and are successful.
BUT it takes more than success and it takes more than status to satisfy.
You need to go to the third level of living,
which we can call the Significance level.
WE get there to the ‘significance level’
through three things:
#1: When…You know the meaning of life
#2: and when your know
You know how much you matter to God –
#3: and You know God’s purposes for your life and you’re living them out… that gives you Significance.
Now…IF you want to know how much you matter to God,
just look at the next couple of verses from the Bible,
In our outline and on the screen,
Slide 8…Isaiah 44:2
God says, “I am your Creator. You were in My care, even before you were born.” (Isaiah 44:2)
God cared for you even in His mind, as He thought you up.
Then, The next verse says,
Slide 9: Psalm 139:16
‘You (talking about God) scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book.”
That’s how much you matter to God.
He paid so much attention to your life that every detail was recorded in His book, before you even took a breath.
In Matt 10:30, God said, that He even knows how many hairs on your head you have…now that says something about how much God cares about me.
And just above that, Matt 10:26…29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
That’s how much you matter to God.
So…Do you matter? – Yes. God made you.
He made you to love you.
God sees everything in your life, and He sees the good, the bad, everything.
And God wants you to know how much you matter to Him.
So, God truly does want you to know the meaning of life. He’s not trying to keep you in the dark.
He wants you to know His purposes.
And He’s done a lot to help you out in learning those.
Folks, If you will stay with us the next 40 days,
we’re going to really talk a lot about that.
Now…Look at the next verse,
Slide 10: Psalm 33:11
“His plans endure (what?) forever; His purposes last (what?) eternally.”
I need you to really hear this…
You see, folks…
The purposes we’re going to talk about in the next 40 days
are not just for the rest of your life on earth, they're for the rest of your life forever and ever.
That’s because there are eternal significance to God’s purposes.
When we talk about the 5 things God put you on earth for,
He just wants us to practice what we’re going to be about forever and ever in eternity.
This is the dress rehearsal.
When you and I die, our hearts will stop and that will be the end of our bodies, but that’s not the end of us.
We are so much more than a body.
We were made to last forever…we’ll either spend eternity in Heaven, or we’ll spend eternity in Hell. Not put somewhere in between, like purgatory, not puffed out existence…our soul will last forever, and it will either be with Jesus in Heaven, or with the Devil in Hell.
SLIDE 11 YOU and I were made to last forever
I was made to be loved by God, and I was made to last forever.
And ONE OF the biggest ways we can waste our lives
is thinking all that all there is, is the here and now.
I’ve said this, and most pastors have said this…
you’re going to spend far more time on that side of death,
than you do on this side.
On this side, here on earth…we may live 60,70,80 or 90 years or so.
But that’s just a drop in the bucket compared to eternity.
The time you and I spend on earth really isn’t that very long.
Look at it sort of like this…It’s like we stretched out a string
from Tokyo across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles,.
the first millimeter of that line would not even equal
how small our bodily lifespan is compared to all the time
that will be spend in eternity.
God’s purpose for you is eternal.
This is the key to the meaning of life.
AGAIN, Our Life on Earth is preparation for eternity.
The Bible says it like this….
SLIDE 12: 2 Cor 5:1
2 Corinthians 5:1, “When this tent we live in – our body here on earth – is torn down. God will have a house in Heaven for us to live in. A home He himself has made, which will last forever.”
I ask you right now…
Do you realize then, just how much you matter to God? (Pause)
Friends, YOU and I matter so much to God
that He wants to keep you, and He wants to keep ME
with Him for the rest of eternity.
That’s how much you matter to God.
He wants to keep you with Him forever.
That gives our life some REAL meaning.
SLIDE Proverbs 9:6
Look at this verse, “Leave your impoverished confusion and live and walk up the street to a life with meaning.” (Proverbs 9:6)
So when we look at the question of existence –
Or…why am I alive?... God answers it by saying,
“I made you to love you, that’s why you’re alive.”
And when we look at the question of Significance – does my life matter?
God says, oh YES, my child, you really do matter.
You matter so much that I created you to be alive
for the rest of eternity.
And that brings us to the third question, this is the “Question of Intention: What is my purpose?”
Slide 13…Question of Intention
What on earth am I here for? What is MY PURPOSE?
Slide 15: Psalm 89:47
In Psalm 89:47 David asked the question, “Why did you create us? Was it For nothing?
Who is David talking to when he says that, himself?
No, he’s talking to God.
Probably the of the best known, atheist philosophers of the last century, was a guy named Bertrand Russell.
Russell who was an Englishman, said, and again, he was an atheist,
(and at least he was intellectually honest to say what he said)
he said, “Unless you assume the existence of God,
the question of life’s meaning and purpose is irrelevant.”
Unless you assume the existence of God…
What he is saying is that if there is no God,
Then, you and I are just freak chances of nature,
We’re just a chance happening…just complex pond scum –
And IF that’s so, then guess what? – our lives don’t matter.
But even reputable scholars don’t believe that. If you want to read more in this area, take a look at Michael Denton’s book. Denton is a molecular biologist, and is not even a Christian, , but he says that the odds of everything just happening by chance, are so astronomically infinitesimal.
<<<Evolution: A Theory in Crisis - Michael Denton - Adler & Adler 1985 - £18.50 Pb 368 pp
After briefly outlining the history of the debate, Denton calmly and authoritatively debunks all of the major lines of evolutionary argument - homology, fossils, 'missing links', molecular biology, the problem of life's origin and the statistical probability of evolution. From one angle after another, it is shown that nature simply is not continuous but reflects the hierarchical division of both pre-Darwinist zoology and creationism. At times I found the level of argument taxing; however, time taken to grasp it fully was time well spent.
Denton concentrates his attack on the scientific evidence. His position as a molecular biologist who is neither Christian nor creationist may make him more palatable to those suspecting theological bias. Indeed, one of the book's early triumphs is showing that, even in Darwin's day, the main resistance to evolutionary theory was not due to religious presuppositions but to hard evidence.>>>
Folks, God made you and me for a reason, and He made you and me for a purpose.
The only way you’re going to know your purpose is first looking to Him.
I could show you a bunch of widgets, or tools, or scientific instruments, and unless you understood what they were made to do, they’d be meaningless.
To illustrate…when I was a little kid, I found some piece of metal on a couple of strings, with some cloth on it. I didn’t have a clue what it was. I took it to school and asked the science teacher, and he identified it as a part of weather balloon…did that tell me how to use it? I didn’t have a clue about what it measured or did, so I just took it back home and played with it and pretended it was a guy parachuting.
Now, here’s the point - if you don’t know something’s purpose, it is likely to be abused.
You want to know why there are so many abused people today? Because we don’t know our purpose.
The second point is this…the only way you’re going to know what some things are, is to either:
a) you talk to the creator, or the inventor of it,
or b) you read the owner’s manual.
It’s not by listening to the philosophers, because even the best ones are just guessing.
It’s not looking within, because you’re not going to find it there.
It’s not looking within self-help books, because they’re just saying create a purpose.
You’ve got to talk to the Creator and look in the owner’s manual.
It’s the only way you will ever know your purpose in life.
Genesis 1:1, the first verse in the Bible…”In beginning, God (not in the beginning, you) created.”
It all starts with God, it continues with God, it ends with God.
“In the beginning, God created.”
The Bible says this, look in your outline,
SLIDE: Proverbs 9:10 – read it with me. “Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding.”
You find your purpose by getting to know God. It all starts with God.
Now….Look at this next verse,
SLIDE: Colossians 1:16, “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in Him and finds (read it with me) its purpose in Him.”
Look at the next verse, “It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for…part of the overall purpose He (that’s God) is working out in everything and everyone.”
If you want to know your purpose in life, start getting to know God. Because, the more you get to know God, the more you’re going to understand the ways and the wisdom of God
and the more you’re going to understand the meaning and purpose of life.
You’re not going to learn it in some séance.
And you’re not going to learn it going to a seminar.
The only way you’re going to learn the meaning of life
and your purpose in life is to get to know God.
It all starts with God, because it’s all about God.
“In the beginning, God.” It’s all about God.
Simply put…
If you’re going to get to know God’s purpose for your life,
you have to get to know God. It’s just that simple.
And understanding God’s purposes for your life does take time.
It’s not just give it to me quick, and it’s over.
That’s why we’re going to take 40 days to look at God’s purposes for you.
Right in front of you, there’s a 40 Days of Purpose card.
Would you take this out? I want everybody to get one of these.
Now this is a different card, because you’re not going to turn this card in.
I want you to sign this card and take it home and put it on your refrigerator, or someplace you’ll see it every day.
You may be asking, why 40 Days?
Well, the Bible is very clear that God considers 40 days to be a spiritually significant time period.
In the Bible, any time God wanted to prepare people for His purposes, He took 40 days. For instance:
· Noah’s life was transformed by 40 days of rain
· Moses’ life was transformed by 40 days on Mount Sinai
· The spies were transformed by 40 days in the Promise Land
· David was transformed by Goliath’s 40-day challenge
· The city of Nineveh was transformed in 40 days
· Jesus readied Himself for ministry by spending 40 days in the desert
· and the disciples were transformed by 40 days with Jesus after the resurrection.
The next 40 days are going to transform your life.
I want you to look at this card. Notice, follow along with me.
Believing that God created me for His purposes and that the best use of my life is to fulfill those purposes, I commit the next 40 days to better understanding of God’s five purposes for me.
· I will participate in a 40 days of Purpose small group.
We have about 12 of these here in Luzerne County.
If you’re not in one, it’s not too late.
Just ask Stan, or Ron Grabowski, or Ron Boudreaux or me…
It’s not too late.
· SECOND: I will read each day’s chapter from the Purpose Driven Life book.
Everybody who gets in a group, is going to get a free copy of that book.
I suggest that you schedule a daily appointment with God and sit down and read it.
Do it every day for the next 40 days.
It will take you about 15 minutes a day.
I would also suggest that you get a partner
that you can call on the phone and discuss what you’ve read. Don’t go through this journey alone.
Get yourself a spiritual partner.
· And LAST: I will do my best to hear all 7 messages in this series, The Purpose Driven Life.
What I’m going to be saying, and what a couple of our other preachers are going to be saying on the weekends
will set up what you’re going to be studying during the week following.
In other words, what we’re talking about today,
you’re going to be studying in a little bit more detail this week.
Can you give the time?
Well…please listen to this…
Folks, the plain fact of the matter is this,
if you added up what time it would take you
to do all those things –
I took the time to add it all up and I was real generous.
It would still be less than 48 hours total.
So here’s my question –
is the rest of your life and is all of the rest of your eternity worth 48 hours of your time, now?
I would think so.
I want to ask you to sign this and I want you to take it home,
and I want you to put it up on your refrigerator to remind you.
I realize that all of us here today are at different stages in our spiritual journeys.
We’re all going to go through this journey together, no matter what stage you are in.
Some of you may be seekers, and you’re saying,
“I’m not even sure I buy this, but I’m intellectually honest enough to check it out.”
And that’s fine – we’re glad to have you on the journey with us.
Some of you are brand new believers and for you I’m very excited because you’re going to get to start off right,
like many of us did not.
Some of you are what we can call “stumblers.”
You say, “I call myself a Christian, but I’m not really very close to God. And I’ve been really, honestly,
living for my plans and not God’s.”
For you, this 40 days is the time to come home.
And then, some of you are strong believers,
and you’re going to go deeper with God than you’ve ever gone before and you’re going to bring others along, too.
So, regardless of where you are in your spiritual journey,
look at this last verse. “It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from – if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open.” (Acts 10:35)
Let’s bow our heads – You know God had a purpose in bringing you here today. He wants you to know Him and He wants you to know His purposes for you. So talk to Him. You don’t have to use any fancy words. If you don’t know what to say, just follow me in this prayer…just go “Me too, God”.
“Dear God, I realize that if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be alive. But because you made me, you must have a purpose for me. I admit that I focused on my plans for my life, not yours. But I want to know your purposes for me, so I commit the next 40 days of my life to learning about it. Thank you that you made me so you could love me. Thank you that you cared for me even when I didn’t know you. Thank you that I was made to last forever. I want a life filled with meaning. I want to start by getting to know you better. So as best as I understand, I ask you, Jesus Christ, to come into my life and help me to understand your purposes for me. I want to take the first step today. In your name I pray, Amen.”
************************
WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?
The Purpose Driven Life – Part 1
Rick Warren
Saddleback Church – Lake Forest, Calif.
September 28-29, 2002
Sermon Outline Notes
LIFE’S 3 GREATEST QUESTIONS
1. QUESTION OF EXISTENCE: WHY AM I ALIVE?
“Why was I born? Was it only to have trouble and sorrow,
to end my life in disgrace?” Jer. 20:18 (TEV)
“The Lord has made everything for His own purpose.”
Prov. 16:4a (GW)
“Long before He laid down earth's foundations, He had us in
mind, and settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made
whole and holy by His love.” Eph. 1:4 (Msg)
GOD: I WAS CREATED TO BE LOVED BY GOD.
2. QUESTION OF SIGNIFICANCE: DOES MY LIFE MATTER?
“My work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for
nothing and for no purpose at all.” Isa. 49:4a (NLT)
“I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were
born.” Isa. 44:2 (CEV)
“You... scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe.
Every day was recorded in your book!” Ps. 139:16 (LB)
"His plans endure forever; his purposes last eternally."
Ps. 33:11 (GN)
GOD: I WAS MADE TO LAST FOREVER.
“When this tent we live in—our body here on earth—is torn
down, God will have a house in heaven for us to live in, a home
he himself has made, which will last forever.” 2 Cor. 5:1 (TEV)
“Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the
street to a life with meaning." Prov. 9:6 (Msg)
3. QUESTION OF INTENTION: WHAT IS MY PURPOSE?
“Why did you create us? For nothing?” Ps. 89:47 (NCV)
"Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding."
Pr. 9:10b (LB)
GOD: I FIND MY PURPOSE BY GETTING TO KNOW GOD.
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible
and invisible…everything got started in him and finds its
purpose in him.” Col 1:16 (Msg)
“It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living
for... part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything
and everyone.” Eph. 1:11 (Msg)
“It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if
you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open.”
Acts 10:35 (Msg)