What are You doing Here?

Intro:

1 Kings 19:8–9 NASB95

8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Title: What are You doing Here?

Context

Declaration of no rain

3 years of provision by ravens by a brook

Mount Caramel Challenge

400 prophets of Baal slaughtered

Angelic visitation just before this text

Now Elijah is hiding, looking back on his own zealousness for the Lord, and feeling like the whole world and even God’s people have forsaken their purpose.

Have you ever felt like you were the only one left?

Have you ever felt like the Church has lost her purpose and you’re not sure what to even do about it?

“If the Church doesn’t stand up again, we will lose this nation.”

I certainly have…

So here is Elijah, led to the same Mountain where God called Moses… Looking back on his own zealousness… watching his back in fear for his life…

God’s Question

And God asks, “What are you doing here?”

Elijah, Why are you in this cave? Didn’t I give you an assignment?

Didn’t I call you to a purpose?

Why have you abandoned your purpose? Have you forgotten?

What are you doing here?

God’s question to Adam: Where are you?

If God asked you a question, what would it be?

Where are you? What are you doing here?

In the NT, this question was asked of those who watched Jesus ascend:

Acts 1:9–11 NASB95

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

What are you doing here? What are you waiting on? He’s coming back! Time is limited! Get to work!

You know what drives me nuts? When someone talks about something over and over again, but never actually does anything…

Tell story of woman who commented on my post about hypocrisy.

I think one of the major contributors to a lack of motivation in any case is a lack of vision.

There is a direct correlation between a lack of motivation and a lack of vision.

A vision of what?

A vision of Purpose…

How do you find your purpose?

When God asks the question, Elijah’s answer reveals his perspective… He gives an answer focused on what was behind him…

Look at God’s answer: 1Kings 19:11 “11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by!”

Go forth! Look forward! Get your eyes on the right direction!

Your purpose isn’t behind you! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

Get before the Lord again! Your purpose, your solution, your calling is found before the Lord.

You’re not gonna find your purpose in a cave, you’ll find it before the Lord!

In order to find your purpose, you have to get your eyes off of your circumstances and onto the Big Picture.

God has an ultimate purpose, an eternal mission, the misseo dai, the mission of God.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?

The Bible has much to say about God’s purpose:

Isaiah says of the purpose of God:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Isaiah 46:10–11

10 Declaring the end from the beginning,

And from ancient times things which have not been done,

Saying, ‘aMy purpose will be established,

And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;

11 Calling a abird of prey from the beast,

The man of 1My purpose from a far country.

Truly I have cspoken; truly I will bring it to pass.

I have planned it, surely I will do it.

His purpose was the same from the beginning… God has spoken and He will bring it to pass.

In the New Testament, Paul says of God’s purpose:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Romans 8:28–29

28 And we know that 1God causes aall things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are bcalled according to His purpose.

29 For those whom He aforeknew, He also bpredestined to become cconformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the dfirstborn among many brethren;

His purpose was already established, because He foreknew…

He’s not caught off guard, You can’t surprise Him, and He’s already made provision…

Paul told the Ephesians:

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Ephesians 1:9–12

9 He 1amade known to us the mystery of His will, baccording to His 2kind intention which He cpurposed in Him

10 with a view to an administration 1suitable to athe fullness of the times, that is, bthe summing up of all things in Christ, things 2in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him

11 1also we 2ahave obtained an inheritance, having been bpredestined caccording to His purpose who works all things dafter the counsel of His will,

12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in 1Christ would be ato the praise of His glory.

The Mystery of His will… the summing up of all things in Christ, both in Heaven and on Earth.

He goes on to say...

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Ephesians 3:8–11

8 To me, athe very least of all 1saints, this grace was given, to bpreach to the Gentiles the unfathomable criches of Christ,

9 and to 1bring to light what is the administration of the amystery which for ages has been bhidden in God cwho created all things;

10 so that the manifold awisdom of God might now be bmade known through the church to the crulers and the authorities in dthe heavenly places.

11 This was in aaccordance with the 1eternal purpose which He 2carried out in bChrist Jesus our Lord,

His purpose was eternal, and was carried out in Christ Jesus. Paul calls this purpose the Administration of the Mystery (v. 9) which was hidden for ages in God.

This was the mission of God.. to bring redemption to man.

The purpose of Creation was to fellowship with God.

Summarize what we spoke about in Sunday School.

There is the ultimate purpose, the reason God began the process of creation.

The reason He created mankind was to fellowship with us in Eden, to walk among us…

This is reflected in the promises after the fall, there is always an effort from God to take steps toward redemption so that He may walk with us once again…

Then there is the purpose of God’s people within the larger purpose… God selected a specific family on the earth to make a covenant with because it was through that family that the key to redemption would finally come…

Within that family, there were specific tribes given specific missions to further the ultimate purpose…

When Jesus showed up on the scene, the Church is then formed with the purpose of spreading this message of redemption so that the kingdom of God would be brought near to all, and mankind would be one step closer to redemption

Within that mission, there are ministries and callings just like the tribes of Israel, all set for different elements of the same ultimate purpose… to bring redemption to mankind…

Within those callings, with eyes on the ultimate purpose, you will find your purpose…

Can I tell you, your purpose is not to be a consumer, but to be a disciple that reproduces?

Your purpose is to carry out your portion of the mission, keeping the ultimate purpose of God in view…

Why do we do what we do? To see the mission fulfilled!

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (2 Timothy 1:9)

9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,

the calling is not according to our works, but according to His purpose…

When you’re looking for your purpose, you don’t look at yourself, you look at His purpose.

This was from all eternity… your mistakes didn’t offset the plan of God. He knew from eternity…

Your inadequacies don’t mean God chose the wrong person…

If Jesus can take 12 misfits and change the historical trajectory of the entire world, what can He do with a congregation dedicated to His purpose?

Do you know what it means for you when God starts growing this congregation?

You’re up! It’s your time!

It’s your time to get involved. God is moving you from a consumer to a participator.

Christianity is not a spectator sport… You can’t sit on the sidelines forever…

It’s time to get up and get involved!

The more we grow, the more involvement from you it will take.

This is the discipleship process… From receiver to giver, to be poured into then pour out into others…

The question is, what does that look like for you?

What role do you play in this big idea?

What part do you fill in the direction God is moving this church?

We can see the vision cast by Pastor… We can sense the direction God is shifting us in… But we have to ask the question, what part do I play?

The answer is found before the Lord… God told Elijah, Go Forth, before the Lord!

Give altar call with papers. Have each person write down what they feel God is leading them toward, then drop it in the offering boxes when they leave…