DISCOVER PURPOSE
A.J. Dummitt
Part of Start with WHY - The Reason Our Church Exists
January 16, 2022
DISCOVER PURPOSE
Start with WHY Sunday Series
Ephesians 4:7,11-13 (KJV)
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: —Ephesians 4:7, 11-13 (KJV)
A. CREATED WITH A
GRACE
In the first sentence, the word translated grace means a special gift, a divine enablement. This kind of grace refers to something you do that brings fulfillment and makes a difference in the lives of those around you. We see a reference to this same kind of grace in Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome:
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. —Romans 12:6
Your hope and calling are connected. Once you know your sacred purpose, you experience hope more fully.
Knowing your purpose is second only to your salvation in Jesus Christ. When you know what you’re made for, you can take your eyes off yourself and focus on serving others as God has wired you to do.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. —2 Corinthians 4:16-18
True happiness is found in purpose.
B. SPIRITUAL
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. —Psalms 139:14-16 (ESV)
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. —Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
Discovering Your
Before time began God knew something He wanted each of us to do. Then He designed us specifically for that purpose. Your divine design illuminates the destiny God has for you. If you discover the way you have been made, it will point to what God wants you to do with your life.
Use a variety of tools to reveal more of your unique design instead of relying on just one. Take the tests, reflect on the results, and discuss your thoughts with other believers you trust. These personality assessments are a helpful place to start as you seek a deeper understanding of the way you were made and the purpose to which your various traits might be pointing.
1. YOUR GIFTS AND PASSIONS
6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. —Romans 12:6-8 (New American Standard Bible)
Your gifts and passions are the areas you love and naturally excel in. You may need to pursue various topics, issues, and abilities to filter through the possibilities and discover the ones you find most compelling. Our gifts emerge from the grace we’ve each been given, and we’re clearly intended to use them for the good of others.
2. YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. —Romans 12:1 (The Message)
God will often use you in the events and situations you experience. As this verse points out, even moments that seem mundane and ordinary can be used by God to fulfill his purposes—in your life and in the lives of those around you.
3. YOUR PAIN
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. —2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)
This verse reminds us that God uses our wounds and struggles. God will often use us to help others in the place where we’ve felt pain—if we’ll let Him.
C. THE BODY OF CHRIST
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: —1 Peter 2:9 (KJV)
There’s no such thing as a small player in God’s eyes. We’re all teammates. Everybody is needed—which means if you don’t contribute, we all suffer. Every task is vital to the work to further God’s kingdom. The Bible reminds us,
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. —1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)
We are all wired differently by God for a deliberate purpose. Some people have believed the enemy’s lies that they’re not talented, capable, or smart enough to serve God. God has given each of us special gifts. He designed us to fulfill the abilities He planted inside us. We’re reminded of this truth in God’s Word:
God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful. —1 Corinthians 12:4-7 (The Message).
Four Reasons to Commit to a Church
Jesus is committed to the church:
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. —Ephesians 5:25
The church provides an antidote to the commitment phobia of our society and popular culture.
Committed membership in a church defines who can be counted on—to serve, to give, to contribute, to support, to grow, to love, to forgive, and to celebrate.
Commitment cultivates and nurtures your spiritual growth.
D. GROWTH
GROW
Healthy, consistent spiritual growth requires a four-step plan:
Set aside time to grow.
Determine your specific area of growth.
Find resources in this area of growth.
Apply what you begin learning.
Some General Areas of Spiritual Growth:
WISDOM
- Make wisdom, understanding and application your way of life. Learn from others, learn from your past, learn from God’s Word.
STATURE
- God designed us with bodies capable of working hard, but we still require rest. If you work like it all depends on you, then you’ll eventually, run out of resources to give. But if you stop and let God refill you, you’ll never run dry.
FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN
- Just as you need to be deliberate about spending time with God—praying, worshipping, learning, listening—you also need to be intentional about investing in your relationships with the key people in your life.
DECIDE TO GROW
Write one sentence about how you can improve in that area in the month to come. Here are the twelve areas to focus on:
Faith life: How is my relationship with God?
Marriage life: How is my relationship with my spouse?
Family life: How are my relationships with my kids and immediate family?
Office life: How much time do I spend there, and is it effective?
Computer life: How can I productively spend less time on it?
Ministry life: How can I touch the lives of others? Where do I give?
Financial life: How are my personal finances?
Social life: When am I spending time engaged with friends?
Attitudinal life: Overall, what’s my attitude lately?
Creative life: Am I dreaming? Writing?
Travel life: How do I balance time away from home and church?
Physical life: Am I taking care of my body and physical self?
Give yourself a score on how you’re doing in each one, with 1 being “not well at all” and 10 being “great—couldn’t be better.” What patterns do you notice? What areas are thriving? What areas need critical attention right away? Make an appointment with yourself to review your list of areas and update your growth in the next month.