5B DEFINING A PURPOSE

Last week we looked at the situations and people in Christ’s life that sat outside the comfort envelope of our faith. People were often shocked by the types of people Christ would approach. He was empowered to do so through the clarity of His purpose. He came, not to condemn, but to save.

Have you run into any people who sat outside the comfort envelope of your faith? How did you deal with it?

Since last week’s class, have you changed the understanding of your Christian purpose in any way?

That was purpose in the life of Christ. But what purposes did He leave us? In our study, Warren offers the wonderful insight, that everything can be summarized in two mandates- “The Great Commission, and the Great Commandment.” Let’s take a look at both:

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'

1. Baptize them- bring people into God’s family- on earth and in heaven. In our day, there is this sentiment that truly spiritual people just hang out with God alone. It is our purpose to shatter this falsehood. God is not about institutions, but He is about family- And He has no definition of His children outside His family, the church. Our purpose is membership.

2. Make Disciples- equip people, and bring them to spiritual maturity. Do we understand the urgency of maturity? National Geographic has done a great job showing the behavior of predators on the African plains. Lions shadow the herds, picking out the weak and the immature. Then they strike with an unexpected ferocity. 1Peter 5:8 describes Satan as a roaring lion seeking to devour. Those of us who only half-understand our faith… those who are only half-committed… those who are only half-disciplined… do you know what they are? -Easy prey, lion food… they are vulnerable. In this spiritual jungle, maturity is imperative. Our purpose is discipleship.

3. Go… to all nations- Isn’t it interesting we are not called to defend the Gospel, but to spread it. Spread it to people everywhere. Do you know what that implies? People everywhere are of equal value- the celebrity and the commoner; the young American professional and the Nigerian farmer. The comfortable and the uncomfortable. Our purpose is Evangelism and Missions.

4. To love our neighbor- to manifest our love for God by loving people. Our purpose is Ministry

5. Love God- Glorify God through our relationship with Him. –Magnify God before His throne and before people. Our purpose is worship.

Throughout Scripture we find these five Biblical purposes pertain to everyone alive in Christ.

Our purpose is clearly defined in the Bible. –But does the teaching stop there?

Well before we close the book on this question, let’s take a moment to visit the Book of Revelation. In here, we find personal letters to seven different churches. A quick synopsis of the seven churches goes like this:

The character of the church is hard work and perseverance. They test and expose false teachers. Their weakness is that they have lost their first love, and their calling is to return to it. Their future is repentance and spiritual reward, or oblivion.

Smyrna is a materially poor church but is spiritually rich. In circumstances- it is being slandered by an established religion, namely, a legalistic synagogue. Their call is to go through suffering, prove faithful and inherit a crown of life.

The location of the church is in the heart of Satan’s activity. It has remained true, and it resists the false teaching. However, it does have a problem playing too close to the moral standards of the world around it. Its calling is to repent.

The character of the church is warm love and strong faith. But they’ve allowed their soft hearts to work against them. They tolerate a woman of strong influence who is a false prophetess. She is misleading them into immorality and diverting their focus away from God. Their call is to get rid of the false leader and clean up their congregational act.

Sardis is a church that has accomplished things in Christ. But they have sat back and enjoyed their achievements a little too long. In fact, they are in a spiritual coma. Their calling is to wake up, remember and obey. They need to clean up their lives and prove themselves worthy.

They are a small church with little social standing, yet they have stood against the falsehood and persecution of a religious giant. Because they have done such an outstanding job in their endurance, they will be rewarded spiritually.

They are the richest of the churches, and the most spiritually apathetic and destitute. Their calling is to change their value system and repent. Their hope lies in seeing themselves spiritually as they really are- and changing.

Within the same pages of the New Testament, here are seven churches. Each one is called to the same Biblical purposes we’ve just looked at. But did you notice how each letter started? “I know…” God says, “I know you, personally. I know what you’ve done, I know the particular character of your church.”

And to each church He gives a personal and particular instruction. Each church is a different situation. Each church exhibits its own particular strengths and weaknesses. Each church has its own particular path to follow.

If God were to describe the nature of our church, what do you think He might say?

What criticisms; what praises?

What do you think He’d instruct this church to do?

Would it be different from other churches in the area?

If so, what circumstances, challenges, and blessings are unique to this church?

And the bottom line is this: Since each church is unique, God’s purposes need to be applied in a unique way. Folks- within the pages of Scripture, itself, churches are called to personal and unique applications of His Will. So why should we be any different today?

¨ We are called to the clear purpose of saving the world through Christ, and not condemning it.

¨ We are called to the clear purpose of investing in fellow human beings… investing in each other.

¨ We did not come up with these purposes- and we will not come up with the application to which we are called. It is a process of revelation. And that, is impossible without a Christ-centered unity with God.

And keep this in mind: God says our personal spiritual destiny is in the setting of our collective destiny. Translation: If we can’t get it right with the people around us, we won’t get it right at all. We’re on this ride together.

The reality of our unique purpose is here. It is waiting to be discovered- but do we care enough to do what needs to be done?

In review, what was the clear purpose that Jesus had according to John?

In practical steps, how does a church find its purpose?

How does an individual find their purpose?

How important is the church family around you in discovering your individual purpose?