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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO
BE A CHRISTIAN?
INTRO
1.
Most people live their entire lives without ever knowing
“Why?”
2.
They exist year after year with no idea of why the live, or
God’s purpose for their lives.
3.
The most basic question a person can ask is, “What is the
meaning of my life?”
4.
Everyone wants to be happy. People try in many ways:
·
Some look for happiness by
acquiring possessions.
·
Some look for happiness by
experiencing pleasure.
·
Some look for happiness by
gaining prestige and power.
*If every one will love me, get my
picture on the cover of Rolling Stone.
5. But real
happiness comes from my understanding our purpose in life.
Understanding our
purpose in life begins by asking yourself:
1.
WHY AM I HERE?
A.
GOD MADE ME TO LOVE ME!
3The Lord appeared to us in the past. He said, "I have loved
you with a love that lasts forever. I have kept on loving you with
faithful love. Jeremiah 31:3
God
chose us to belong to Christ before the world was created. He chose
us to be holy and without blame in his eyes. He loved us. 5So
he decided long ago to adopt us as his children. He did it because
of what Jesus Christ has done. It pleased God to do it. Ephesians
1:4-5
*God’s
pleasure—to make us his children
* Bible says God
is love. Not just that he has love. Love is worthless unless it is
given to a person, an object, etc.
B. WE WERE CREATED TO ENJOY A
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH
GOD AND TO MANAGE ALL OF
THE REST OF GOD’S CREATION!
THIS MAKES US SPECIAL!
* This is one thing that makes man different
from the animals—we were put here to manage the earth
27So
God created man in his own likeness. He created him in the likeness
of God. He created them as male and female. 28God blessed
them. He said to them, "Have children and increase your numbers.
Fill the earth and bring it under your control. Rule over the fish
in the waters and the birds of the air. Rule over every living
creature that moves on the ground."
Not only were we made to manage the earth, but to enjoy it!
17Command
people who are rich in this world not to be proud. Tell them not to
put their hope in riches. Wealth is so uncertain. Command those who
are rich to put their hope in God. He richly provides us with
everything to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6:17
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so
they can have life. I want them to have it in the fullest possible
way. John 10:10
·
This
doesn’t mean we will all be millionaires, but God will give us all a
life that is meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling
When we ask
ourselves why are we here, we should also realize:
3: WHEN WE KNOW AND LOVE
GOD, AND LIVE IN HARMONY WITH HIS
PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES, IT PRODUCES TREMENDOUS
BENEFITS IN OUR LIVES
A clear
conscience
Rom 8:1 Life and Peace
Rom 8:6
Help with weakness
Rom 8:26
Purpose in life
Rom 8:28 Confidence
Rom 8:31
Security
Rom 8:39
Power & Strength
Phil 4:13
Fulfillment
Phil 4:19
Freedom
John 8:32, John 8:36
·
This is the kind of
lifestyle God intends for us to live. Why then aren’t most people
happy?
We need to ask
ourselves…
2.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
A.
MAN HAS A NATURAL DESIRE TO BE BOSS AND TO IGNORE GOD’S
PRINCIPALS FOR LIVING.
The selfish
principle:
·
Look for #1 – do your
own thing.
·
If it feels good do
it—regardless of what God says about it.
·
It’s my life, and I’ll do
what I want ( the Animal song)
B.
THE BIBLE CALLS THIS ATTITUDE SIN.
*
Right in the middle of sin is the letter “I” –that’s the problem
6All of us
are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have
turned to our own way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the
sins of all of us.
Isaiah 53:6
8Suppose we
claim we are without sin. Then we are fooling ourselves. The truth
is not in us. 1
John 1:8
Sin breaks our
close relationship with God. It causes us to fear God and to try
and live our
lives outside his will. *
Remember Adam and Eve went and hid in the bushes
when the had
sinned—they were afraid.
*so many people are
afraid of God because sin has broken the relationship
2But
your sins have separated you from your God. They have caused him to
turn his face away from you. So he won't listen to you. Isaiah 59:2
*When you feel like your prayers bounce
off the ceiling—most often sin has come between you and God
*It doesn’t matter who you are--The Pope,
the President, Billy Graham, you, me…
When our relationship with God is not
right, it causes PROBLEMS in every area of our lives—marriage,
career, relationships, finances, international etc. Sin the source
of all our problems
WHEN PEOPLE HAVE
PROBLEMS, THEY OFTEN TRY MANY DIFFERENT WAYS OF COPING BEFORE
TURNING TO GOD.
*Some
try drugs, some alcohol, some an affair, thrills, fad diets. We go
to thing after to help us cope with problems in our lives.
25There is
a way that may seem right to a man. But in the end it leads to
death. Proverbs 16:25
C.
EVEN WHEN WE KNOW OUR
DEEPEST NEED IS GOD, WE OFTEN TRY WRONG WAYS OF GETTING TO KNOW HIM
1. SALVATION BY
HERITAGE—My mother of father was a Christian, so I must be
*I could say, “ I
know you are married because your parents, grandparents, great
grandparents were all married – so you must be. Just because your
parents were married doesn’t mean you are. You get married when you
choose to be.
*Same as being a
Christian—each one of us have to make our own choice.
2.
SALVATION BY SINCERITY : It doesn’t matter what you believe,
as long as you are sincere in what you do believe ( Some sincerely
believed in Hitler, Bills fans believe!)
3. SALVATION BY
SUBSTRACTION: I’ll work real hard to give up all my habits. Then
God will accept me. Don’t do this and that, you’ll be a Christian.
* If you don’t
smoke, drink, cuss, chew; hang around with girls that do—you’re a
Christian.
* Being a Christian
is not a negative life, but a positive life—
4. SALVATION BY
SERVICE: I’ll try to be a good person.
*I’ll be a good
person by being religious and go to church,
* Problem—Going and
sitting in a church will make you a Christian as much as going and
sitting in a chicken house makes you a chicken.
* You can say, “I
was born in the church.” Being born in a car doesn’t make you a
tire!
* “But I’ve been
baptized” –you can be baptized in a Lake Erie til all the fish know
you, but that doesn’t make you a Christian
* It’s not about
religion—about a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If these aren’t the
answer to the problem, then:
WHAT’S THE
SOLUTION?—That is where we will pick up next time
J
(10th Sunday of Kingdomtide)
First
Reading
Isaiah 25:1-9
Psalm 23
Second
Reading
Philippians 4:4-13
Gospel
Matthew
22:1-14
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Collect:
Proper 23
(The Sunday closest to October 12)
Lord, we pray
that your grace may always precede and
follow us,
that we may continually be given to good works;
through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Proper Preface:
PREFACE OF THE LORD’S
DAY
The First Reading Is From Isaiah Chapter 25.
O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt
you and praise your name,
for in perfect faithfulness you have
done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
You have made the city a heap of
rubble, the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners' stronghold a city no
more; it will never be rebuilt.
Therefore strong peoples will honor
you; cities of ruthless nations will revere you.
You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a
shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless
is like a storm driving against a
wall and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of
foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is
stilled.
On this mountain the LORD Almighty
will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine--the best of
meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy the
shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign LORD will wipe away
the tears from all faces;
he will remove the disgrace of his
people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.
In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in
him, and he saved us.
This is the LORD, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation."
The Word
Of The Lord.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall
not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green
pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of
righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of
death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will
follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD
forever.
Glory Be To The Father, And To The Son, And To The Holy
Spirit; As It Was In The Beginning, Is Now, And Will Be Forever.
Amen.
The
Second Reading Is From Philippians Chapter 4.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will
say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The
Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or
received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And
the God of peace will be with you.
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that
at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been
concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying
this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever
the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what
it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in
any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living
in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me
strength.
The Word
Of The Lord.
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