How does it feel to belong? Be part off something special. Being special in every aspect of the word. And you know, the earlier we learn our place and purpose in life, the better off we become. As children, we each learned early what our place in the world was. We where subject to our guardians for love and guidance. From every bump on the head or every scratch from a fall in the playground. WE learn early that pain hurts, love excites, and grace is powerful. Having a sense of belonging, knowing we are loved, cherished and have a place on this earth is something words cannot fully express without getting chocked up. I can’t help but to be reminded what God told Moses to say to Israel, Exodus 6:6-8“Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the labors of the Egyptians, and I will rescue you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. 7 Then I will take you as My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the labors of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession; I am the Lord.’” Let me re-state, “I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.” What awesome words of promise from an everlasting God.
David Frum, one of President George W. Bush’s speechwriters, wrote in his book “The Right Man,” that when he drove home on the evening of September 11, 2001 after the tragic attack on our nation, something grew within him. He wrote that a sudden sense of American ownership gripped him as never before. He said that suddenly the F-16s flying overhead were his jets. The empty streets in Washington were his streets. The burning Twin Towers in New York were his towers. The smoldering Pentagon was his Pentagon. He said that when he got home his wife and children ran and embraced him almost in desperation. They were his family. On that night they piled up pillows and sleeping bags and all of them slept in the living room to be together. It is amazing to see what an attack from the outside will do to a nation, to a country, to a family, but especially to a parent. How knowing that each of us today, are special, are accepted, are presented and are called children of the living God rings out so loudly even amidst of chaos, evils and turmoil’s we encounter. But many people today rather not believe they are here for a purpose, that each of us was Put Here By God for a divine reason.
From the very beginning of all humanity, God has delivered his story of love for all of us to admire, cherish, and live by, so we each should know how God loved us so much, that He gave his only son to save us all. For some people, that isn’t really enough. There needs to be more involved. Its not enough to just be born, but to be born with a purpose, a reason, a iron clad statement saying, Donald, John, Kathy, Mary, all of us are here for a reason!
I remember growing up and my parents joking told me I wasn’t theirs, I was found by the road side or in a ditch. For a child to hear that, it can be rather disturbing, but if you think about it, some people even today really believe they have no origin, no reason for being here except survive! Its sad to see and hear stories in the news of people everyday that experience the word loneliness in all its form, which can result in suicide, addictions and other forms of self-absorbed avenues to aid them in their journey called life. For without having ownership or a purpose, we seem to be a like a ship without a sail, no rudder to steer our course. Life seems to become meaningless, yet, rest assured friends, regardless of your past experiences, no matter the sour circumstances you have been through, and without any reservation of holding back love, God has a purpose and reason for you today, this very minute. We each was Put Here By God!
So let us start our journey today with the reading of Pauls first letter to the people of Corinth. It starts off with the cherished greetings who Paul declared those who are sanctified in Christ. Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes. Right off the bat, Paul is declaring his apostleship, apostle meaning being sent, as NOT OF HIS OWN MAKING, but Gods. Paul is not dictating his leadership by his own will, but only what God provided to him, by His will. Paul, like us today, are not declaring to be a self-made Christian! Paul is not writing this letter to the people of Corinth as a free agent per-say or needing to get something off his chest. Paul writes as one whom was given the job by God to give these people guidance, as being Put Here By God.
To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lets stop here for a moment for a few things to note. First off, Paul writes the words, Church of God. Notice its not Pauls Church or even the property of the members. The congregation of any Church of God is founded, sustained, and accountable to the one who made the congregation in the first place. Almighty God. Maybe we each need to rethink this thought when we say, What we expect church to be, to the question, What does God who established this church, hope for in our church?
Then there’s another statement Paul makes here, a very tough word for some to comprehend is the word saint which is found in several translations. What is a saint? The Greek word used here is defined as being Holy (hag'-ee-os), which means “set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred.” In the New Living Translation it reads to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. Right here we have been given a declaration that no matter what, those who are sanctified by God, are His Holy People. Set apart for Himself and owned by God. His saints.
I remember while in the service, a sailor I served with had a mental break down, and no one knew of his circumstance, but we learned he was adopted, raised in an orphanage. His breakdown was a result of how others on the ship had letters from families, parents and loved ones, but he didn’t have that luxury. It devastated him thinking he had nothing or no one to love him, to call him his own! I think about that often times. Its sad to see such people in the world today that go throughout their lives not realizing how much they truly are loved by others, especially by God. And we find in Pauls letter to the people of Corinth, its quite obvious he is addressing a divided church where there appears to be factions, discord and other forms of separation. But let us continue our journey today in reading Pauls letter.
I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 just as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
We each were called into fellowship with Him! What a statement! Now carefully here we are diving richly into the realm of ownership by God to us, His chosen, Holy people. We are set apart from the rest of the world by as what Paul tells us, Christ was confirmed in you! We each had a purpose to the get go. To live, to love, to serve, to be obedient, to be fruitful and multiply. Book of Genesis gives us a testimony of God that we each was created in His image. Not the image of something or someone else, but the image of our creator, the living God. That alone should give us testimony that we are loved and put here by purpose. We each was designed to serve God and each other. And notice in verse 4 it starts off with thanksgiving, being thankful for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus. Grace, the fundamental word of hope that is beyond all measurement.
There is many more examples I can give but will not have time today to dive into each.
SO what evidence can we look upon to sustain the idea that we are Gods, and Gods purpose is real in each of us? Let me try to give light with Three steps for finding your purpose from the Bible. First, Reflect on Scripture and believe in it. The Bible is the source of all our knowledge of God, and being God breathed, it’s the only tangible source given to us that holds the very foundation of the world. The Bible holds verses that tell us who we are, what is important, and what we are called to do. Gods Holy Word should be the anchor of our life. Not just a book!
Then when you read it, don’t just read it, you do the second thing, which is reflect on scripture how Gods word is to function in your life (offer hope, give direction, bring correction, shape identity). Cry out to God for help in every way. As the Gospel of John ch. 15 tells us, we are to be the branches and Christ is the vine. We abide in Him and He abides in each of us. As in the Prophet Jeremiah tells us For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Where in that statement do, we find no purpose?
Then thirdly, identify your purpose based on Scripture not your feelings or what the world teaches. We need to base our hope and faith in nothing less than Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Our purpose in this life is not a to-do list, bucket list or something we just need to do before we die. Our purpose goes beyond existence, its belonging to God as his child. Focus more on “being” more than just “doing.” We do things, but we are most when we are being Godly.
In-closing, here are some example statements which house lots of leverage in changing our minds from doing to being. “I live to bring glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through consistent worship, by my praise and in my life; to cultivate a life of intimacy with God; and to equip women and men for ministry through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
“The purpose of my life is to know God and hear his voice so I can live a life of servanthood and obedience; then I will be a God-defined person and a non-anxious presence in every situation.”
“I exist to live in authentic intimacy with Jesus and let him shape my life in such a way that believers are encouraged and unbelievers are motivated to join me in the journey of discipleship.”
“I exist because God exists.”
Just think of the statement Ruth made to Naomi, if we could say this to God directly. Listen to what Ruth said, “Do not plead with me to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you sleep, I will sleep. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. 17 Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.” What a loving statement to Naomi. No matter what the world has told you, you have a purpose and plan to be here. God loves you, Gods people loves you, and you will always be loved, cherished and acquired by God. Proverbs tells us Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Amen