HOFC Sermon Archive: Sharing the Gospel Part 5

Sharing the Gospel

Part 5 – What is my Purpose

Rev Bruce A. Shields

The House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

Online Audio Files | HOF Church Facebook | Truth Digest Facebook

This document is a Sermon Outline. You may hear the full audio of the sermon by following the link Online Audio Files located above for this and other Full Sermon Audios. For a complete list of Sermon Outlines, visit TruthDigest.org or Truth Digest on Facebook; for our Official Church website, visit PS127.org, or find us on Facebook at House of Faith Church. #church #jesus #god #bible #christian #love #faith #worship #jesuschrist #gospel #prayer #christ #christianity #pray #photography #holyspirit #godisgood #travel #hope #blessed

SERMON TIMELINE

1. Introduction

2. Everyday Life

3. What do we Share?

4. What we can DO for the Body of Christ

5. What is my Purpose?

INTRODUCTION

Today is Sunday. July 2nd, 2023

We began this series a few weeks ago after our 10-part series on the local church's mission and our responsibility to serve. During this series, we defined what it means to be a disciple and revealed the difference between a Luke 5 Disciple and a Matthew 28 Disciple.

The reason this is so important is because in this series, Sharing the Gospel, we will examine what our purpose is as a believer, and how we serve this purpose through our calling.

There are many negative affects of not knowing your purpose in life.

- Constantly switching jobs (hoping one will be more fulfilling than the last)

- Constantly comparing yourself to others

- Recognizing your failures instead of accomplishments

Fuller M.D., K. (2022, March 7). How Creating a Sense of Purpose Can Impact Your Mental Health. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/happiness-is-state-mind/202203/how-creating-sense-purpose-can-impact-your-mental-health

There are far more, but you get the idea. We as human beings must have purpose. There are many benefits to living with purpose.

- Having purpose in life promotes mental as well as physical health and happiness.

- Living with purpose gives you better sleep at night.

- A sense of your activities related to knowing your purpose are worthwhile, which may be a key to healthy aging.

Sellg, M. (2021, August 23). 10 Powerful Benefits of Living with Purpose. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/changepower/202108/10-powerful-benefits-of-living-with-purpose

If I were to ask you if you wanted;

1. Happiness

2. Better Health

3. Stronger Personal Relationships

4. Longer Lifespan

5. Better Sleep

6. Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease

7. Better Mental Health

8. Better Heart Health

Who would say, “no thanks?”

Over the last few weeks we have discussed what our purpose is in life, and today we are going to break it down and look at what the scriptures say about us and our purpose.

Once we understand our purpose, we can focus on our calling, which is how we “live out” our purpose in life.

Today we will Learn more about our purpose

We must first clear a path in our life for purpose.

Then we can discover what our purpose is.

Once we do this, it is time for living out our purpose in life.

SCRIPTURE READING (Legacy Standard Bible)

1 Peter 2:1-10

“Therefore, laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have TASTED THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD.

And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For this is contained in Scripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES UPON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,” and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE.”

They stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this stumbling they were also appointed.

But you are A CHOSEN FAMILY, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION,

so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

TODAY’S MESSAGE

I. CLEARING THE PATH IN OUR LIFE FOR PURPOSE

a. Obvious Roadblocks to Finding Purpose

i. Are you blatantly living in sin?

ii. I am not talking about, “oops, I got angry with my brother,” I am speaking of choosing to live in a sinful state knowing very well it is in opposition to the Will of God and His commands.

iii. If you are living in disobedience, this will be the stumbling block keeping you from serving the Lord and discovering your purpose and calling.

1. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other…”

iv. EXAMPLE:

1. Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-29 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. “But if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

2. This is a roadblock

a. Do we literally rip out our eye?

i. Question: Did you literally commit adultery?

ii. No, it was figuratively

b. Therefore, figuratively stop your eye from committing adultery.

3. This means stop buying porno and throw what you have away

4. Block it from your devices you watch it on

5. Do whatever it takes to keep your eye from seeing it and lusting

v. Remove these roadblocks!

b. Signs you may not know your purpose

i. People who do not know their purpose

1. lack joy or excitement

2. don’t feel much fulfillment in life

3. work so you don’t have to work

4. feel stuck

5. have no direction

ii. Any of these can be signs

c. God has given us the power of free-will

i. If you have removed the roadblocks, and do not understand your purpose, then it is time to make some choices!

1. We can “choose” to change (we must want it)

2. We can “choose” to submit to the Lord (He won’t make us)

3. We can “choose” to deny ourselves (The Lord must be first in all things)

ii. We can call on the Lord to reveal His purpose to us

II. DISCOVERING THE TRUE PURPOSE FOR OUR LIVES

a. Turn to the Word of God!

i. My go-to for any question of life

1. Why? Because it IS the ONLY completely trustworthy resource of the knowledge and wisdom of the One who created us!

ii. I Corinthians 1:16 “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

b. Seek Him through Prayer

i. Ask the Lord to reveal to you His purpose

c. Speak with other believers

i. About what God’s Will is

1. 1 Timothy 2:1-5 “First of all, then, I exhort that petitions and prayers, requests and thanksgivings, be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus…”

ii. About what God’s Purpose for us is

1. Mark 16:15-16 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

III. CHOOSING TO LIVE A PURPOSEFUL LIFE

a. Determine your gifts and strengths

i. Take a Spiritual Gift Workshop

ii. Speak with others about you and your personality

iii. Prayerfully consider your gifts and strengths

iv. Don’t be blinded by selfish ambition or desires

v. Be open to what the Lord wishes to reveal to you

b. Determine your passions

i. Take a solitude retreat

ii. Spend time away from it all with just you and the Lord

iii. Spend time reading the Word of God and Praying

iv. Keep a prayer journal for revelation

c. Get involved with other believers

i. Others can sometimes see what we cannot

ii. Take counsel from “seasoned” believers who exhibit healthy relationships with God and have purpose in their lives!

1. You wouldn’t ask a broke person financial advice

2. Don’t ask a spiritually broke person about matters of God’s Spirit

We ALL have the Same Purpose, but Differ in our Calling to Serve this Purpose

CONCLUSION

We are here for God’s Purpose – I Corinthians 1:16 “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.”

God’s purpose is His Will – 1 Timothy 2:1-5 “…God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth…”

Therefore, our purpose is to fulfill God’s Will on Earth - Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

The “HOW” we do this is “our calling,” which we will discuss next week!

Next week: What is MY Calling?

NEXT WEEK

Part 6 – Discovering your Calling

This and other Sermon Audios can be found for FREE at

https://www.ps127.org/online-audio-files

Want to learn more about Salvation?

CLICK HERE!

Want to read more FREE sermons?

CLICK HERE!