What on Earth am I here for?

“It is in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. . . part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.”Ephesians 1:11 (Mes) 

“Everything, absolutely everything. . . got started in Christ and finds its purpose in him.” Colossians 1:16 (Mes) 

1. GOD PLANNED ME  

“You God created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created!” Revelation 4:11b  

“The Lord takes pleasure in his people.” Psalm 149:4 (TEV)  

“Long before he laid down earth's foundations, God had us in mind, and settled on us as the focus of his love.” Ephesians 1:4 (Mes) 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV)  

“I don't want your sacrifices - I want your love! I don't want your Offerings - I want you to know me!” Hosea 6:6 (LB) 

THE 1st PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO:  

know and love God.  

“WORSHIP”

2. GOD FORMED ME  

for his family. 

“God’s unchanging plan has always been to ADOPT us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure.”Ephesians 1:5 (NLT) 

“God has given us the privilege of being BORN AGAIN so that we are now members of God's own family.” 1 Peter 1:3 (LB) 

“That family is the church of the living God, the support and foundation of the truth.” 1 Timothy 3:15 (NCV) 

“Love your spiritual family.” 1 Peter 2:17 (Mes)  

THE 2nd PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO:  

learn to love others.  

“FELLOWSHIP”

“Let us not give up the HABIT OF MEETING TOGETHER. . . instead let us encourage one another.” Hebrews 10:25 (TEV) 

3. GOD CREATED ME  

to become like Jesus.  

“From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him--and all along he knew who would--should become like his Son.” Romans 8:29 (LB)    

“We look at the Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created” Colossians 1:15 (Mes) 

“In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 2:5 (NCV) 

“As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.” 2 Corinthians 3:18b (NLT) 

THE 3rd PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO:  

spiritually.  

“DISCIPLESHIP”

“Let us go on. . . and become mature in our understanding, as strong Christians ought to be.” Hebrews 6:1 (LB) 

“By now you should be teachers. Instead, you still need someone to teach you. . . !” Hebrews 5:12 (GW) 

4. GOD SHAPED ME  

to serve Him.  

“You shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb.” Psalms 139:13 (Mes)  

Spiritual Gifts

Heart

Abilities

Personality

Experiences

“God made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which he planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.” Ephesians 2:10 (NCV) 

“God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings.”1 Peter 4:10 (LB) 

THE 4th PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO:  

serve God by serving others.  

“MINISTRY”

“What can I GIVE BACK to God for the blessings he's poured out on me?” Psalms 116:12 (Mes)  

5. GOD MADE ME  

for a mission.  

Jesus: “In the same way that The Father gave me a mission in the world, I give you a mission in the world.” John 17:18 (Mes) 

(Paul) “I consider that my will be wasted unless I use it to complete my mission and finish the assignment that the Lord Jesus has given to me – to tell everyone the Good News about God's grace.”Acts 20:24    

THE 5th PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO:  

share with others what God has done for me.  

“WITNESSING”

“The things that you have learned from me I now want you to PASS ON to other reliable people, so that they can pass it all on to even more people.”2 Timothy 2:2 

“Through Christ, God has made peace between us and himself, and He gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with Him. . . So we have been sent to speak for Christ!”2 Corinthians 5:18,20  

“God’s people are like trees that bear life-giving fruit. They show their wisdom by saving souls.” Proverbs 11:30 

THE FIRST CHRISTIANS & CHURCH DID GOD’S PURPOSES

“Those who BELIEVED. . . were BAPTIZED and ADDED to the church. . . They JOINED with the other believers and COMMITTED themselves to the apostles' TEACHING AND FELLOWSHIP. . . they SHARED everything with each other and they WORSHIPED together regularly at the Temple. . . and met in GROUPS in homes. . . and everyday the Lord added to their number those who were being SAVED!”Acts 2:41-47 

NOTE THE ORDER:

1. God wants me to BELIEVE in Jesus

2. Next, he wants me to be BAPTIZED

3. JOIN the MEMBERSHIP of a church family

4. Commit to regular WORSHIP

5. Connect to a small group FELLOWSHIP

6. Start serving in some MINISTRY

7. BRING my friends and neighbors to Christ   

Next Time will be Different

Jesus: “I am going to heaven to prepare a place for you. And after I prepare a place for you, I WILL COME BACK to get you, so that where I am, you will also be with me!”John 14:2-3 

DIFFERENCES

1. THE FIRST TIME: JESUS’ ARRIVAL  

happened slowly.

NEXT TIME: JESUS’ ARRIVAL  

will happen instantly. 

“It will all happen in a flash, as fast as the twinkling of an eye.” 1 Corinthians 15:52 

“The day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2 

2. THE FIRST TIME: JESUS’ ARRIVAL  

was very quiet.

NEXT TIME:  

the entire world will hear it.  

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with LOUD COMMAND, and with the SHOUT of the archangel, and with the GREAT SOUND of the trumpet of God!”1 Thessalonians 4:16   

3. THE FIRST TIME:  

A single star was seen in the east.  

NEXT TIME: JESUS WILL  

light up the entire sky.  

JESUS: “For just as lightning flashes light up the ENTIRE SKY and EVERYONE can see it, so will be the return of the Son of God!” Matthew 24:27 

JESUS: “When I come back in ALL my glory, ALL the holy angels will be with me!” Matthew 25:31   

4. THE FIRST TIME:  

Only a few people honored Him.  

NEXT TIME:  

Everyone will honor Him.  

“As surely as I am the living God, EVERYONE will kneel before me, and EVERYONE will confess that I am God!” Romans 14:11    

5. THE FIRST TIME: JESUS CAME  

to save the world.  

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life! God did NOT send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it!”John 3:16-17 (NLT)   

NEXT TIME: HE’S COMING  

to judge the world.  

“God has set a day when the entire human race will be judged WITH JUSTICE and everything set right. And God has already appointed the Judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”Acts 17:31 (Mes)   

“God will reward or punish every person for what that person has done. For those who have lived for God’s glory and honor. . . God will reward them with life forever. But for those who continue to live for themselves and reject the truth, and follow evil instead of obeying God. . . they will receive God’s anger and punishment.”Romans 2:6-8   

6. THE FIRST TIME: JESUS CAME  

to die for our sins.  

“God’s unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his OWN FAMILY by sending Jesus Christ to die for us.” Ephesians 1:5 (LB)   

NEXT TIME: HE’S COMING  
 

to gather His family. 

“He will send his angels all around the earth, and they will gather his chosen people from every part of the world.” Matthew 24:31 (NCV)   

“God’s family is the Church of the living God.” 1 Timothy 3:15 (NCV)   

7. THE FIRST TIME: HE CAME  

in humility.  

“Though he was God. . . he made himself nothing, taking on the humble position of a servant and becoming a human! And while living as a man he humbled himself even further by obediently dying on a cross!”Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)  

NEXT TIME:  

He's coming as King and Lord of all.  

“Because he humbled himself, God has exalted Jesus to the highest place and given him the name that is above every other name so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God!”Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)  

HOW DO I GET READY?

Live for Him looking forward.  

“GOD’S GRACE shows us how to say ‘No!’ to the godless, self-centered, and self-destructive ways the world lives. Instead, God’s grace empowers us to live a wise, self-controlled, and God-honoring life while we look forward with great hope for the coming of our God and Savior Jesus Christ when his great glory will be revealed to all!”Titus 2:12-13  

“The Lord isn't being slow in keeping his promise to return. Instead he is being patient FOR YOUR SAKE. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent.”