Finding Your Purpose | Pastor Greg Ford | One Church Columbus

ICEBREAKER:

What is the greatest TV show of all time, and why?

MESSAGE NOTES:

[Matthew 28:19]

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

[Ephesians 4:1-7]

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. 7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

LEAD a life

[Ephesians 4:11-13]

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

[Matthew 23:7]

They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

[Romans 12:3]

I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

[I Corinthians 15:9]

For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church.

[I Corinthians 4:1]

So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.

If you undervalue yourself you’ll end up used by people.

If you overvalue yourself you’ll end up using people.

When you find your purpose you’ll be used by GOD.

Your Purpose is to be the MEANS to God’s END.

[Ephesians 4:14-16]

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

[II Corinthians 1:3-4]

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

QUESTION 1: Where is there a disconnect between the world’s definition of “purpose” and the biblical definition?

QUESTION 2: What is the difference between “leading” your life and simply living your life?

QUESTION 3: How do we practically evaluate our gifts, apply it to God’s mission, and ensure that we are functioning as a “means to God’s end”?

GUIDED PRAYER:

God thank you for your word, and the reminder that you have given each of us gifts to serve people. Help me to see my purpose correctly, be led by your spirit in where I am gifted, and how to put the gift to work for your glory. Amen.

One ChurchApril 17, 2023