What On Earth Am I Here For

Part 1 - WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR?

Based on the Book “purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren and materials from Christ’s Commission Fellowship Church: PNP-PDL Seminar

Introduction

• If I were to ask you what your goals for this year are, I am sure many of your answers will be about doing well in your job so that you can get promoted to a higher position.

• We all make plans, but we do not know what tomorrow will bring.

• Eventually we have to think about the question of death. It will surely happen someday and we could die at any moment.

What happens when we die?

• Hebrews 9:27 – It is ordained for man to die once and after this comes judgment

• When a person dies, he comes face to face with his Maker to face judgment. This is the reason we need to be ready. While on earth, this is what we have to prepare for.

What must our ambition be?

• 2 Corinthians 5:9 - Therefore also we have as our ambition…to be pleasing to Him

• On earth, my ambition must be to please God. And when we die and are face to face with God, we will either please Him or face His wrath.

• Although God is almost always pictured as loving, that is only one aspect of His character. Another aspect of His character is His holiness and desire for truth. His anger against those who suppress His truth.

What must our ambition be?

• Romans 1:18 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness

• And so in order to avoid God’s wrath and anger, we must make it our ambition to find out what pleases Him.

How do we begin to please God?

• What do you do to please God?

• Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

• How do we begin to please God? We must see things from God’s perspective.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE FAITH?

• Police have “assets” to gather intelligence on criminals. Spiritually, our only reliable asset is God’s Word, the Bible and faith believes what God says in His Word. It is a reliable source because God Himself is the author. And because He is the author, He wants us to understand that we have a problem

THE PROBLEM OF SIN

• Isaiah 13:11 - Thus I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their sin; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud.

• The Bible says sin will bring about God’s punishment. What is that punishment that God says we will experience?

• Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death.

What “death” is the Bible speaking of?

• Revelation 21:8 - But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

HOW DO PEOPLE TRY TO PAY FOR THEIR SIN WHILE ON EARTH?

1. Good works

• Ephesians 2:8-9 - Because of his kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it.

• Ecclesiastes 7:20 - Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. The problem with trying to be good is we are never good enough.


2. Trying to obey the 10 Commandments• Romans 3:20 - Therefore no one will be

declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

• The problem with trying to follow the 10 Commandments as our way to heaven is we have to obey them all. When we violate one commandment, it is equivalent to violating them all.

• James 2:10 - For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he is guilty of all.


3. Praying• Isaiah 59:1-2 - Surely the arm of the

Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. [2] But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.


4. Sacrifices/Offerings/Rituals

• Psalm 40:6 - Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.

• As we have seen none of these things are sufficient to pay for sin, because the only acceptable payment is death, a sinless death for a sinful man.

WHAT IS GOD’S SOLUTION TO OUR SIN PROBLEM

• 2 Corinthians 5:21 - He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God

• This is what it means to believe and have faith. It means to believe in God’s “only solution to the sin problem” – A sinless offering for sinful man – Jesus Christ.

• This is the Good News. The only one who can pay for our sins is someone who has never sinned . Jesus Christ is the only qualified person to pay for our sins because He led a sinless life.

WHAT IS GOD’S SOLUTION TO OUR SIN PROBLEM

• John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

• God has provided the solution.

WHAT MUST OUR RESPONSE BE TO THIS OFFER?

• Acts 26:20 - But I kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

Remember that repentance..• Is not a pre-salvation attempt to set one’s life in

order because we don’t have the ability to do that.

• Is not a command to make sin right before turning to Christ in faith since that would be salvation by good works. We have seen we can never be “good enough” to merit heaven.

What is Repentance?

• Repentance is not merely being ashamed or sorry for sin, although it is an aspect of repentance. It is a purposeful decision that starts with a desire to forsake all sin and pursue God’s righteousness. Genuine repentance is understanding how serious your sin against God is. Your sin is an offense against a holy God. The solution is to turn to the only solution for forgiveness – Jesus Christ.

Faith & Repentance

• Faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. Faith is trusting and believing in God’s provision for sin – His Son Jesus Christ. Repentance is a willingness to live a life away from sin and pursue God and His righteousness.

• What on earth are we here for? It is to prepare us to know God and prepare us for eternity with God.

Prayer

Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank you for the truths you are teaching us. Thank you for making us realize that there is nothing we can do to merit salvation. We can never be good enough for when we violate one command, we are guilty of violating all of your commands. Lord Jesus, I am aware of my sinfulness, that my sins have offended you because you are a holy God. I acknowledge that I am hopeless and helpless and doomed to hell. I look to you Lord Jesus in faith to pay for my sins and forgive me. Thank you for what you did on the Cross. Help me to understand you more and more as I study your Word.