Grosey's Messages

 QUESTION OF EXISTENCE:    WHY AM I ALIVE?

Jeremiah 20:18  "Why was I born? Was it only to have trouble and sorrow, to end my life in disgrace?"

Possible Answers For Meaning to Life

Mystical – Look within, 

Philosophical –science, logic, history, debate

Naturalist –  environmental, humanism

Hedonist – Pleasure is the only good

Materialist – Physical world is all that exists

Proverbs 16:4a "The Lord has made everything for His own purpose."

Ephesians 1:11  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

An unknown person once said, "There are two great moments in a person's life. The first is when you were born; the second is when you discover why you were born." That leads me to make one of the most arrogant statements any pastor could ever make to anybody. If there is a God and if that God has revealed himself in the Bible, and if the Bible is God's word and true, then I can confidently, though it may sound arrogantly say, "I know the purpose for which every person was born." Now we may not carry that purpose out the same way throughout our lives, but nevertheless we were all born for the same purpose. Paul in one simple sentence gives us the one purpose for which we were created. It is the purpose of the church. In fact, in the grand scheme of things it is the purpose of everything. The reason we exist individually, why do we exist as a church, why did God create anything or anyone? Here is the purpose, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) We will never understand our purpose, or accept our purpose, or practice our purpose unless we understand one thing about our lives – it is not about me.

PEOPLE FIGHT ABOUT PRIMARY CONCERNS

The context is that some people in a church were feuding.

The Corinthian church could feud over anything: Who is boss …..

POWER  1Corintians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.12 What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ."

PRIDE  1 Corinthians 3: 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?

PERMISSIVENESS   1 Cor 5:1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife.2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn?

PASSIONS   1 Corinthians 6:8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud---even your own brothers! 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God

Paul uses a problem about eating meat in an idols temple to reveal a principle. And that principle deals with the wrong desires that often dominate people's lives.

Swindoll called out the problems as the desires for fame , fortune, power and pleasure.

fame , fortune, power and pleasure are not sufficient centres for our lives to fulfill our lives.  We have a God shaped hole in our hearts that only God Himself can fill.

1 Corinthians 10:23-33"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.26 For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof."27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience---29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

The Westminster Catechism says "Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?
A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, And to enjoy him forever.

1. To Seek God's Glory

What do we mean by "the glory of God?" The word "glory" means "something that is worthy of complete praise and honour." It refers to the greatness, the grandeur, and the goodness of God. One thing to keep in mind, too, is that God doesn't just deserve glory. He is glory. He is the only being in all of the universe who is glorious, who radiates glorious. In one sense, He doesn't need us to give Him glory so He will have it; He already does! If we didn't praise God, exalt God or give God glory He would still be glorious, great and good. We are to give him glory. We are to recognize his glory. Why? Because He deserves it and because He is God. You don't add to His glory. When you don't give God glory you don't take away from His glory. Our major purpose is to talk and walk in such a way that we always recognize His glory, exalt His glory and proclaim His glory.

Romans 12:1 So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer…  WORSHIP is my Response to God's love "Because of God's great mercy…"

WORSHIP is giving back to God. Offer yourselves to God…"

Mark 12:30 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, all  your mind, and all your strength… This is the first and greatest commandment."  

Love Him           Passionately "with all your heart and all your soul"      Thoughtfully "with all your mind"

Practically "with all your strength" 

2. To Share God's Grace

When you seek God's glory you will then do the greatest thing you will ever do for anyone else – you will share God's grace. you are either a part of the church of God or you are not. Paul's point is we should never be a stumbling block to an unbeliever coming to Jesus or a stumbling block to a believer in getting closer to Jesus. They may be offended when we share the gospel, but they should never be offended by the way we live the gospel. So with that in mind, what is the end goal? Paul shares it in his letter to the Corinthians, "Even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved" (I Corinthians 10:33). Our number one desire for everyone on this planet is in those last five words, "That they may be saved." Nothing brings more glory to God than when we share God's grace and people respond to God's grace.

1Corinthians 1:4-9  I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge---6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you---7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Luke 19:10 "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Jn 17:18 As you sent me into the world [mission], I have sent them into the world.

Jn 20:21b "…As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you."

Acts 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

1 Cor. 15:1-4 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved... that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures

1 Cor. 9:22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

John 4:35 "...open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest

Matthew 9:37-38 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

3. To Show God's Goodness

Paul was so committed to seek God's glory and share God's grace he could say, "Follow me in the way I live, because I am following the way Christ lived." How did Jesus live? Here is what he said at the end of his life, "…it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 'Father, glorify your name!'" (John 12:27-28). Jesus came to glorify God His father. If you think about it, everywhere Jesus went He not only was seeking God's glory, but He was sharing God's grace and He was showing God's goodness. What Paul said about his life we should say about ours. We should live our lives in a way that clearly shows God's goodness to everyone we encounter.Romans 8:29a For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son. Ephesians 4:15 "…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ."