What Is The Purpose Of Your Life

Introduction

Good morning. It’s good to see such a good crowd. We have several visitors with us, including my dad and Judy Williams up here from Southside. If you haven’t met them, please take a moment to do so before you leave today. As David mentioned, or was mentioned earlier, Tony is out of town. I am not our normal preacher, but I did stay in a holiday at an express last night. So of course I’m kidding. It was actually a La Quinta, which that’s Spanish for next to Denny’s, if you didn’t know that. But you may have seen, maybe you might see this at work or somewhere, maybe even at school, these motivational posters. They’re usually some beautiful natural landscape and a photo or some kind of pretty photo with some sort of motivational or inspirational phrase or word written under it, like leadership or motivation, and then some description underneath.

And those are great, but I really like the fake ones, but you can buy at Despair.com. If you haven’t been to that website, you might want to check it out. There’s some pretty funny ones, and mostly because there’s a lot of truth in them, I think. but this is one of my favorites. you may have seen before. There we go. Okay. it features a sinking ship, and if you can’t read that tagline underneath, it says mistakes. It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others. Well, I hope that’s not true for us. I hope that’s not true for you, but wouldn’t that be sad if that was the case? And in fact, that’s what I want to ask this morning is what’s the purpose of your life?

And it really would be sad if that’s the only positive impact we had is to serve as a warning to other people. The scriptures tell us that there are those, there’s accounts of people that are recorded in Scripture. That’s the only reason why they’re recorded, for that very reason. Take the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter writes in 2 Peter 2 6 that he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter. And in Jude 7, also, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example and undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

That also could be said of the Israelites that fell in the wilderness. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10, nevertheless, with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also crave. And he says down in verse 11, now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. So there are people that could be said for.

So I’m hoping that’s still not the case for us, but are we here to serve the purposes of God by obeying him in accordance with his will, like David. Well, Paul preaches in Acts 13, verse 36, for David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay. So David tried to live a godly life. David was a man after God’s own heart, and he was able to serve God’s purpose in the way that God wanted. So keep that thought in mind, and we’ll come back to that in just a minute. If you want to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 17, I’d like to read an account that’s recorded in all three of the synoptic gospels.

1. The Transfiguration

The transfiguration. We’ll begin reading in Matthew chapter 17 in the first verse. Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with him. Peter said to Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.

Listen to him. When the disciples heard this, they fell down to the ground and were terrified. And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, Get up and do not be afraid. And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. This happens not long, if you look a page over, but not long after an important event that’s also recorded in the other gospels. Peter’s confession of Christ. Remember, Jesus asked, Who do men say that I am? And they gave several answers. And he asked them, Who do you say that I am? And Peter said, You are the Christ.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And that just recently had happened. And then, much to the disciples’ confusion after that, he began explaining to them that they must go to Jerusalem, and he must suffer and be killed and rise on the third day. And then we have this event happen that we just read about. The word that we have translated as transfigured is from the Greek word metamorphoo, if I’m saying that right, which is where we get our English word metamorphosis. Thayer defines that as to change into another form or to transform. Strong defines that as to transform, whether literally or figuratively. Albert Barnes notes in his commentary that the word transfigure means to change the appearance or form. It does not denote the change of the substance of a thing, but simply of its appearance.

It puts on a new aspect. And what this change was, we’re expressly told. And that’s true. Verse 2, it says, His face shone like the sun. Luke’s account describes as the appearance of his face became different. And you can recall if we’ve ever tried to gaze directly at the sun, we just can’t do it. It’s painful. It hurts our eyes. We have to put your hand up to shield our eyes. And that’s how his face is described. His garments in verse 2 became as white as light. Mark’s account says in chapter 9, verse 3, his carments, his garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launder on earth could whiten them. Something clearly supernatural in the appearance of his clothes. Luke reports his clothes, his clothes became white and gleaming.

So can you imagine what this would have been like for Peter, James, and John to witness? I think if you’re if you’re like me, maybe it’s it’s easy for this to be lost on us. You know, we have this well-lit building. We don’t have to go by candlelight or lamp light or torchlight. We have artificial lights. We can have nice bright lights with relative ease. And also we have all the cool CGI graphics we see in special effects in the movie. So maybe this is kind of lost on us, but could you imagine how impressive this would have been for Peter and James and John to witness? I mean, they saw a hint of the true nature of Jesus. Paul writes to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, 15 and 16, speaking of Jesus, he who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.

To him be honor and eternal dominion, amen. So Peter, James, and John would not have been able to see Jesus in his true form, because no man has seen God or can see him. But here, maybe they get just a glimpse, a foretaste of his glory. If that’s not enough, we see Moses and Elijah appear to him and speaking with them. Luke records that they appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Again, can you imagine what it had been like for these three faithful Jews to see two of the heroes of their faith, two of the greatest prophets in their history standing before them? It’s kind of a weak analogy for us because our country’s so young, but pick whoever your favorite presidential candidate is for the upcoming election.

And say you go to some event that they’re speaking at, or maybe it’s a debate. And there to his left and his right, you see Thomas Jefferson and George Washington appear before them. Or George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, whoever, someone like that who’s from our past, the heroes of our history, you know, the founding fathers. We’d be pretty impressed with that. Bad guy’s got my vote. I’m voting for that guy. Here they are appearing to him. But again, that’s a weak analogy. Our country is so young. And here we have something so much more appearing to Moses and Elijah. And look what Peter says in verse 4. Lord, it is good for us to be here. And if you wish, I’ll make three tabernacles here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

What why would Peter propose to do such a thing? Well, Mark gives us a little more information. It says in Mark 9, verse 6, for he did not know what to answer, for he was terrified. Luke’s account describes that now Peter’s and his companions had been overcome with sleep.

But when they were fully awake, they saw him in his glory. Imagine that would wake you up, wouldn’t it? To see this. They witnessed Jesus in his glory. And the two men standing with them, and as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make these three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah, not realizing what he was saying. What do you say when you see something like that? Maybe it says, Luke says that they were leaving. Maybe he doesn’t want his heroes to leave, and so he proposes doing this. But imagine this is Moses. This is the lawgiver. This is the man who delivered the nation from Egyptian bondage. This is Elijah, the preeminent prophet from the divided kingdom, the one who opposed the priests of Baal and Mount Carmel.

This is the one who was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. He didn’t even die. So, yes, he was excited. There was Moses and Elijah, and just brings to mind what Jesus said earlier of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Here they are. They’re still with us. So Peter does not fully realize what he’s saying when he proposes this. But before he can even finish speaking it, a bright cloud overshadows them, and this voice from heaven says, This is my beloved son with whom I’m well pleased. Listen to him. Not Moses, not Elijah, my son. And I doubt Peter had thought about it at the moment, but later, when he’s preaching in Acts 3 on the porch of Solomon’s portico, he quotes Deuteronomy 18, 15, where Moses says, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, and you shall listen to him.

And we see that starting to come to pass right here, and just what the voice from heaven tells these men. Luke’s account says, while Peter was saying this, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Verse 6, here back in Matthew, describes their reaction. They fell face down to the ground and were terrified. And why do you think that is? It’s because they had no doubt who had spoken. This was God the Father, this was Jehovah speaking. Yet we see in verse 8, Jesus tells them not to be afraid, and lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. And then Jesus asked them not to speak of this. What? I want to tell everybody about this.

I just saw Moses and Elijah. But he says, don’t speak of this to everyone until after he had risen from the dead. And again, that he’s already, he’s already been speaking about this, he’s already been preparing them for this, but they don’t understand it, as we can see in earlier accounts. So this would have been amazing forum, but have you ever asked yourself, why was this only witnessed by Peter, James, and John? Why not the other twelve apostles? They were the chosen twelve. They’ve been given a job to do. Why these three men? And I don’t know that I can give you God’s reasons. I certainly can’t answer that, but I’d like to submit to you this morning that perhaps it is because these three men played a prominent special role in the establishment of the early church.

And that this was witnessed by them so they could be prepared. God was preparing them for the special role that he had for them. Albert Barnes, in his commentary, puts it this way. This was spoken, speaking of the voice from heaven, this was spoken to confirm the disciples, to make known to them that it was their duty to hear Christ rather than any other, and to honor him more than Moses and Elijah, and to strengthen their faith in him when they should go forth to preach the gospel after he was shamefully put to death. After this, it was impossible for them to doubt that he was truly the Son of God. And I would add to that, after this, and after seeing him raised from the dead, it was impossible for them to doubt that he was the Son of God.

2. The Special Role That Peter Played

So consider for a moment the special role that Peter played in the early church. You know, his sermons of the gospel message are among the first recorded in the book of Acts, and how active he was in the early establishment of the church. And we here we have the one who, like the other disciples, fled before the angry mob that took or came to take Jesus away, who denied him three times. Yet now we find the book of Acts rejoicing for being able to suffer on account of him, and even boldly defying the chief priests and the elders in Acts chapter 4, when they tell them they are no longer to speak in the name of Jesus Christ. And he tells them, but Peter and John, in Acts 4, verse 19, but Peter and John answered and said to them, Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than God, you be the judge.

For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.

He was an active preacher, and he even describes himself in one of his letters in 1 Peter 5, verse 1, as a fellow elder. So he played a very prominent role. He also was the author of two of our epistles we have preserved for us today. And some scholars even believe he may have had a hand in the writing of the Gospel of Mark being his oftentime companion. Whether that’s the case or not, Peter did a lot of work in the early church. So how did God prepare him for this? I would say that witnessing the transfiguration that we just read about is an important way. Turn to 2 Peter. Let’s look at one of his letters where he gives some insight into that event.

2 Peter chapter 1. Begin reading at verse 12 in 2 Peter chapter 1. Therefore I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will be diligent that at any time after my departure you’ll be able to call these things to mind. For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to him by the majestic glory. This is my beloved Son, with whom I well pleased. And we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.

So Peter knows that the time of his death drawing near. He mentions there in verse 14. Recall at the conclusion of the Gospel of John in the 21st chapter of that gospel that we have this interaction between Jesus and Peter, where Jesus asks him, Peter, do you love me more than these? Of course, he affirms three times, you know that I do. And after that exchange, he tells them something. In John 21, verse 18, Jesus tells him, Truly I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. And 19 explains this he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.

And after saying this, he said to him, Follow me. So Peter knows.

And Peter apparently at the time of this writing knows it’s near. But Peter wants to make sure that this is written down so that they and we would be able to recall these things. That Peter was an eye witness of the honor and glory that Jesus received there on the mountain. This was not a cleverly devised tale. The preaching that he’d been giving these people was not something that they had concocted. They saw with their own eyes and they heard the voice of God. They saw Jesus glorified. Well, consider for a moment, James.

3. The Purpose of James' Life

We see him mentioned two more times. Acts 1 13, where all of the apostles are mentioned as going up to the upper room. We see his name listed there amongst the other apostles. And then we see him one more time. In Acts chapter 12, verses 1 through 3. Now, about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. And when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest also. Here we have James arrested and executed. And Herod, the wicked king, says, Oh, that seemed to make people happy. I like that. I’m gaining in the polls. So, motivated by that, he decides to arrest Peter also.

And we see Peter incarcerated and the church praying fervently for him. But yet Peter is miraculously delivered. He’s allowed to escape in a way that he would never have been able to do without miraculous intervention from God. Why is that? Why would God let James go ahead and be put to death, but yet he would say Peter. That’s not fair. Why would he do that? Well, I think the only answer can be is that he had a different purpose in mind for Peter than he had in mind for James. Better he was answering the prayers of the saints, praying on behalf of Peter. So what could pop what possible purpose could God have had for James? And to just let him be put to death. Well, think about it this way.

He was witness, as were the other apostles, to the resurrected Lord, and he was unwilling to change his story when his life was on the line. You know, it’s often said that not many men will go to their deaths defending what they know is a lie. But there’s plenty of men who’ll go to their deaths if defending something they believe to be true. And that seems to be the case with James. James was convinced that Jesus was the Son of God, even to the point of being executed for it. And that’s actually in fulfillment of what Jesus predicted for him. Remember that the mother of James and John comes to Jesus in Matthew 22. Verse 2 in Matthew 20 and asks them, Lord, please put my sons on your right hand and on your left.

Well, if the other apostles didn’t like that very much. But Jesus answers them in verse 22, you do not know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink? And they said to him, in ignorance, we are able. Verse 23, and he said to them, My cup you shall drink. But to sit at my right hand on my left, that is not mine to give, but is that for those for whom it has been prepared by my father. They were going to drink the same cup of suffering that Jesus would drink. But think about the purpose of James’ life. The death of James was and still is a very powerful testimony to the fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

4. What About John?

James had no doubt of who Jesus was, and he wasn’t willing to change the story. And he went to his death for it. And that’s important testimony. It was important testimony then, it’s important testimony now. In fact, you could even argue that perhaps that’s more powerful testimony than even the life Peter led. It’d be a judgment call, but it’s powerful testimony. It’s a special purpose, it’s a different purpose. What about John? John, of course, was also active in the early preaching of the gospel, referred back to Acts chapter 4, where they were told by the chief priest and the elders no longer to preach the name of Jesus, and it says, Peter and John told them. You know, should we obey you or God? Let me think about that.

But John defied them as well. Paul describes John Peter and John, they were reputed to be reputed to be pillars in the church in Galatians 2, verse 9, when he was able to meet with them. John wrote three epistles that we have recorded for us. He wrote the book of Rez of Revelations, and he is credited with one of the gospel accounts. And if John indeed did write the Gospel of John, look at John 1 14. He wrote, And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory. Glory is the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. Again, not knowing if that is specifically applying to his witness to the transfiguration, but it could be. Or what he wrote in the book of Revelation 2 10, when he was writing the letters to the seven churches of Asia, Jesus tells him to write in this letter, do not fear what you are about to suffer.

Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I’ll give you the crown of life. Maybe we could say that could be the whole theme of the book, be faithful unto death. The church was about to suffer. They were about to go through some very hard times. And this book was written to encourage them to be faithful until death, that it’s going to be better. God will be victorious in the end. Secular history tells us that John was the only of the only one of the apostles to not be put to death, to not die a martyr’s death, that he actually lived to an old age and died a natural death.

Tradition says that he spent the last his last days in Ephesus and died somewhere around the year 100 A.D. And just think about that if that’s if that’s true, he ha how long he had to carry on after the unjust execution of his own brother. After each of his companions that he had spent so much time with and worked so hard with were put to death one by one. Think how lonely that might have must have felt for him at some point, thinking I’m the only one left. He had a special purpose to serve too. Jerome writes in the fourth century in one of his commentaries that when John was an old man in Ephesus, he had to be carried to the assembly in the arms of his disciples.

And at these meetings, he was accustomed to say no more than little children love one another. Which, whether that’s true or not, that certainly would be consistent with what he wrote in his letters. First, second, third, John. So maybe God’s plan for John was simply to have been the lasting influence in the early church, encouraging them as they exited the first century and entered the second century. Well, there’s the introduction.

5. What's God's Purpose for Us?

So let’s get to the point. We talked about the beginning of the lesson. What’s God’s purpose for us? So let’s think let’s spend the last few minutes we have together thinking about that. What’s God’s purpose for us in our life? Well, certainly it’s to glorify him. We know that. Paul writes, 1 Corinthians 10 31, whether you, whether then you eat or drink, whatever you do all to the glory of God. That’s the purpose, the calling that we’ve been called to. It’s for that reason that we were even created. Isaiah writes, Bring my sons from afar, my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.

And Paul writes in Ephesians chapter 1 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us to the beloved. That’s what we’re here for. That’s what God created us to be. He predestined us as adoption as sons, if we would just receive the grace he has given us. Well, that can be said for all of us.

That’s what we’re here for. But what special purpose does God have in mind for you? What does he have in mind for me? What role does he have for us to play? Of course I can’t answer that for you specifically. But just think a moment about some of the examples that we just read with Peter, James, and John’s service in life. Maybe our purpose is going to be somewhat similar to Peter’s.

He says there in John 21, verse 22, so Peter seeing him said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? Verse 22, Jesus said to him, If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me. So maybe that’s something for us to be consider to consider in our service. Maybe we will not serve God’s purpose for us in the way that we would have envisioned, or maybe even preferred. Maybe in a way that includes persecution and suffering along the way, much as Peter’s did. And perhaps our service will seem more difficult or more burdensome or more perilous than our brothers and sisters around us seem to be serving God’s purpose. But what is that to us? Jesus tells us, you follow me.

That doesn’t change anything for us. Well, what if our purpose is going to be like James? Maybe we’re going to suffer hardship in the same way that James did, while others maybe are not, at least not in the same way. Maybe we’re going to have to suffer the loss of health. We have a lot of folks here that can claim that, can’t they? Suffer the loss of employment, we’ll suffer family strife, we’ll suffer some unjust treatment at the hands of someone else. But our endurance and those kinds of hardships, even at great personal sacrifice, can teach more to other people. In fact, they can teach more people than hundreds of sermons preached inside an auditorium, but those same people will never enter. Our example means a lot, especially in the face of suffering.

Turn over to 1 Peter chapter 2, if you would.

In 1 Peter chapter 2, I’ll begin reading at verse 11. Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may, because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to the governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God, that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bonds slaves of God.

Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience towards God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience. But if when you do what is right and suffer for it, you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. And if you haven’t underlined this in your Bible, do it. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.

And while being reviled, he did not revile in return. While suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. And he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For by his wounds you were healed.

Or maybe it might be more like John’s. Maybe it might be just to simply and patiently endure, quietly, year after year, living an unwavering life of faithfulness. As Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4, beginning at verse 9, he says, Now is to the love of the brethren. Excel still more. Verse 11, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly towards outsiders and not be in any need. Maybe we could be like John and just keep going at it year after year. And our example, leading others to obey the gospel, and encouraging others to faithfully serve him. Back in the reading we just did there in 1 Peter chapter 2, if you look a page over in chapter 3, verse 8 and 9, he says, To sum up all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead.

6. How Does God Prepare Us?

For you were called for this very purpose, that you might inherit a blessing. That’s the purpose God has for us. So how does God prepare us to serve this special purpose? He certainly prepared Peter, James, and John, I would say, for the purpose he had for them. So how does he prepare us? Turn back again, please, to what Peter wrote in 2 Peter chapter 1. Peter, again referring to the transfiguration, said, We did not follow cleverly devised tales. We heard the utterance made from heaven when we were with him on the Holy Mountain. Verse 19, he says, So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you would do well to pay attention, as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

But know this, first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but by men moved by the Holy Spirit, spoke from God. Scholars say that the Greek there in verse 19, where it says the prophetic word made more sure, it may not be fair to say that’s making a comparison, to say this is even more sure, but we get the point. Peter’s telling us we didn’t see Jesus glorified on the mountain. We didn’t see Moses and Elijah appear before him. But we have something just as reliable, if not more, just as sure. We have the prophetic word. We have the prophecies in the scriptures that we see fulfilled exactly and in detail in Jesus Christ.

So we have the word to prepare us. We have our assembly together. Paul writes in Romans 15, verse 4 and 6, 4 through 6, that forever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that we through perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. And he concludes that with now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant to you be of the same mind and with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope that’s what we’ve done together this morning as we’ve glorified him together with one voice as we sing, saying his praises. Peter said kind of clumsily as he witnessed the transfiguration, Lord is good for us to be here.

It was good for him to see that. Well, I would say it’s been good for us to be here this morning, to be with one another, have this encouragement.

Just think about that. Each of us has had a different experience. Each of us had some unique trials, unique circumstances, unique upbringing, but those unique things may put you in a better place to reach out to someone else than anyone else on the planet. Your experiences might help you relate to someone else in a way that I never can. And so maybe in that way, God has prepared you to help someone else. Paul writes in Romans 8.28 that we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Paul’s not saying that only good things happen to God’s people. That’s not what he’s saying. And clearly that’s not the case because we see good people in the New Testament.

That did not happen to what he’s saying is all the things that happen to God’s people can’t be used for good. And that’s true. Whatever our experiences are, whatever our suffering might be, it could be used for good to God’s glory. And he’s has provided us with what we need to keep us from stumbling along the way. In Jude verse 24, he says, Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy, though only God our Savior, through Christ Jesus, our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever. You think about that God is able to keep us from stumbling. We kind of had a discussion about this in our one of our Bible classes recently, that God is not waiting for us to slip up.

It’s like, okay, we’re going to end the world right now. Boom, you’re in sin. That is not what he wants. He wants us to do with him. He wants us to succeed. God is on our side, and he is able to keep us from stumbling and to make us stand blameless before him. And finally, this morning, I would just say that God’s purpose for us, whatever it might be, is going to be worth whatever the cost is. Whatever it costs us, whatever experience we have to go through, if we’re faithful to him, it’s going to be worth it in the end. The last verse we’ll look at together in Hebrews 12, 1 through 2. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Conclusion

It may be that the very reason that you find yourself here this morning is so that you can find and accomplish God’s purpose for you in your life. If you’ve never obeyed him, if you haven’t started that journey, this very morning before you leave, confess Jesus as Lord as the Son of God. Repent of your sins that so easily entangle us and wash them away in baptism. Or perhaps you’ve you’ve started that journey and you find yourself distracted from serving God’s purpose, or not focusing on that at all. Well, take this opportunity to let us pray with you and for you so that we can all better serve him together. If anyone has any need, please stand together while we stand to serve.