Finding Meaning In Our Lives

Finding Meaning In Our Lives

Preacher Huijun - 10 September 2015

Jesus' Calling And Our Response

All English Service

["Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people." At once they left their nets and followed Him.] Do you feel happy when God calls you? We're often very happy when we're called by VIPs and influential people in the world, but when God calls us, do we feel awesome and happy about it? Sadly, a lot of times, we don't, and perhaps, we look down on His calling too. Unless we know the nature of God's calling, we will not be able to respond correctly to it, and as a result, we lose a great deal of blessings He's prepared for us. Jesus called Peter at where he was - when he was a sinner, when he was fishing day in day out yet gaining no yield. His concern was on the tangible things which he deemed important. But as God called him, Peter was utterly broken because he saw how sinful he had been and how unworthy he was of the grace lavished on him freely. Being reclaimed by Jesus' love, he left everything and followed Jesus upon His call, because he had found God as all, what he had gotten was more than the good catch of fish. Jesus' calling of "follow me" was so captivating to him even though he had no idea how this calling would be fulfilled. Peter displayed a healthy fear in response to God's calling - a fear of knowing there's no other way but to follow God, hanging onto Him as if He's the only lifeline. Is such also our response to God's calling today? God wants us to be broken and humbled before Him, and thus need Him even more when we meet His holiness as He calls us, but how often do we complicate God's calling and our response to His call with our added emotions, pride and inadequacies, forgetting He is the One who seeks us proactively first, the One who surpasses all?

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* The quest for significance (meaning) is built into our humanness.

* Man is created with lasting and higher meaning as image bearers of God.

* Meaninglessness actually leads to boredom, alcoholism, juvenile delinquency and even suicide.

* Sociologist Durkheim – Greatest number of suicides are caused by anomie, something rendered by meaninglessness. (Anomic suicide takes place when somebody has no goal or purpose in life, or if he has an unattainable goal in his life)

* Quality of church teaching has to increase to truly give meaning to the inner soul.

 

Verses to Read: <Ecclesiastes 2:1-11>

  • Sigmund Freud – Man has the will to pleasure
  • Alfred Adler – Man has the will to power
  • Word of God – Man has the will to meaning

 

Solomon couldn’t find meaning through his heart

* Our fallen hearts can only tell us there is no meaning. 

* Only God’s truth points us to where true meaning lies.

 

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

<Ecclesiastes 12:13-14>. 

 

God’s Commandments and Judgment

* Commandments – What we are created for?

* Judgment – What we are ultimately destined for?

① Commandment of Reigning <Gen 1:28>

② Commandment of Obedience <Gen 2:16-17>

 

The Fall

* Continue to reign, yet in disobedience

* Mankind will destroy each other eventually

 

Restoration of “true meaning” through Christ

1) Dignity and worth as God’s image bearer – Do His will

2) Eternity

3) Morality

4) Call to excellence

 

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Pastor Vincent Choo
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Vincent serves as the President of The Blessed Run Church. He is also the Senior Pastor of The Life Church and Missions (Singapore) and is an ardent missionary to the Chinese World. He currently lives in Singapore with his wife, Qiufen, and has three kids, Mary, David, and Caleb.

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