Why Are You Special?
February 3, 2008
Introduction
Last Sunday, we entitled our thoughts, “You Are Special.” We read (Gen 1:27 NKJV) “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” We went on to state that God gave man a wife and made provision for a family. He established the laws of morality, and told how men and women are to live together. This morning, we want to carry this discussion one step further: What is our purpose? Why are we here? What does God want us to do?
God is the author of two great institutions: the home, and the church. Both of these have to do with family. With relationships, but again, What does God want us to do?
Body
I. God gave us many rules for flying higher. Some great principles are in the Sermon on the Mount.
A. The beatitudes contain important attitudes.
(Mat 5:6-8 NKJV) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. {7} Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. {8} Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
B. But What does God want us to do?
(Mat 5:14-16 NKJV) "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. {15} "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. {16} "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
1. So, clearly, He wants us to be a light.
2. How can we put it under a basket?
3. One way is to become to busy in our own little world.
(Mat 13:22-23 NKJV) "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
4. Clearly, Jesus wants us to be fruitful.
(Mat 13:22-23 NKJV) {23} "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
II. Every Christian is important.
A. Paul tells how each of us is important as being members of the body.
(Eph 4:11-16 NKJV) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, {12} for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, {13} till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; {14} that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, {15} but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; {16} from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
1. We are to encourage one another.
{12} for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
2. We are to speak the truth in love.
{15} but, speaking the truth in love
3. Each one of us is to do our share.
(16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share,
4. Jesus warned us about being unfruitful.
(John 15:1-6 NKJV) "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. {2} "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. {3} "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. {4} "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. {5} "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. {6} "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
B. Peter uses the analogy of Christ being a living stone, and of our being stones of a spiritual building.
(1 Pet 2:4-5 NKJV) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, {5} you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
III Peter goes on to bring in our being priests.
“a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
A. Our sacrifices include our bodies.
(Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 Our sacrifices include the fruit of our lips.
(Heb 13:15 NKJV) Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
2 Our sacrifices include doing good and sharing.
(Heb 13:16} But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
B. As priests, we are to intercede for others.
(1 Tim 2:1-4 NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, {2} for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. {3} For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, {4} who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
IV. We are workers together with God.
(2 Cor 6:1 NKJV) We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
A. God expects diligence and care on our part.
(Heb 4:11 NKJV) Let us therefore be diligent1 to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. .
1spoudazo, spoo-dad'-zo; to make effort, be prompt or earnest:--do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavor, labor, study. .
B. Jesus wanted us to help Him seek and save the lost.
(Mat 9:36-38 NKJV) But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. {37} Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. {38} "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Conclusion
I. We are special.
A. As special, we need to let our lights shine.
1. We need to live lives of purity.
2. We need to do good things to be an example.
B. As special, we need to be workers in the kingdom.
1. Encouraging those in the kingdom.
2. Seeking those who are lost.
II. Are you a child of God?
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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